Appendix 1: Definitions
Situation Statement
A situation statement describes the current condition of your area that influences your
agricultural and environmental business plan. This statement should include some type of
local needs assessment to help identify agricultural and environmental issues and
priorities that you need to address in your plan. Examples of components to include in an
agricultural and environmental situation statement include:
·
Population or number of farming operations
·
Size of total municipal landbase
·
Break down of landbase into land uses or commodities
·
Break down of infrastructure and other non-agricultural activities such as
roadways, parks, cemeteries, gravel pits, reserves, landfills, and subdivisions, etc.
·
Presence and proximity to waterbodies or watercourses
Overall agricultural and environmental conditions or challenges
Program History and Continuity
·
History of environmental extension programming
·
Resources available to deliver the program plan (technical capacity, equipment,
manpower required)
·
Program continuity and past successes
Vision
A vision statement presents an image of what success will look like. A vision provides an
organization a forward looking, idealized image of itself. It concentrates on the end goal,
not the means to reach the goal.
Mission
A mission statement is an introductory paragraph or statement that sets the context of
what will be detailed later in the context of the business plan. A mission statement must
communicate the essence of the ASB in terms of the role it plays in achieving the big picture
or vision. A mission statement summarizes the What, How and Why of an ASBs work and
describes the ASB in terms of its Purpose, Business and Values.
Values
Values are standards or qualities that represent core beliefs or convictions that establish
priorities for decision making and action. Including the values of the ASB in your business
plan allows you to set out what is important and communicate that importance to others.
You may have several values that are important to your municipality. Put as many as are
applicable for your municipality.
Goals
Goals are broad, issue oriented statements that being to focus action towards clearly
defined purpose. A goal is generally a statement of “what” needs to be done in order the
reach the desired end result. Goals are benchmarks against which programs can be
measured. They are clear statements of anticipated results. SMART goals are specific,
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