The educational materials listed on this page are about Business Planning.
Farm business planning helps farmers turn their dream into a profitable reality. A farm business plan is essential for sustainable and alternative agricultural business owners to be successful. For instance, creating a poultry farming business plan aids producers in setting realistic goals and determining potential markets for consumers interested in pastured poultry. A cattle farm business plan could help a rancher research the feasibility of alternative processing methods and evaluate financing options. An apple business plan can help an orchard operator improve sustainability on their farm both economically and environmentally. A goat farming business plan or pastured pig farming business plan can help the farmer plan for boosted production and identify or develop specific markets for their products. Key practices include marketing management, market study, financial management, business planning, risk management, new enterprise development, land access, labor/employment, value added.
SARE’s book Building a Sustainable Business aids producers in building a sustainable and profitable business plan for their enterprise. Organic farmers will benefit from Organic Transition: A Business Planner for Farmers, Ranchers and Food Entrepreneurs. Those seeking funding information can find help in Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities, which includes other sources of loans, grants and technical support to help their business thrive. SARE’s bulletin Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Ranchers is also useful for producers looking to expand or identify markets for their products.
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Livestock Marketing Channel Assessment Tool
This tool provides livestock producers with a way to identify the most profitable marketing channels.
Northeast Agritourism Collaboration
This Northeast Agritourism Collaboration website, hosted by the University of Vermont, supports farmers and ranchers interested in entering the agritourism business by sharing best practices and resources available in the Northeast.
Marketing for Profit Curricula
The following materials are available as part of the Marketing for Profit: Tools for Success online course developed by the Farmers Market Federation of New York for farmers and farm educators as part of the Northeast SARE project, "Marketing for Profit: Tools for Success." Marketing for Profit Tools for Success Handbook (Book/Handbook) Trainer Curriculum Self […]
Dried Flowers, Herbs and Cover Crops Sold as Seasonal Decoration
Monica Drazba of Chickadee Creek Farm in Pennington, New Jersey conducted a Northeast SARE Farmer Grant to study the production costs, required labor, marketability, and profitability of growing specialty cut flowers and grasses specifically for wreath production. As a result, she created a series of five fact sheets, below, that contain an analysis of the […]
Train-the-trainer program supports value-added and direct marketing education for Northeast farmers
Northeastern producers frequently consider direct marketing and value-added product development to increase revenues on the farm. Food entrepreneurship requires different skillsets than production agriculture. And, introducing value-added foods to the marketplace opens the seller to unique business liability. Therefore, it is important that farmers receive training and support to effectively set up and manage local […]
Supporting the development of agritourism in the Northeast
Northeast farmers are increasingly reliant on agritourism to expand farm income, create employment for family members, and strengthen relationships within the local community. This multi-state (NJ, VT, DE, and ME) Professional Development project, led by Brian Schilling of Rutgers University, provided training to agricultural educators to better assist the farmers with whom they work to […]
RI student studies production and marketing potential of amaranth
Amaranth is a traditional leaf vegetable in over 50 countries, yet little research exists on growing this crop in temperate climates like the Northeast U.S. University of Rhode Island student Sarah Schweig saw the potential that this crop might hold for farmers looking to diversity their farms in our densely populated, ethnically diverse region. Therefore, […]
Hedgeapple Farm
Hedgeapple Farm sells grass-fed Black Angus beef in Buckeystown, Maryland.
So you want to raise beef cattle
Options to consider, setting goals, and thinking ahead.
Cooperative Farming
A cooperative is both a type of business and an attitude.
Ginger: An ancient crop in the New World
Melissa Bahret of Old Friends Farm in Amherst, Massachusetts, saw that her greenhousewas sitting idle in the late spring and summer, after her vegetable starts were in the ground or sold to customers. She and her business partner, Casey Steinberg, were looking for new ways to use the space and to complement the flowers, salad […]
Large-Scale Help for Small-Scale Farmers
Lydia Sisson had worked on farms before, but when it came to taking the next step—going into business for herself—she hesitated, unsure of how to navigate the complexities of acquiring land, keeping the books, analyzing the market and more. But after taking a business training course through the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project in early […]
NOFA Handbooks
A series of eight handbooks for new farmers or established producers seeking to transition to organic or improve their current practices. Print only; order from Chelsea Green.