Farm Business Planning

Business planning guide focuses on how real farm families set goals, research processing alternatives, determine potential markets and evaluate financing options.

Addresses marketing and business planning for U.S. agricultural producers interested in value-added marketing.

Agriculture is full of exciting and rewarding opportunities. "Two of the biggest challenges facing new farmers and ranchers are access to land and access to capital. Capital needs range from buying the farm itself to financing your business. USDA and its partners have many tools that you can use when taking these first key steps."

Farm Answers features a library of how-to resources and guidance, a directory of beginning farmer training programs, toolboxes to help you address your biggest challenges when starting a farm, and news, blog, podcasts and other sources of current information in agriculture.

Identifies research to do and questions to ask before starting a new agricultural business.

A step-by-step workbook to assist current and future agricultural business operators research and decide on the most suitable agricultural enterprise to pursue and then develop a detailed business plan.

This specialized guide or "Planner" is designed to "assist farmers, ranchers and food business owners (new or experienced, small- or large-scale) interested in exploring transition strategies prior to becoming certified organic." It addresses "organic certification requirements as they pertain to or affect business planning."