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 Management
Find resources on business planning and management, market development and diversification, budgeting and finance, risk management, and more.
Marketing, Business and Risk Management
National Center for Appropriate Technology. National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
Provides publications and information to help farmers with managing risk, planning their businesses, diversifying their output, developing new markets and adding value to farm products. Topics include: business planning and management, risk management, funding and organic marketing and labeling.
Agricultural Alternatives - Farm Management
Pennsylvania State University. College of Agricultural Sciences; Cooperative Extension Service.
Informs farmers on agritainment, business insurance, budgeting, business plans, financing, business diversification, agricultural liability, and income tax issues.
Family Farm Series Publications: Farm Management Publications
University of California. Small Farm Center.
Individual fact sheets discuss agricultural enterprise selection, small farm financing, production cost analysis and farm leasing or renting.
Small Business Administration Business Guide
U.S. Small Business Administration.
Provides step-by-step guidance on planning, launching, managing and growing your business.
National Ag Risk and Farm Management Library
University of Minnesota. Center for Farm Financial Management.
A major component of USDA's Risk Management Education (RME) program; organizes thousands of risk management materials which help "agricultural producers and professionals quickly locate information, tools, and assistance on specific ag risk and farm management topics."
Economic Analysis of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Michigan State University.
Explores techniques for analyzing "the economic viability of sustainable agricultural and food systems."
Farm Answers
University of Minnesota. Center for Farm Financial Management.
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.