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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Farmers Testing Elderberry Varieties for Florida Cultivation
CHIEFLAND, Florida – Elderberry, internationally utilized and popular for centuries for its perceived medicinal and health benefits, may have potential as an alternative crop in Florida. Farmers Heather Martin and David Jarnagin of Hyldemoer + Co. in north central Florida have been testing elderberry (Sambucus spp.) varieties for the past several years for commercial production. […]
Diversifying Small Farms with Cereal Grains
FOREST, Virginia – Virginia farmer Michael Grantz is testing what it takes to incorporate cereal grains into a small-scale, diversified vegetable and cut flower farm for soil health as a cover crop and a value-added product for local markets. Grantz has managed a quarter acre plot of wheat and rye on he and his wife’s […]
New Online Training Tool is Available Free to Farmers
According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, 85% of new farm businesses fail within their first five years of production. Despite this, few programs exist to help develop the business and financial management skills needed to establish a successful farm business. After receiving feedback about the need for a program like […]
Business Decision-Making Tools Available from Southern SAWG
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – Ag service providers working with small to mid-scale producers on business decision-making have a series of resource tools available to them that address profitability management challenges faced by those in the industry. Through a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Professional Development Program Grant, the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) […]
North Carolina Study Shows Local Foods a Driver for Economic Development, Especially in Rural Areas
RALEIGH, North Carolina – North Carolina farms that sell directly to consumers are more interconnected with their local economies than non-direct-to-consumer farms, and have a greater multiplier effect of generated revenue, based on the results of a North Carolina State University survey. The results, which could have applicability on a regional level, are intended to […]
Sustainable Blackberries and Raspberries
A handbook to guide growers in sustainable practices of fruit production from production practices to business management to marketing, for high tunnel and field production.
Black Soldier Fly Integral Component of Sustainable Ag at Georgia Farm
BLUFFTON, Georgia – The black soldier fly has turned out to be a key contributor to the sustainable agriculture efforts of one South Georgia farm. For the past two years, the indigenous insect has been at the center of a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Producer study at White Oak Pastures to determine […]
Growing American Ginseng in Forestlands
A fact sheet from Virginia Cooperative Extension on growing ginseng in forestland as an alternative crop.
Good Agricultural Practices
This guide from North Carolina State University provides growers with a framework for them to develop their own food safety plans.
Organic Horticulture Training for the Southeast
An interactive website to help ag professionals develop successful organic education programs.
Heritage Turkey Manual
Developed by The Livestock Conservancy, the Heritage Turkey Manual provides information on all facets of pasture-based turkey production and turkey breeding.
Sustainable Forestry Management for Productive Woodlands
A series of fact sheets from Sustainable Woodlands and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service on opportunities for management of productive woodlands for limited-resource landholders.