Today's farmers are exploring new enterprises for diversification or considering alternative marketing strategies that increase a customer's perceived value of existing agricultural products.
AFSIC Highlights
Great Places to Find Information About Farming Alternatives USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center. Looking to diversify your farming business? These government programs, universities and organizations offer resources and information contacts that can help you research alternative farming opportunities and develop business and marketing plans.
List of Alternative Crops and Enterprises for Small Farm Diversification USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center. Lists alternative livestock species and livestock-related enterprises with links to Extension sources that help evaluate and start non-conventional farming enterprises.
Farm-Based Recreation: A Statistical Profile USDA. Economic Research Service Identifies who operates farm-based recreation enterprises. Discusses
the importance of various farmer and farm characteristics, estimated income and other factors related to this farming diversification option.
Key Points to Consider for Various Alternative Enterprises(PDF|1.1 KB) University of Florida. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Assists farmers identify goals and explore the decision-making and planning processes to select alternative agricultural enterprises. Discusses 16 key points to consider for several enterprises and charts the relative costs for each.
Missouri Alternatives Center: Link List University of Missouri. Cooperative Extension Service. Links to hundreds of full-text Extension publications that address all kinds agricultural alternatives including a wide range of crops, livestock species and production systems.
Agri Tourism USDA. Rural Development; Iowa State University. Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. Defines agri tourism; describes and links to selected publications and farms.
Marketing for the Value-Added Agricultural Enterprise(PDF|1837 KB) University of Tennesse. Agricultural Extension Service. Subtitled "Concepts, Principles and Practices for Planning, Developing, and Marketing New Opportunities," this publication serves as a primer for farmers who are considering new marketing strategies.
Food Industry USDA. Rural Development; Iowa State University. Agricultural Marketing Resource Center.
"Provides information to help you understand and analyze the food industry in terms of value-added markets and industries." Topics include organics, community supported agriculture, e-markets, farmers' markets and market trends.
![The wheel of a red antique push tractor. [Source: IStock International, Inc.]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081204201358im_/http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_web/afsic/content_images/ISredplowsusagthumb7080.jpg)
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