Abstract
This publication is for people who already live in rural areas and want to add new enterprises to their operations. Its sections guide the reader in evaluating resources, assessing finances, gathering information, and marketing. It also discusses choosing an "alternative" enterprise and offers further resources.
Table of Contents
Introduction
This publication is for people who already live in rural areas
and want to add new enterprises to their operations. New farm enterprises
today are often non-traditional—everything from adding pastured
poultry to a beef operation to starting a bed-and-breakfast in the
barn to making a cornfield maze to attract tourists.
This publication won’t tell you what will make the most money.
Every person and every piece of land is different and there is no
single prescription to tell you what enterprise is right for you.
Any new enterprise will, however, require an investment of your
time, money, and other resources. And there will always be risks
involved.
There are thousands of books, Extension materials, and people who
can tell you how to produce something, whether it’s baskets,
bison, or blueberries. But these resources can’t help you
decide whether that enterprise is right for you and your farm.
We reviewed many enterprise planning guides and have condensed
their salient points in this publication. Most of these guides ask
entrepreneurs to assess their personal and family objectives. They
all stress the importance of having a business plan, a financial
plan, and a marketing plan. The business plan will outline how the
business should work and generate plans for operation. Perhaps the
best thing about a detailed business plan is that it causes you
to think in detail about what you are getting into. The Resources
section at the end of this publication provides titles and ordering
information for several useful guides to help determine the feasibility
of your new enterprise.
Two of the very best of these publications are Farming Alternatives:
A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility of New Farm Based Enterprises,
a work book from Cornell University, and A Primer for Selecting
New Enterprises for Your Farm, a Kentucky Extension Service
publication. These guides discuss alternative enterprises and introduce
a step-by-step process to assess the objectives, resources, markets,
production demands, and profitability of new enterprises. Both include
a lot of useful worksheets to help with these assessments. See the
Resources section for more information on how to order these publications.
Back to top
Evaluating Your Resources
Before committing to a new enterprise, there are always fundamental
questions that ought to be addressed. These may be practical (What
are the business/management skills of those involved?), organizational
(Does everyone involved agree on how the business should be run?),
or philosophical (Does everyone involved know, understand, and agree
on the objectives, both short- and long-term?). The following are
typical of the kinds of questions suggested in the sources we reviewed.
Marketing
- Where am I going to sell the products?
- Who is the customer?
- What is the size of the potential customer base?
- Where do the customers live, and how will their location influence
my selling to them?
- What are the customers’ needs and desires?
- Am I going to sell directly to consumers?
- Am I going to wholesale to the commodity market?
- What are the seasonal price fluctuations I can expect?
- What are the quality standards that I must meet?
- How many hours will it take to research direct markets?
- Are there legal or food-safety considerations?
Personal
- Do I have time to devote to this new enterprise?
- Does the workload correspond with the time of year I want to
work?
- Will the new enterprise complement my current enterprises?
- Do I have written objectives describing the desired outcome?
- Do I have the skills and experience necessary to do this?
- Do I like to supervise people?
- Have I managed a business before?
- Do I have enough personal energy to do this?
- Can I count on my family members for support?
- Do I care what the neighbors think about my new enterprise?
- Why do I want this enterprise?
After you have determined that the enterprise is something you
really want to do, consider these additional questions (for land-based
enterprises):
Land
- What is the water drainage like?
- Are the soils suitable?
- What is the seasonal rainfall pattern?
- What will happen to my enterprises during a flood or drought?
- Are these plants or animals adapted to this climatic region?
- Are there water resources available for irrigation or for watering
livestock?
- Do I want concurrent uses for the land such as wildlife conservation,
fishing, or hunting?
Buildings and Machinery
- Do I have adequate facilities?
- What additional machinery will I need?
- Can I rent or borrow machinery or storage facilities?
Labor Needs
- How much labor will be required?
- What is the source of labor?
- How much will it cost?
- Is seasonal labor available?
- Will I need housing for my workers?
- Does this enterprise use existing labor in off-seasons?
There are many resources that can guide you in your search for
the answers to these questions. See the Resources
section at the end of this publication for more information.
Back to top
Financial Assessment
After you have answered the above questions, you’ll have
a better idea of what costs will be involved in a new enterprise,
and that information will help you determine the profit potential.
It is advisable to do the following exercise before spending more
time or money developing the logistics of production or a full enterprise
budget.
One way to compare enterprises for profitability is to calculate
a gross profit analysis
(Savory
and Butterfield, 1999), otherwise known as gross margin analysis (Kay and Edwards, 1994) or a contributory margin.
(Zimmerman and Villanueva, 2001) The gross profit
or margin is the amount of money left over after all the new costs
associated with the new enterprise are subtracted from the gross
income generated by that new enterprise. These new expenses are
separate from the general overhead expense, because they are incurred
only if the new enterprise is implemented. In other words,
these are the variable costs associated with a new enterprise.
To avoid confusing comparisons, do not prorate the overhead (fixed
costs) for enterprises in this exercise. You will get more accurate
results by assuming that the entire overhead cost must be paid out
of the gross profit from the enterprise. For example, if you need
to use your tractor in a new venture, the cost of owning the tractor
(payments, insurance, etc.) is already fixed. But the direct expense
of using the tractor in your new enterprise (fuel, routine maintenance)
can be assigned to the operating cost of the venture that uses the
tractor. By subtracting these operating costs from the total sales,
you arrive at the gross profit. The gross profit from all enterprises
combined must be at least enough to cover the overhead or you will
go broke.
Table 1 shows the gross margin for a sweet
corn enterprise. Figures are generated on a per-acre basis and so
can be compared to any other enterprise on a per-acre basis. Notice
how only the costs directly related to that enterprise are included
in the gross profit analysis. Land rent could also be included,
but if the land is already owned or mortgaged, it should be left
out of this analysis and considered a fixed cost. With this sweet
corn enterprise we have $2,444 gross profit left to pay overhead
costs and, ideally, provide a profit, if a profit was initially
projected.
Table
1. Gross profit for one acre of sweet corn. |
Total Income |
Dollars |
1,200 dozen @ $2.50 |
$3,000.00 |
Variable
Costs |
Seed |
$50.00 |
Fertilizer |
$35.00 |
Weed Control |
$18.00 |
Machinery Use |
$83.00 |
Harvesting |
$345.00 |
Hauling |
$25.00 |
Total Variable Costs |
$656.00 |
Gross Profit/acre |
$2,444.00 |
To make valid comparisons between enterprises using gross profit or
margin analysis, use a common unit of measure. A common unit for agriculture
is gross profit per acre. For some other enterprises, units to consider
might be profit per hour or $/bushel or $/cwt. Using a common unit
will allow you to compare dissimilar enterprises—such as broccoli
for fresh market sales and goats sold wholesale. A per-acre comparision
shows the best return on the land. Another good use of the gross profit
analysis is to compare all your existing enterprises for their contribution
to covering overhead costs. The results may surprise you. For example,
you may find that the principal enterprise is actually being supported
by several secondary enterprises.
In cases where there is no overlap between two enterprises, a direct
comparison may not be possible. An example of this would be if you
already had grazing and timber enterprises and wanted to add a lease-arrangement
hunting lodge to the same land. The only variable costs associated
with the enterprise might be legal fees, renovation costs on the
house, and maintenance. In this case, if the gross profit was still
high, and you responded positively to the personal questions above,
you would go ahead with the enterprise.
The gross profit analysis does not preclude full financial
planning for each enterprise and for the whole farm. If, for example,
the overhead costs are in excess of all the income generated, you
will go broke. If you are buying new equipment (fixed cost) specifically
for an enterprise, that cost can be assigned to that enterprise
and amortized over the useful life of the machinery. If you borrow
money to buy the equipment, the loan payment can be allocated as
a variable expense for the enterprise gross profit analysis. In
the whole-farm budget, all the income from all the various enterprises
will be included, along with the variable costs for each and the
overhead expenses.
Full planning budgets used to estimate costs for many farm enterprises
should be available from your local Extension service. Others can
be found at: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/busmgmt/budgets/index.htm,
a Web site with enterprise budgets for a large number of crop and
livestock enterprises. The budgets at this Web site use the term
“contribution margin” to describe gross profit. These
budgets are separated into contribution margin and buildings and
machinery replacement costs (overhead). The budgets are laid out
in an easy-to-read format with an overview preceding the tables.
Each enterprise budget contains marketing alternatives, cash flow
timing, and key factors affecting profit, with margin estimates
already calculated. When calculating your cost of production, be
sure to use reliable estimates for your situation and include other
costs that may not be listed in the budget. It is also useful to
project poor, average, and good production scenarios for each enterprise.
If you cannot be profitable with poor production, consider another
enterprise.
Back to top
Experience and Information
“The most salient requirement for farming is experience.”
(Nation, 1998) Practical experience is particularly
important for a new enterprise, especially if the enterprise is
not related to what you normally do. You can gain a lot of the necessary
knowledge from people who are currently doing what you are considering.
Apprenticing with someone who is already farming, or just volunteering
some time, is a good way to get experience. (See ATTRA’s resource
list Sustainable
Farming Internships and Appenticeships for more information
on experiential farm work across the country.) Also, start out small
with your own enterprise until you learn the basics. Stockman
Grass Farmer editor Allan Nation (1997) suggests these four
stages when considering a new enterprise:
- Get the knowledge you need to produce and market the product.
- Produce it for yourself and your family.
- Produce it for your friends who have tried it, like it,
and ask you for it.
- Do it as a business.
Although this approach may seem slow, it will go faster and require
a lot less startup investment than jumping in and trying to learn
as you go.
Gathering information on specific enterprises is also an important
step when considering diversification. Your local Cooperative Extension
Service and other USDA agencies can provide fundamental information
about some alternatives, as can non-profit organizations in your
state. You can also contact Extension specialists at your state’s
land-grant university. Other sources of information include Web sites
and publications (books, magazines, and newsletters). The resource
list at the end of this publication also provides helpful information.
Often, however, even though there is production information for
a specific crop, there is little information available on budgets
or markets. Your best resource in a situation like this will probably
be a farmer who is already raising, or someone who is already buying,
the crop or a similar crop. A good way to find farmers is to attend
state or regional workshops or conferences that are in some way
related to your area of interest. Extension puts on workshops throughout
the year that provide an opportunity to network with your fellow
growers. The approach to finding buyers would be similar. For instance,
if you are interested in adding cut flowers to your farm’s
mix, you might attend a statewide conference for florists.
Back to top
Marketing
Author and business consultant Peter Drucker says that only two
activities produce results. One is innovation, and the other is
marketing. (Nation, 1997) Marketing may take
many forms, ranging from passive marketing into the commodity chain
all the way up to marketing a retail product directly to consumers.
Which marketing method you choose will have a profound effect on
the price your product commands. Prices in many prepared budgets
will typically be wholesale prices. Adjust these prices to your
local market (retail or wholesale) based on what you can realistically
expect to get paid. Visit with other farmers in your area who are
selling the same thing you want to sell, or go to the local farmers’
market and check out prices.
There are two important reasons for doing market research:
- You need to understand your market, your competition, and consumer
trends
- You need to be able to project potential sales volume and prices
(Grudens-Schuck and Green, 1991)
The Cornell Farming Alternatives guide mentioned earlier
has marketing worksheets that address the following considerations:
-
Target Market Descriptions
The demographics of people you want to sell to (age, gender, family
status, income level, class, occupation, children, marital status,
location, ethnic group, education).
-
Marketing Options
These include any method used to sell or distribute your product.
(Grudens-Schuck and Green, 1991) Examples
are selling directly to consumers from the farm; farmers’ markets; selling directly to restaurants; cooperative marketing;
selling wholesale to a distributor, broker, or processor; etc.
Identify your most promising options. Also consider transportation
needs and distances to market.
-
Market Entry
How will you introduce the product to the market? Will it be marketed
under the producer’s or processor’s name? What will
get the buyer’s attention (advertising and promotion)? (Schermerhorn, no date )
-
Existing Market Demand
How many potential buyers are included in your target market at
this time? What is the average purchase or frequency of service
per buyer per year? What are the total purchases or number of
services per year?
-
Competition
Analyze your competition: business name, estimated sales volume,
quality of product, price, customer satisfaction, appearance,
type of buyer targeted, strengths, weaknesses. “Direct competition”
offers the same product you do; “indirect competition” is anything your target market can substitute for your product.
Remember: alliances can be formed with competitors.
-
Market Trends
Has consumption been increasing? Is the number of competitors
increasing? What are your projections for market trends in the
next five to ten years? What are the industry trends and emerging
markets?
-
Expected Price
There are many formulas and strategies for setting prices. What
is the lowest price you can expect to receive? What is the highest
price? Ultimately, pricing will reflect your competition, costs
of produc- tion, quality, service, the convience you provide,
and the types of buyers you have targeted.
-
Expected Sales Volume
What is the least number of units you might sell in a bad year?
How many in a good year? What is the expected sales volume? How
long will it take to build the market to your desired sales volume?
Direct marketing involves personally connecting with consumers,
determining what they want or need, and producing the products that
meet their needs. Author Joel Salatin, who raises pastured beef
and poultry in Virginia, suggests several things to think about
when deciding on pricing your products. First, don’t under–price
them. Farm-produced products are superior because they are more
environmentally friendly and humanely produced. Salatin suggests
that producers set a rewarding and satisfying gross margin and then
stick to it. This will allow you to build a customer base with clients
who appreciate the product for what it is, not for what it costs.
(Salatin, 1998) Your estimated price can be
used to calculate returns in any enterprise analysis.
Direct marketing depends on building relationships with customers.
In fact, the term relationship marketing has been used
to describe the best methods of direct marketing for family farms.
In an article in The Stockman Grass Farmer (Nation,
1997) Joel Salatin sets out five advantages of relationship
marketing. They are:
Consumer Education. The producer has to tell the
consumers why his farm products are different from those bought
in the grocery stores. This is not only good for business, it is
also a small step toward the development of the consumer’s
awareness about farm, social, and health issues that affect our
lives.
Product Quality. When the producer raises crops
or livestock in an environmentally friendly or sustainable fashion,
it is easier not to compromise the quality of the products.
Customer Loyalty. When the consumer knows the
producer personally, the relationship between them is not easily
broken. Good sellers know and use their customers’ names.
Loyalty helps bring in repeat customers.
Lifestyle. As Salatin explains, “I think
one of the biggest differences between the pressures I encounter
as a small operator and the pressures encountered by the big operators
is the amount of control we have over the situations that cause
pressure.” (Nation, 1997)
Balance. The first rule of business is that the
customer is always right, but that doesn’t always mean you
have the right customer. In some instances, removing a name from
your customer list may help to balance the producer–consumer
relationship, so that you can concentrate on profitable sales, appreciative
customers, people who “get with the program.” (Nation,
1997)
Allan Nation says, “If you are considering getting into direct
marketing, don’t bet the farm on it. Keep doing what you are
doing for a living and start learning and experimenting on a small
scale. Try the food you produce on your family and your friends
first. If your family and friends are not crazy about it there is
more learning to be done. Nation adds that, “A new business
needs virtually 100% customer satisfaction from day one to survive.”
(Salatin, 1998)
So the bottom line is to establish markets before you
begin the enterprise. If you are direct marketing, consider these
questions before starting production: What do the people in my area
want? What are their tastes? Are they accustomed to “store
bought” eggs, meat, and vegetables? What matters most to people
in my local area—convenience and price? Are they willing to
pay for the quality and freshness of locally grown food?
For more complete information on direct marketing, consult
the three ATTRA publications entitled Direct
Marketing, Farmers’
Markets, and Community
Supported Agriculture (CSAs).
The direct marketing publication includes information about resources,
market development, market research, marketing plans, niche marketing,
product differentiation, farmers’ markets, value-added marketing,
and examples of real farmers who have done it. It also provides
a list of recommended resources to consult when considering your
market plan.
Back to top
Choosing an ‘Alternative’
Enterprise
There are many kinds of enterprises that can be profitable in a
rural area. Ken Scharabok’s book (see Resources)
describes 300 specific rural enterprises. Cornell University’s
publication Farming Alternatives lists several broad categories:
- Nontraditional crops, livestock, and other farm products
- Service, recreation, tourism, food processing, forest/woodlot,
and other enterprises based on farm and natural resources
- Unconventional production systems such as organic farming and
aquaculture
- Direct marketing and other entrepreneurial marketing strategies
When considering alternative enterprises, you should look first
at your farm’s underutilized resources and your area’s
market opportunities. Underutilized resources might include unused
buildings, or manure that could be sold as fertilizer. New market
opportunities may arise as a result of changing demographics in
your area—there may be an increase in immigrant families who
want specialty foods, or of affluent businesspeople who commute
to a metropolitan area. (Grudens-Schuck and Green,
1991)
One very important change in national demographics is the number
of people who have become dissociated from the land. Few of the
baby boomer generation and almost none of Generation X have lived
on and worked the land. In an effort to re-establish that bond,
young consumers are often eager to support small farms, and they’re
willing to put their money where their mouth is. The huge increase
in the number of farmers’ markets around the country not only
means that consumers are interested in fresh produce, it also reflects
their desire to have a different kind of food shopping experience.
For similar reasons, community supported agriculture arrangements
(CSAs) have become popular. Both farmers’ markets and CSAs
bring shoppers closer to farmers and to the land, an experience
that is largely lacking in today’s urban society. An extension
of these encounters is a farm visit, whether it’s for a hay
ride, to go to a petting zoo, or to attend an apple festival. Consumers
like to feel that they are helping to keep small, family farms alive.
This kind of experience requires farmers to learn new skills: how
to deal with the public, the ability to assess unique opportunities
on the farm, and the vision to produce a feeling as well as a product.
In his 1998 book You Can Farm, Joel Salatin recommends
ten enterprises that he considers excellent: pastured poultry, eggs,
salad bar beef, a grass-based dairy, a market garden, a home bakery,
a bandsaw mill, and a you-pick small fruit orchard. His criteria
for recommending these enterprises are:
- Low initial start-up cost relative to the ability to generate
income
- High gross profit margin
- Relatively low maintenance requirements
- High cash flow relative to expenses
- History of high success rates among new enterprises
- High demand, low supply in the current marketplace
- High product distinctiveness
- Relatively size-neutral profit potential
“The goal here is to examine what the profitable alternatives
are in the current paradigm and how you can fit in the picture.”
(Salatin, 1998)
There are lots of places to find out more about specific enterprises.
The Missouri Alternatives
Center’s Web site provides many links to specific production
information for various alternative enterprises. This Web site is
extensive and up-to-date. Additionally, we have listed many valuable
resources below.
Back to top
References
Grudens-Schuck, Nancy and Judy
Green. 1991. Farming Alternatives: A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility
of New Farm-Based Enterprises. Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering
Service, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 88 p.
Kay, R.E. and W.M. Edwards. 1994. Farm
management, 3rd edition. McGraw Hill, Inc., New York, NY. 458 p.
Nation, Allan. 1998. Allan’s
Observations. Stockman Grass Farmer. Vol. 56, No. 6. p. 13.
Nation, Allan. 1997. Paddock Shift.
Green Park Press, division of Valley Publishing Corp., Jackson,
MS. 184 p.
Salatin, Joel. 1998. You Can Farm.
Polyface, Inc., Swoope, VA. 480 p.
Savory, Allan and Jody Butterfield.
1999. Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making.
Island Press, Washington, DC. 550 p.
Schermerhorn, Richard W. No date.
Is Your Agribusiness Project Feasible? University of Georgia Cooperative
Extension. http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/pdf/B1066.pdf
(PDF / 177 K)
Zimmerman, K. and E. Villanueva. 2001.
Fresh sweet corn direct marketed (Fraser Valley). Planning for Profit.
British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. 8
p.
Back to top
Resources
Publications and Videos
Salatin, Joel. 1998. You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur’s
Guide to Start and Succeed in a Farm Enterprise. Polyface,
Swoope, VA. 480 p.
Perhaps the best single resource for beginning farmers, this
book also provides good information on enterprise differentiation
and evaluation. Available for $30 from the author at:
Polyface Inc.
Rt. 1, Box 281
Swoope, VA 24479
540-885-3590
The book is also available for $24.50 from: www.amazon.com.
Grudens-Shuck, N. and J. Green. 1991. Farming Alternatives:
A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility of New Farm Based Enterprises.
Farming Alternatives Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 88
p.
This publication uses a step-by-step process to assess goals,
resources, markets, etc. Includes worksheets. Available for $7.95
from:
The
Resource Center
P.O. Box 3884
Ithaca, NY 14852-3884
607-255-2080
607-255-9946 FAX
Farming Alternatives: Innovation on Northeast Farms.
A 14-minute video produced in 1988.
Explores the issues involved in the development of farm-based
enterprises such as deer farms, farm markets, bed and breakfast
inns, herb gardens, petting zoos, and farm-processed foods. Available
for $18.95 from the Cornell address above.
Woods, Tom and Steve Isaacs. 2000. A Primer for Selecting
New Enterprises for Your Farm. Cooperative Extension Service.
University of Kentucky. Agricultural Economics - Extension No. 00-13.
28 p.
Covers profitability, resources, information, marketing,
enthusiasm, and risk. Has many useful worksheets from which accurate
information can be generated to guide your decision making. Available
online at: www.uky.edu/Ag/AgEcon/pubs/ext_aec/ext2000-13.pdf (PDF / 317K)
Scharabok, Ken. 1996. How to Earn Extra Money in the Country.
A Country Living Resources Guide.
Contains over 300 descriptions of enterprises that can be
pursued by rural residents. Each description contains information
on what the market would be, how to start the business, and additional
resources on that particular business. Contains many innovative
business ideas. Available in electronic form only by e-mailing scharabo@aol.com.
Humphrey, Shirley (ed.). 1994. Small Farm Handbook.
Publication SFP001. Small Farm Program, University of California.
170 p
Somewhat regionally specific to California, but contains
good information on finances, marketing, enterprise ideas, growing
crops, raising animals, postharvest handling, alternative agriculture,
labor management, and keeping the family farm healthy. Available
for $20 from:
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR)
University of California
6701 San Pablo Ave.
Oakland, CA 94608-1239
800-994-8849
510-642-2431
Small Farm Center. 1998. Specialty and Minor Crops Handbook,
2nd ed. University of California. Division of Agriculture
and Natural Resources, Oakland, CA. 184 p.
Compiled and edited by scientists, University of California
Cooperative Extension advisors, and growers, this handbook profiles
63 specialty and minor crops, including information on production
and marketing. Available for $35 from DANR at the University of
California (see address above).
Thompson, Nancy C. 1994. Sustainable Agriculture Enterprises:
Opportunities for Employment and Economic Development in a Sustainable
Agriculture System. 21 p.
Available for $8 ppd from:
Center for Rural Affairs
P.O. Box 406
Walthill, NE 68067
402-846-5428
Olson, Michael. 1991. Metro Farm: The Guide to Growing
for Big Profit on a Small Parcel of Land. TS Books, Santa
Cruz, CA. 520 p.
Contains information on marketing, selecting crops, organizing
a business, selling, and production.
Savory, Allan and Jody Butterfield. 1998. Holistic Management:
A New Framework for Decision Making. Island Press, Washington,
DC. 550 p.
Provides valuable information for goal setting, financial
planning and farming in tune with nature’s principles. Available
for $30 (softcover) or $50 (hardcover) from:
The Allan Savory
Center for Holistic Management
1010 Tijeras NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-842-5252
505-843-7900 FAX
Periodicals
Ag Opportunities is a newsletter published by
the Missouri Alternatives Center (MAC) that is devoted to the latest
ideas and opportunities for those “who want to begin farming,
diversify their current operations, or find ways to profit from
small amounts of acreage.” Subscriptions cost $10 a year (free
to Missouri residents). An online version is available free at
MAC’s Web site: http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac. Contact MAC at:
Missouri Alternatives
Center
531 Clark Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
573-882-1905
800-433-3704 (MO only)
kelld@umsystem.edu
Small Farm Today, published bi-monthly, focuses
on small farming, rural living, sustainability, community, and “agripreneurship.”
The editor and staff hold an annual conference in Columbia, Missouri
(around the first week of November) that concentrates on topics
of concern to small farmers considering diversification strategies.
The periodicial is available for $23.95/year from:
Small Farm Today
3903 W. Ridge Trail Rd.
Clark, MO 65243-9525
800-633-2535
573-687-3525
smallfarm@socket.net
Organizations
Center for Rural Affairs
P.O. Box 406
Walthill, NE 68067
402-846-5428
The Center for Rural Affairs, a non-profit organization,
publishes The Beginning Farmer, a free quarterly newsletter.
Community,
Food, and Agriculture Program (CFAP)
216 Warren Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-9832
The mission of CFAP is to support Agriculture and Food Systems-based
Community Development in New York and the Northeast through integrated
and multi-disciplinary teaching, research, and extension programs.
Our Web site also hosts the Agricultural Economic & Community Development Information Clearinghouse.
The AECD Information Clearinghouse is a resource for individuals
and organizations working in the area of agriculture-based economic
and community development in New York State. By following the
links below, you will find research and educational resources
on a range of agriculture development topics, as well as links
to helpful organizations and Web sites.
NxLevel’s Alternative Agriculture series: Tilling
the Soil of Opportunity
A Training Course
(No physical address)
Info@nxlevel.org
800-873-9378
The NxLevel agriculture program is designed to help a broad
range of small to mid-sized farmers, ranchers, food processors,
distributors, retailers, food professionals, and others working
in the agricultural sector take their business to the “next
level.” Educators in each region adapt the course to meet
local needs. The materials used in the 10- session course are
specifically designed for those searching for innovative ideas
and better marketing opportunities in the area of agriculture.
Web Sites
Planning
for Profit. British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food.
Numerous two page enterprise budgets.
Alternative
Enterprises for Your Forest Land: Forest
Grazing,Christmas
Trees, Hunting
Leases, Pine
Straw, Fee
Fishing and Firewood.
This is a 1988 publication from the University of Florida Extension
Service.
Missouri Alternatives
Center
Links to specific production information for numerous
alternative enterprises.
Enterprise
Budget Analysis (PDF / 23 K) Penn State’s Agriculture
Alternatives Web site.
Sample formats are given.
Economic
Analysis of a New Business—Doing it Right (PDF / 127K)
Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service.
Evaluating a Rural Enterprise
By Preston Sullivan and Lane Greer
NCAT Agriculture Specialists
Paul Williams and Richard Earles, Editor
Cole Loeffler, HTML Production
IP 041
Slot 101
Back to top |