About Farm-based Enterprise Development

For most farmers, the path to sustainability includes practices that go beyond environmentally conscious production and good stewardship of resources. It includes the development of products that take advantage of a farm's strengths, tapping into markets that bring a better financial return, and developing strong business and entrepreneurial skills to keep the farm poised for success. Southern SAWG addresses this approach to sustainability through the encompassing term "Sustainable Farm-Based Enterprise Development." Our "Enterprise Development" web pages share some of the research, resources, and tools we have developed for farmers and sustainable agriculture information providers in the Southern United States.

Enterprise Development Resources

Please visit our Enterprise Development Resources page for a complete list of informative and educational resources.  This page provides descriptions and links to Southern SAWG resources including Sustainable Farming Systems in the South video series, Farm Stories, Enterprise Resource Lists, and previous Southern SAWG Conference presentations.  Through our Resources page, we also provide detailed information on several categories of farm-based enterprise, such as direct marketing, adding value, and farm and business planning.

Lessons Learned

Since 1993, Southern SAWG has conducted research into what makes farm enterprises more sustainable, and has provided educational programs for producers and service providers on numerous aspects of farm-based sustainable enterprise development. A history of our work and reports on our efforts are included in the Lessons Learned page.