Start a Farm

USDA. Economic Research Service.

Presents information, data, trends, and links to related reports on beginning and disadvantaged farmers, including age distribution, household income, farm size, and farm location.

USDA. NAL. Agricultural Law Information Partnership.

Find information about legal and regulatory considerations as well as general background for those starting a farm or ranch business.

Pennsylvania State University. Extension Service.

"New farmers considering adopting an enterprise need to view these enterprises as new businesses." This factsheet summarizes the steps for planning and starting a farm.

Iowa State University. Cooperative Extension Service. Value Added Agriculture Program.

General information about farm leases and farm management, new farmer loan programs, beginning farmer training programs, mentoring programs for beginning farmers and more specific information about developing agricultural business and marketing plans. Predominantly from Iowa, but additional resources from the upper Midwestern U.S. and Canada also included.

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.

Iowa State University. Cooperative Extension Service.

Iowa resources for new farmers looking for support, land, training and contacts.