Farm Business Plan

A farm business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your farm business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your farm business plan using our Farm Business Plan Template here.

There are many types of farms. Some have commercial farms that produce crops and agricultural products for sale. Others have cooperative farms owned by people who pool their resources together and share profits among themselves. There are also dairy, micro, organic, poultry, subsistence, or urban farms.

The primary source of revenue for a farm is the sale of its farmed goods such as rice, corn, milk, beef, chicken, depending on the kind of farm a business is.

Some key expenses for a farm are labor expenses, production costs like irrigation, fertilizer, water, and machinery maintenance.

Farms often receive funding from bank loans. Financing is also typically available from grants offered by local and state governments. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are other funding options.

Starting a farm business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Farm Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed farm business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your farm business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your farm business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Farm Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your farm business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your farm business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Farm Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your farm business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your farm business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful farm business:

• How to Start a Farm Business