Business & Marketing Plans and Financing
Getting Started With Business & Marketing Plans
Delve into the business and marketing side of farming with the help of these resources. Get ideas and methods to enhance your skills and improve your knowledge of business and marketing plans. Watch this clip for an introduction on how to access the resources for small- and medium-scale farmers in the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources' Farm Business and Marketplace website. Check out specific resources for business plans and marketing, including:
- California FarmLink Farm Business Resources
- Kitchen Table Advisors provide one-on-one business and financial coaching to small farms
- UCCE Placer/Nevada County’s Farm Business Planning webpage
- Farm Business Planning Factsheet - Penn State Cooperative Extension
- UC Small Farm Program Farm Management Resource Page
- "Developing a Business Plan" (for new farms) - Penn State Cooperative Extension
- Pre-Planning Guide to Starting an Ag Business - Cornell Cooperative Extension
- "Building a Sustainable Business" - Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farm and Rural Businesses - SARE
Financing Your Small Farm
Knowing where to begin is half the battle. Check out what the UC Small Farm Program has to say in their Family Farm Series Publications about how to finance a small farm, before giving it a go on your own. Review resources including lists and explanations of the documents that may be required, good questions to ask of lenders, suggested credit sources, and more. Find specific farm financing resources here:
What Did It Cost The Other Guy?
Find out what costs are involved in the production of various commodities by checking out the following relevant cost and return studies:
- Goats – milk for cheese
- Goats – meat
- Grass fed beef/organic cow-calf (Lake, Mendocino)
- Mixed vegetables (Placer, Nevada)
- Grapes (Napa) – organic cabernet sauvignon
Current and archived cost & return studies for a broad range of commodities produced in California
