The educational materials listed on this page are about Business Planning.
Farm business planning helps farmers turn their dream into a profitable reality. A farm business plan is essential for sustainable and alternative agricultural business owners to be successful. For instance, creating a poultry farming business plan aids producers in setting realistic goals and determining potential markets for consumers interested in pastured poultry. A cattle farm business plan could help a rancher research the feasibility of alternative processing methods and evaluate financing options. An apple business plan can help an orchard operator improve sustainability on their farm both economically and environmentally. A goat farming business plan or pastured pig farming business plan can help the farmer plan for boosted production and identify or develop specific markets for their products. Key practices include marketing management, market study, financial management, business planning, risk management, new enterprise development, land access, labor/employment, value added.
SARE’s book Building a Sustainable Business aids producers in building a sustainable and profitable business plan for their enterprise. Organic farmers will benefit from Organic Transition: A Business Planner for Farmers, Ranchers and Food Entrepreneurs. Those seeking funding information can find help in Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities, which includes other sources of loans, grants and technical support to help their business thrive. SARE’s bulletin Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Ranchers is also useful for producers looking to expand or identify markets for their products.
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2025–2026 Report from the Field
In Recognition of Farmers and Ranchers SARE has been around for nearly 40 years, and the impacts that our grant and outreach programs have had on the sustainability of U.S. agriculture are because of one simple thing: Farmers and ranchers are at the center of everything we do. SARE is afunding sourcefor producers.It’s designed forproducers, […]
Enterprise Budgets for Diversified Farms
Farming is subject to many variables, from forces you can’t control, such as weather and markets, to your decisions around crops and cropping practices. The key to profitability and smart decision-making is knowing your costs, so you can allocate your limited assets to their best uses. These assets include your land, labor and capital. As […]
New Video: Create a Business Plan and Grow Intentionally
Gretl Schlatter emphasizes the importance of calculated growth and smart technology adoption to provide her operation with the resilience it needs to remain competitive as the industry evolves.
New SARE Bulletin: The Basics of Farm Business Planning
New and beginning farmers face a wide range of barriers when launching or growing their operations, from uncertain markets and extreme weather to land access and financing challenges. A clear, practical business plan can make all the difference. SARE Outreach’s newest bulletin, The Basics of Farm Business Planning, offers a framework to help farmers clarify […]
Pennsylvania Producers Drive Research to Expand Switchgrass Markets
In Pennsylvania, switchgrass has emerged as a promising new crop for family farms. This perennial grass thrives on rocky, untillable land, requires minimal maintenance and reduces soil erosion. But a key challenge to expanding production has been the lack of stable markets and cost-effective methods of processing switchgrass for high-value applications like poultry bedding. In […]
Partnership Helps Ohio Farmers Increase Revenue and Production Efficiency
Without access to processing facilities, Midwestern specialty crop farmers often miss out on the opportunity to transform their surplus harvests into shelf-stable, value-added products that bring in revenue year round. Jeanine Seabrook, founder and owner of Glass Rooster Cannery in central Ohio, received two North Central SARE Farmer Rancher grants to partner with local farmers […]
The Basics of Farm Business Planning
Sustainable farming and ranching means taking care of the land, the environment, people and the community, while the farm business makes a profit. Many farmers and ranchers choose sustainable farming and ranching as a lifestyle that reflects their values. Common goals include: Farm business planning is critical because it helps you to identify and achieve […]
Farmers and Ranchers Report Research Impacts
“This project provided a 'first look' at how legume cover crops might function in our crop rotations," says Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agronomist Reagan Nolan, discussing his search for cover crop mixes that can help meet the challenges of farming in western Texas. Nolan wanted to explore whether legume cover crops could be incorporated into […]
2023–2024 Report from the Field
SARE grants havehelped our viabilityas a business anddemonstrated thatsmall businessescan make a positiveimpact on theenvironment when wedevelop relationshipswith each other forthe benefit of all. Jeanine SeabrookGlass Rooster Cannery Letter from the Director I have always appreciated the value of long-term research as well as the long-term impact of both applied and basic research. The core […]
Guía del Agricultorn Sobre Estructuras Empresariales
Establecer y mantener la correcta estructura empresarial para la operación de su granja sienta las bases para un negocio agrícola estable y resiliente. La formación de una estructura empresarial puede ayudar a i) gestionar el riesgo mediante la protección de los activos de las personas propietarias ante las responsabilidades de la empresa; ii) promover las […]