Budgets/Cost and Returns

Cover Crop Economics

Cover crops can build soil health, control weeds, conserve moisture, provide grazing opportunities and more. But when do they start to pay for themselves? This analysis looks at the economics behind different management scenarios to determine if cover crops are likely to improve profitability in one, three or five years of use in corn and soybean rotations. 

Organic Transition

The profit potential of transitioning to organic production—along with other rewards—has farmers, ranchers and food business owners across the country considering the switch. But successfully managing your business through the multi-year transition process requires careful planning. Use Organic Transition: A Business Planner for Farmers, Ranchers and Food Entrepreneurs to develop an actionable business transition plan that is suitable for yourself, your management team or a lender.

Farm to Hospital Toolkit

Tools farmers and hospitals can use to increase direct hospital purchases from local producers.

Moving Nursery Producers Toward Sustainable Practices Fact Sheets

These fact sheets discuss alternative containers, marketing and crop selection, alternatives to synthetic herbicides and integrated pest management in commercial nursery plant production.

Edible Avalon Curriculum

This summer program curriculum teaches youth about local food systems and sustainable agriculture.

Cover Crops and No-Till Management for Organic Systems

This Rodale Institute fact sheet reviews the use of cover crops and no-till in organic systems, including selection, establishment and mechanical termination of cover crops; crop rotations; and energy and production budgets.

Constructing a Low-Cost High Tunnel

Specs, diagrams and photos of high tunnel construction, by Utah State University Cooperative Extension.

Constructing a High Tunnel

This Rutgers University website includes a 61-image demonstration of high tunnel construction, with detailed information on site selection, design, cost and crop management.

Season-Long Strawberry Production with Everbearers for Northeastern Producers

This 70-page guide outlines profitable production techniques and research on everbearing strawberry varieties, including information on both field production and the use of high tunnels for season extension.

Agritourism Training Materials

This curriculum was designed to provide detailed training resources for agricultural professionals and farmers interested in expanding their income sources and entering the agritourism industry.

Dairy Your Way

This publication was created to provide information that will help producers explore the many choices available for today’s dairy farms. This book is not intended to be a how-to dairy guide or manual. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer for dairy farmers seeking success as milk producers, there are many options that can be profitable and satisfying.

High Tunnels

This manual on using high tunnels or hoop houses for season extension includes case studies, a supplier list and chapters on marketing, site selection, construction and types, and soil, pest and environmental management.

Managing Risks on the Small Farm

This plain language guide explains the five types of risk—production, marketing, worker, legal and financial—and provides worksheets.

Building a Sustainable Business

Bringing the business planning process alive, Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses helps today's alternative and sustainable agriculture entrepreneurs transform farm-grown inspiration into profitable enterprises. Incluye una versión abreviada en español.