The educational materials listed on this page are about Farm Business Management.
Growing and selling products profitably is critical to an agriculture business, but there are other aspects that are essential to farm business management. While it is difficult to find grants to start a farm, operating or starting a farm require a basic understanding of ag credit, including FSA loans (and other farm loans), and how to obtain farm credit for an agriculture loan. Savvy producers understand agricultural finance and agricultural accounting, and keep a close eye on farm finances. Farmers need to understand agricultural marketing and may need to know demand for a specific crop, such as with apple marketing. Starting a small farm may include finding land through FarmLink. While some new farmers may get started with a farm internship, others may useless formal farming training or more formal agriculture education. Ultimately, farmers also need to learn about farm labor, farm labor laws or farm succession planning at some point in their career. Key practices include marketing management, financial management, community-supported agriculture, risk management, agricultural finance, whole farm planning, farm succession, land access, labor/employment.
SARE’s bulletin Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets offers alternatives for producers to market their products through unconventional channels. Building a Sustainable Business aids producers in developing a sustainable and profitable business plan for their enterprise. Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities gives producers options for agricultural loans, grants and technical expertise. Farmers looking to transition to organic will find Organic Transition: A Business Planner for Farmers, Ranchers and Food Entrepreneurs useful for business planning.
Showing 1-20 of 23 results
Business Tools for Ag Video Series
This seven-part video series was produced by Utah's Master Stockman Consulting to teach new and beginning producers about valuable tools for making economically sustainable decisions. This includes discussion of basic economic principles and tools, as well as how to conduct on-farm research and apply existing research to your operation. Basic Farm and Ranch Economics This […]
Can Kelp be Alaska’s New Agricultural Frontier?
Alaska is relatively new to the business of farming kelp, a type of seaweed gaining popularity across the globe because it’s healthy for humans and good for the planet, too. Kelp is rich in vitamins, minerals and protein, requires no soil or fertilizers to grow, provides habitat for fish, and balances ocean acidification caused by […]
User Guide of the Hazelnut Production Costing Tool
Hazelnut growers can use this tool to estimate their costs of production. This information by Oregon Tilth can be used to help growers better understand their cost structure and explore how changes to production practices, yields and price will impact net returns and long-term viability. The link to the tool is included in the guide.
Exploring Montana Agriculture
The SARE Fellows trip to Montana was amazing. I enjoyed seeing the collaborative efforts among the various farms and organizations to share their knowledge, expertise, and resources to help each other thrive while meeting the needs of the community. This experience has shown me how people working together is what truly makes programs sustainable. – […]
Switching to Winter Crops Might Help Farmers Cope with Warming World
For people who grow food and cultivate the land, climate change isn’t something experienced though charts, graphs and predictions of foreboding futures. For growers, the threat of a warming world is immediate and increasing. “Climate change is playing out on farms like mine every day, every season and in every extreme weather event,” said Caitlin […]
Video: Testing Cover Crops in New Mexico Vineyards
Watch our newest video describing this Western SARE funded work - Miranda Kersten, IPM Program and Gill Giese, Viticulture of New Mexico State University describe their work promoting putting cover crops in vineyards. The research will demonstrate how to ensure the cover crops successfully grow and flower so that they attract pollinators and provide additional […]
Growing Camelina for Biodiesel
This bulletin investigates the tradeoffs for a potential on-farm biodiesel production enterprise from dryland camelina to understand when and if it can be economically viable. Is Biodiesel from Camelina Right for You? This bulletin is based in part on on-farm trials evaluating camelina sativa production. Download an interim report from this research.
Agritourism Training Materials
Colorado State University recognized the benefits that agritourism—providing educational and recreational experiences on the farm or ranch to tourists—can provide farmers and rural communities. While agritourism helps to diversify a farmer's income, not every farmer is prepared for a service-oriented industry. With the help of a Western SARE grant, researchers developed a curriculum to help farmers […]
Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems Project
Public concerns regarding pesticide misuse, food safety, water use and contamination, and depletion of non-renewable resources have motivated the reevaluation of some of the practices of conventional agriculture and the exploration of alternative, more sustainable approaches to growing food. In 1988, the Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems (SAFS) project was established at the University of California’s […]
Farm Internship Handbook: Oregon
This handbook is designed for producers who have decided to use interns or already have an internship program in place and are looking for ways to improve it.
Grower Track and Trace Handbook and Videos
Circle Fresh Farms is a network of small- to medium-sized greenhouses producing certified organic fresh vegetables. In order to remain competitive and compliant with emerging expectations to provide farm-to-consumer product tracking systems, Circle Fresh needed to create a product track and trace system that was compatible with industry standards and also accessible in cost and […]
A Guide for Hawai’i’s Farmers
This guide was developed to assist new farmers in tropical small-island settings by providing a distillation of expert information on sustainable agriculture principles, agroecology, crop production, animal production, agroforestry and marketing.
On-Farm Internship Training Binder
The Placer Ag Futures Project was conceived as a response to critical issues affecting local agricultural sustainability. This project was intended to help grow a new crop of agricultural professionals that are trained in sustainable agricultural practices. One part of the Ag Futures Project was the on-farm internship training. The summer internship program consisted of […]
Technical Assistance Programs for Agricultural Irrigation Improvements in Arizona
A number of organizations offer technical assistance programs for improvements to agricultural irrigation systems. Irrigation improvements can lead to more efficient and precise application of water. As a result, growers have more flexibility to respond to temperature extremes, water scarcity or market fluctuations. This guide provides an overview of the different types of technical assistance […]
Incubator Land Management & Teaching Ecological Land Use Webinar
A webinar for agricultural professionals to increase their ability to initiate, support, and develop farmer training programs, led by NIFTI and ALBA.
Growing Grapes in Hawaii
The basis for this project was to show that grapes could again become a viable crop for Hawaii growers at low elevations. This addition of a crop, in demand by chefs, could greatly contribute to small farm sustainability.The history and horticultural needs are outlined in this extension publication, as are basic marketing needs and nutritional information.
Metropolitan Foodshed Toolkit
A toolkit of strategies to support the evolution of a sustainable Portland Metropolitan Foodshed.
Sustainable Ranch Management Assessment Guidebook
The purpose of the guidebook is to assist the rancher and/or land manager use business planning and ecological monitoring to ensure the ranch or land is managed in a sustainable manner.
Pasture and Grazing Management in the Pacific Northwest
A book that provides knowledge of ecological processes involved in pasture growth and utilization and an understanding of how management influence those processes for good or bad.
Fresh Growth Podcast
Fresh Growth: Approaches to a More Sustainable Future from Western Ag Practitioners introduces you to farmers and ranchers from around the western United States who are finding innovative sustainable practices that enrich the natural resources we all care about. These successful multi-generational operations experiment with new ideas and are making it pay. Listen in as […]