business plan for commercial farming

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How to Start a Farm: Plan Your Operation

Think about your operation from the ground up and start planning for your business.  A good farm business plan is your roadmap to start-up, profitability, and growth, and provides the foundation for your conversation with USDA about how our programs can complement your operation. 

Keep reading about planning your business below, get an overview of the beginning farmer's journey , or jump to a different section of the farmer's journey.

On This Page

Why you need a farm business plan.

A comprehensive business plan is an important first step for any size business, no matter how simple or complex. You should create a strong business plan because it:

• Will help you get organized . It will help you to remember all of the details and make sure you are taking all of the necessary steps.
• Will act as your guide . It will help you to think carefully about why you want to farm or ranch and what you want to achieve in the future. Over time, you can look back at your business plan and determine whether you are achieving your goals.
• Is required to get a loan . In order to get an FSA loan, a guarantee on a loan made by a commercial lender, or a land contract, you need to create a detailed business plan . Lenders look closely at business plans to determine if you can afford to repay the loan.

How USDA Can Help

Whether you need a good get-started guide, have a plan that you would like to verify, or have a plan you’re looking to update for your next growth phase, USDA can help connect you to resources to help your decisions.

Your state's beginning farmer and rancher coordinator  can connect you to local resources in your community to help you establish a successful business plan. Reach out to your state's coordinator for one-on-one technical assistance and guidance. They can also connect you with organizations that specifically serve beginning farmers and ranchers.

It is important to know that no single solution fits everyone, and you should research, seek guidance, and make the best decision for your operation according to your own individual priorities.

Build a Farm Business Plan

There are many different styles of business plans. Some are written documents; others may be a set of worksheets that you complete. No matter what format you choose, several key aspects of your operation are important to consider.

Use the guidelines below to draft your business plan. Answering these kinds of questions in detail will help you create and develop your final business plan. Once you have a business plan for your operation, prepare for your visit to a USDA service center. During your visit, we can help you with the necessary steps to register your business and get access to key USDA programs.

Business History

Are you starting a new farm or ranch, or are you already in business? If you are already in business:

• What products do you produce?
• What is the size of your operation?
• What agricultural production and financial management training or experience do you, your family members, or your business partners have?
• How long have you been in business?

Mission, Vision, and Goals

This is your business. Defining your mission, vision and goals is crucial to the success of your business. These questions will help provide a basis for developing other aspects of your business plan.

• What values are important to you and the operation as a whole?
• What short- and long-term goals do you have for your operation?
• How do you plan to start, expand, or change your operation?
• What plans do you have to make your operation efficient or more profitable ?
• What type of farm or ranch model (conventional, sustainable, organic, or alternative agricultural practices) do you plan to use?

Organization and Management

Starting your own business is no small feat. You will need to determine how your business will be structured and organized, and who will manage (or help manage) your business. You will need to be able to convey this to others who are involved as well.

• What is the legal structure of your business? Will it be a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, or other type of entity?
• What help will you need in operating and managing your farm or ranch?
• What other resources, such as a mentor or community-based organization , do you plan to use?

Marketing is a valuable tool for businesses. It can help your businesses increase brand awareness, engagement and sales. It is important to narrow down your target audience and think about what you are providing that others cannot.

• What are you going to produce ?
• Who is your target consumer ?
• Is there demand for what you are planning to produce?
• What is the cost of production?
• How much will you sell it for and when do you expect to see profit ?
• How will you get your product to consumers ? What are the transportation costs and requirements?
• How will you market your products?
• Do you know the relevant federal, state, and local food safety regulations? What licensing do you need for your operation?

Today there are many types of land, tools, and resources to choose from. You will need to think about what you currently have and what you will need to obtain to achieve your goals.

• What resources do you have or will you need for your business?
• Do you already have access to farmland ? If not, do you plan to lease, rent, or purchase land?
• What equipment do you need?
• Is the equipment and real estate that you own or rent adequate to conduct your operation? If not, how do you plan to address those needs?
• Will you be implementing any conservation practices to sustain your operation?
• What types of workers will you need to operate the farm?
• What additional resources do you need?

Now that you have an idea of what you are going to provide and what you will need to run your operation you will need to consider the finances of your operation.

• How will you finance the business?
• What are your current assets (property or investments you own) and liabilities (debts, loans, or payments you owe)?
• Will the income you generate be sufficient to pay your operating expenses, living expenses, and loan payments?
• What other sources of income are available to supplement your business income?
• What business expenses will you incur?
• What family living expenses do you pay?
• What are some potential risks or challenges you foresee for your operation? How will you manage those risks?
• How will you measure the success of your business?

Farm Business Plan Worksheets

The Farm Business Plan Balance Sheet can help gather information for the financial and operational aspects of your plan.

Form FSA-2037 is a template that gathers information on your assets and liabilities like farm equipment, vehicles and existing loans.

• FSA-2037 - Farm Business Plan - Balance Sheet
• FSA-2037 Instructions

Planning for Conservation and Risk Management

Another key tool is a conservation plan, which determines how you want to improve the health of your land. A conservation plan can help you lay out your plan to address resource needs, costs and schedules.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff are available at your local USDA Service Center to help you develop a conservation plan for your land based on your goals. NRCS staff can also help you explore conservation programs and initiatives, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) .

Conservation in Agriculture

Crop insurance, whole farm revenue protection and other resources can help you prepare for unforeseen challenges like natural disasters.

Disaster Recovery

Special Considerations

Special considerations for businesses.

There are different types of farm businesses each with their own unique considerations. Determine what applies to your operation.

• Organic Farming  has unique considerations. Learn about organic agriculture , organic certification , and the  Organic Certification Cost Share Program  to see if an organic business is an option for you. NRCS also has resources for organic producers and offers assistance to develop a conservation plan.
• Urban Farming  has special opportunities and restrictions. Learn how USDA can help farmers in urban spaces .
• Value-Added Products . The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC) is a national virtual resource center for value-added agricultural groups.
• Cooperative.  If you are interested in starting a cooperative, USDA’s Rural Development Agency (RD) has helpful resources to help you begin . State-based  Cooperative Development Centers , partially funded by RD, provide technical assistance and education on starting a cooperative.

Special Considerations for Individuals

Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers: We offer help for the unique concerns of producers who meet the USDA definition of "historically underserved,"  which includes farmers who are:

• socially disadvantaged
• limited resource
• military veterans

Women: Learn about specific incentives, priorities, and set asides for  women in agriculture within USDA programs.

Heirs' Property Landowners: If you inherited land without a clear title or documented legal ownership, learn how USDA can help Heirs’ Property Landowners gain access to a variety of programs and services

Business Planning

Creating a good business plan takes time and effort. The following are some key resources for planning your business.

• Farm Answers from the University of Minnesota features a library of how-to resources and guidance, a directory of beginning farmer training programs, and other sources of information in agriculture. The library includes business planning guides such as a Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses and an Example Business Plan .
• The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers information about starting, managing, and transitioning a business.

SCORE is a nonprofit organization with a network of volunteers who have experience in running and managing businesses. The Score Mentorship Program partners with USDA to provide:

• Free, local support and resources, including business planning help, financial guidance, growth strategies.
• Mentorship through one-on-one business coaching -- in-person, online, and by phone.
• Training from subject matter experts with agribusiness experience.
• Online resources and step-by-step outlines for business strategies.
• Learn more about the program through the Score FAQ .

Training Opportunities

Attend field days, workshops, courses, or formal education programs to build necessary skills to ensure you can successfully produce your selected farm products and/or services. Many local and regional agricultural organizations, including USDA and Cooperative Extension, offer training to beginning farmers.

• Cooperative Extension  offices address common issues faced by agricultural producers, and conduct workshops and educational events for the agricultural community.
• extension.org  is an online community for the Cooperative Extension program where you can find publications and ask experts for advice.

Now that you have a basic plan for your farm operation, prepare for your visit to a USDA service center.

2. Visit Your USDA Service Center

How to Start a Farm with USDA

Get an  overview of the beginning farmer's journey  or jump to a specific page below.

Find Your Local Service Center

USDA Service Centers are locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for your business needs. Enter your state and county below to find your local service center and agency offices. If this locator does not work in your browser, please visit offices.usda.gov.

Learn more about our Urban Service Centers . Visit the Risk Management Agency website to find a regional or compliance office  or to find an insurance agent near you.

Commercial Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Agriculture Sector

Are you about starting a commercial farm ? If YES, here is a complete sample commercial farming business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE .

It is no longer news that man needs food to survive. This is one of the reasons why the farming business has become a very thriving trade in most part-if not all parts of the world. There will always be a need for farmers to feed the teeming populace, as it is one sure way to guarantee food to the people.

Starting a farming business might not necessarily cost an arm and a leg to start; however, there will always be the need to learn all the ropes that is needed to be mastered before delving into the business. This is because of the importance of starting off well-armed with the basic information that is needed to thrive in this trade. Below is a sample commercial framing business plan that you can find really useful to draft yours.

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A Sample Commercial Farming Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

The agricultural industry, of which commercial farming is a subset of, is no doubt amongst the leading industry in most countries of the world. It is the industry that produces food for the populace and raw materials for industries.

Because of the significant role the agriculture sector plays, the government of most countries ensure that they go all the way to subsidize seedlings, fertilizers, and farming implements and machinery for farmers, and also encourage entrepreneurs to go into commercial farming.

There are several business opportunities that are readily available in the agricultural industry and one good thing about the industry is that there is market for all the produce from the industry.

Over the years, researchers and scientist have been researching on ways to improve crop cultivation especially in areas where the soil composition and climatic condition does not support the growth of certain crops (cash crops, food crops et al). So also engineers have been improving on their invention as regards mechanized (commercial) farming et al.

Statistics also has it that farming (most especially commercial farming) employs more than 24 million American workers (which is roughly about 17 percent of the total workforce in the united states). For example; in 2006, the average American commercial farmer grew enough food for about 144 other people and also in 1940, the average farmer grew food for about 19 other people (which was close to enough food).

Records has it that in 2007, just 187,816 of the 2.2 million farms in the United States of America accounted for 63% of sales of agricultural products, marking a trend toward the concentration in agricultural production. Agricultural efficiency has increased over the past century from 27.5 acres/worker in 1890 to 740 acres/worker in 1990

If you are tinkering with the idea of starting an agriculture industry to generate huge income, then one of your best bet is to start a commercial farm. Commercial farming is all about mass – cultivation of crops and rearing animals, fish, and birds, etc. for the sole aim of making profits. In most cases it is referred to as mechanized farming.

As a matter of fact, with the recent advancement in technology farmers can now comfortably grow crops in a country where such crops can hardly survive and in places where there are few farming land, people can make use of the rooftop (basement) of their houses to cultivate crops even for commercial purposes.

One thing is certain about commercial farming, if you are able to conduct your market research and feasibility studies; you are more likely not going to struggle to sell your farm produce because there are always food processing companies and consumers out there who are ready to buy from you.

Lastly, with commercial farming, you can afford to combine crop cultivation and animal husbandry or you can decide to only special in the cultivation of crops or rearing of animals / birds / fish. The bottom line is that if you have enough land (space) and you are interested in maximizing commercial farming, you are sure going to make huge profits from the business.

2. Executive Summary

Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd is a licensed agro – allied company that is to be based in the outskirt of Des Moines, Iowa – United States. We have played a crucial part in doing our detailed market research and feasibility studies and we were able to secure a hundred hectares of land to start our commercial farming.

Our commercial farming is a going to be standard commercial farm , hence will be involved in commercial crop cultivation, fish farming, poultry farming and of course animal farming. We will be involved in both organic commercial farming and non – organic commercial farming.

In the nearest future, hopefully within the first five years of officially running Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd, we will commence our food processing plant and also start exporting our agriculture produce to other parts of the world.

This is why aside from the fact that we’ve secured the required farming land and most of the farming equipment and machines; we have also hired some key employees who are currently undergoing training so as to be able to fit into the ideal picture of the 21st century commercial farm workforce that we want to build.

We are in the agro – allied business because we want to leverage on the vast opportunities available in the industry, to contribute our quota in growing the U.S. economy, in national food production, raw materials production for industries, to export agriculture produce from the United States to other countries and over and above to make profit.

Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd is well positioned to become one of the leading commercial farms in the United States of America, which is why we have been able to source for the best hands and machines to run the company with.

We have put process and strategies in place that will help us employ best practices when it comes to commercial farming processes and food processing as required by the regulating bodies in the United States of America. Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd is a private registered agro – allied company that is owned by Dr. Nicholas C. Zebedee and family.

The company will be fully and single handedly financed by the owner – Dr. Nicholas C. Zebedee and his immediate family members- at least for a period of time. Before starting Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd, Dr. Nicholas C. Zebedee was the Head of a renowned Agriculture Research Institute in The U.S.

He worked in the industry for well over 20 years before resigning to start his own commercial farm. He is of course one of the most respected people in the agro – allied industry. The business will be managed by his son Nicholas Zebedee Jnr.

3. Our Products and Services

Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd is an agro – allied company that is committed to cultivating organic and non – organic agriculture produce for both the United States’ market and the global market. We are in business to produce both food and raw materials for industries in commercial quantities.

We will also ensure that we operate a standard food processing plant as part of our complimentary business. These are the areas we will concentrate on in our commercial farms. If need arises we will definitely add more agriculture produce to our list;

• Cultivation of Grains (Grains such as millet, wheat, oat, shogun, barely, cereal, soybeans, black mustard, sunflower seed et al)
• Fruits Plantation
• Vegetable Cultivation ( Tomatoes , Lettuce, Cabbage, etc)
• Cotton Wool and other cash crops cultivations
• Tea and Coffee Cultivation
• Cattle Ranch (Including goats, sheep, grass – cutters, pigs and rabbits et al)
• Standard Food Processing Plant (Tomatoes Paste, Fruit Juice, Processed Diary foods, and can foods et al)

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our Vision is to become one of the leading commercial farm brands not just in the United States of America but also on the global stage.
• Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd is an agro – allied registered company that is in business to cultivate in commercial quantities both organic and non – organic agriculture produce for both the United States market and the international market.
• Aside from agriculture produce, we want our processed food to flood the nooks and crannies of the United States and other countries of the world.

Our Business Structure

Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Limited is a privately owned and managed commercial farm that is into a wide range of agriculture produce. Hence we have made provisions to hire the required numbers of employees that will help us drive the business to the desired heights we want it to get to.

It is important to note that the nature of the business that we are in requires that from time to time we hire casual workers (contract staff) especially during land preparation stage, planting stage and harvest periods. Below is the business structure of Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd;

• Chief Operating Officer

General Farm Manager

Administrator/Accountant

Crop Cultivation Manager/Supervisor

Fish Farming Manager/Supervisor

Poultry Farming Manager/Supervisor

• Cattle Ranch Manager/Supervisor
• Sales and Marketing Executive
• Field Employees
• Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Operating Officer:

• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for the day to day running of the business
• Responsible for handling high profile clients and deals
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization at regular interval
• Responsible for the planning, management and coordinating all farm activities across the various sections on behalf of the organization
• Supervises other section manager
• Ensures compliance during project executions
• Provides advice on the management of farming activities across all section
• Responsible for carrying out risk assessment
• Uses IT systems and software to keep track of people and progress of the growth of crops, fishes, birds and animals
• Responsible for overseeing the accounting, costing and sale of farm produce after harvest
• Represents the organization’s interest at various stakeholders meetings
• Ensures that farming goals desired result are achieved, the most efficient resources (manpower, equipment, tools and chemicals et al) are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied. Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily farming activities across the various farming sections.
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Serves as internal auditor for the company
• Responsible for managing the crop cultivation section of the commercial farm
• Supervises other workers within the department
• Works closely with the General Manager to achieve the organizations’ goals and objectives
• Responsible for managing the fish farming section of the commercial farm
• Responsible for managing the poultry farming section of the commercial farm

Cattle Ranch and Animal Manager/Supervisor

• Responsible for managing the cattle ranch and animal rearing section of the commercial farm
• works closely with the General Manager to achieve the organizations’ goals and objectives

Sales and Marketing Officer

• Identified, prioritizes, and reaches out to new markets for our agriculture produce, processed food, new partners, and business opportunities within the agro – allied industry
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales of all our agriculture produce and processed foods
• Documents all customer contact and information.
• Represents the company in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for the company

Field Workers/Contract Staff

• Responsible for preparing farm lands for crop cultivations
• Responsible for feeding fishes, birds and animals as instructed by the supervisor
• Responsible for cleaning poultry and cattle ranch
• Changes the water in fish ponds as instructed by the supervisor on a regular basis
• Handles Sod installation/hydro – seeding
• Weeding or fertilizer and/or pest control application
• Handles farm implements and machines as instructed by the section manager/supervisor
• Assists in handling the harvest of crops, fishes and birds et al
• Carries out task in line with the stated job description
• Assists in transport working tools and equipment from the farm and back to the designated store room
• Handles any other duties as assigned my the line manager

Front Desk/Customer’s Service Officer

• Receives Visitors/customers on behalf of the organization
• Receives parcels/documents for the company
• Handles enquiries via e-mail and phone calls for the organization

6. SWOT Analysis

Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Limited do not intend to launch out with trial and error hence the need to conduct a proper SWOT analysis.

We know that if we get it right from the onset, we would have succeeded in creating the foundation that will help us build a standard commercial farm that will favorably compete with leading commercial farms in the United States of America and in the rest part of the world.

As an all – round commercial farms, we look forward to maximizing our strength and opportunities and also to work around our weaknesses and threats. Here is a summary of the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farms Limited;

Our strength as a commercial farm company is the fact that we have healthy relationships with loads of major players (agriculture merchants) in the agro – allied industry; both suppliers and buyers within and outside of the United States.

We have some of the latest commercial farming machines, tools and equipment that will help us cultivate crops and animals in commercial quantities with less stress. Aside from our relationship (network) and equipment, we can confidently boast that we have some the most experienced hands in Des Moines, Iowa in our payroll.

Our weakness could be that we are a new commercial farm in the United States, and perhaps the fact that we decided to diversify our farming activities could count against us initial. We are aware of this and from our projection will overcome this weakness with time and turn it to a major advantage for the business.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities that are available to us cannot be quantified, as we know that there are loads of homeowners, and industries that will source for our organic and non – organic agriculture produce and also industries that will source for the raw materials from our commercial farms both in the United States of America and other parts of the world.

Some of the threats and challenges that we are likely going to face when we start our own commercial farm are global economic downturn that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters (draughts, epidemics), unfavorable government policies and the arrival of a competitor (a commercial farm that cultivates same crops or rear same animals, birds and fish) as our farms within same location.

There is hardly anything we can do as regards this threats and challenges other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

One of the common trends in the commercial farming line of business is that most players in the industry are no longer concentrating only on non – organic farming. They now find it easier to run both organic crop cultivation and non – organic crop cultivation.

It is fact that despite that organic food are expensive, the sale for organic food is on the increase and it is indeed profitable.

Despite the fact that commercial farming has been in existence since time immemorial that does not in any way make the industry to be over saturated; commercial farmers are exploring new technologies to continue to improve cultivation processes and also food preservation process; mechanized farming has indeed increased the tons of food produced by farmers.

The fact that there is always a ready market for commercial farming produce makes the business evergreen. As a matter of fact, one of the new trends is that with the recent advancement in technology farmers are now grow crops in commercial quantities in a country where such crops can hardly survive and in places where there are few farming land, commercial farmers now make use of the rooftop (basement) of their houses to cultivate crops even for commercial purposes.

8. Our Target Market

Naturally, the target market of those who are the end consumer of commercial farm produce and also those who benefits from the business value chain of the agriculture industry is all encompassing; it is far – reaching.

Every household consumes produce from commercial farms be it vegetables, fruits, grains, tubers, fish, eggs, poultries, and cattle et al. So also a large chunk of manufacturing companies depends on commercial farms for some of their raw materials. In essence a commercial farmer should be able to sell his or her farm produce to as many people as possible.

We will ensure that we position our business to attract consumers of agriculture produce not joust in the United States of America alone but also other parts of the world which is why we will be exporting some of our farm produce either in raw form or processed form to other countries of the world.

Our competitive advantage

It is easier to find entrepreneurs flocking towards an industry that is known to generate consistent income, which is why there are more commercial farmers in the United States of America and of course in most parts of the world.

For example; Statistics has it that there were 2.2 million farms in the United States of America, covering an area of 922 million acres. These goes to show that there are appreciable numbers of farmers in the United States of America but that does not mean that there is stiffer competition in the industry.

As a matter of fact, entrepreneurs are encouraged by the government to embrace commercial farming. This is so because part of the success of any nation is her ability to cultivate her own food and also export foods to other nations of the world.

Nicholas Zebedee and Family Farm Limited is fully aware that there are competitions when it comes to selling commercial farm produce all over the globe, which is why we decided to carry out thorough research so as to know how to take advantage of the available market in the United States and in other parts of the world.

We have done our homework and we have been able to highlight some factors that will give us competitive advantage in the marketplace; some of the factors are effective and reliable farming processes that can help us sell our produce at competitive prices, good network and excellent relationship management.

Another competitive advantage that we are bringing to the industry is the fact that we have designed our business in such a way that we will operate an all – round standard commercial farms that will be involved in diverse areas such as crop cultivation, poultry farming, fish farming, animal rearing and food processing plant. With this, we will be able to take advantage of all the available opportunities within the industry.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be amongst the best in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our objectives as a standard commercial farms with a food processing plant.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

It is very vital to spell out from the outset in any business how funds will be raised. In this case, Nicolas Zebedee and Family Farms Limited is in the agro – allied business for the purpose of maximizing profits, hence we have decided to explore all the available opportunities within the industry to achieve our corporate goals and objectives.

In essence we are not going to rely only on the sale of our farm produce to generate income for the business. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Nicolas Zebedee and Family Farms Limited;

• Sale of Grains (Grains such as millet, wheat, oat, shogun, barely, cereal, soybeans, black mustard, sunflower seed et al)
• Sale of varieties of Fruits
• Sale of varieties of Vegetable
• Sale and Export of Cotton Wool and other cash crops
• Sale and export of Tea and Coffee
• Sale of Cattle and milk (Including goats, sheep, grass – cutters, pigs and rabbits et al)
• Sale of Poultry and eggs
• Sale of Fish
• Sale of processed foods/can – food (Tomatoes Paste, Fruit Juice, Processed Diary foods, and can foods et al)
• Agricultural Related Consultancy and Advisory Services

10. Sales Forecast

From the survey conducted, we were able to discover that the sales generated by a commercial farm depend on the size of the farm, the nature of the commercial farm (whether cattle rearing, poultry farming, fish farming and crops cultivation et al).

We have perfected or sales and marketing strategies and we are set to hit the ground running and we are quite optimistic that we will meet or even surpass our set sales target of generating enough income/profits from the year of operations and build the business from survival to sustainability.

We have been able to critically examine the agriculture industry cum commercial farm business and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projections are based on information gathered on the field and some workable assumptions as well with respect to the nature of commercial farm that we run.

Below are the projections that we were able to come up with for the first three years of running Nicolas Zebedee and Family Farms Limited;

• First Year-: $150,000
• Second Year-: $300,000
• Third Year-: $500,000

N.B: This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters (draughts, epidemics), and unfavorable government policies.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are quite aware that the reason why some commercial farms hardly make good profits is their inability to sell off their farm produce especially perishable crops as at when due. In view of that, we decided to set up a standard food processing plant to help us maximize profits.

Over and above, we have perfected our sale and marketing strategies first by networking with agriculture merchants and companies that rely on raw materials from the agriculture industry who are likely to refer become our customers.

In summary, Nicolas Zebedee and Family Farms Limited will adopt the following strategies in marketing our commercial farm produce;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to stake holders in the agriculture industry, companies that rely on the agriculture industry for their raw materials, hotels and restaurants and agriculture produce merchants, amongst others.
• Advertise our business and agriculture produce in agro – allied and food related magazines and websites
• List our commercial farms on yellow pages ads
• Attend related agriculture and food expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage in direct marketing
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Any business that wants to grow beyond the corner of the street or the city they are operating from must be ready and willing to utilize every available means (conventional and non – conventional means) to advertise and promote the business.

We intend growing our business which is why we have perfected plans to build our brand via every available means. We know that it is important to create strategies that will help us boost our brand awareness and to create a corporate identity for our commercial farm business.

Below are the platforms you can leverage on to boost our commercial farm brand and to promote and advertise our business;

• Encourage our loyal customers to help with Word of Mouth mode of advertisement (referrals)
• Advertise our commercial farm business in relevant magazines (agriculture and food related magazines), local newspaper, local TV stations and local radio station
• Promote our commercial farm business online via your official website
• List our commercial farm business on local directories (yellow pages ads)
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Google+, LinkedIn, Badoo, Facebook , twitter, et al to promote our commercial farm business
• Employ direct coupon mailing approach to market our commercial farm produce
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas (farm markets) at regular interval

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Some of the factors that will help you sell your farm produce at the right price and guarantee that you make profits is dependent on your strategy while some of the factors are beyond your control. For instance; if the climatic condition is unfavorable and if there are natural disaster in the location where you have your commercial farm, then it will directly affect the prices of your farm produce.

Over and above, if we want to get the right pricing for your farm produce, then we have got to ensure that we choose a good location for commercial farm, choose a good breed / seeds that will guarantee bountiful harvest, cut the cost of running our farm to the barest minimum and of course try as much as possible to attract buyers to our farm, as against taking your farm produce to the market to source for buyers; with this, we would have successfully eliminated the cost of transporting the goods to the market and other logistics.

We are quite aware that one of the easiest means of penetrating the market and acquiring loads of customers for all our agriculture produce is to sell them at competitive prices hence we will do all we can to ensure that the prices of our farm produces are going to be what other commercial farmers would look towards beating.

One thing is certain, the nature of commercial farming makes it possible for farmers to place prices on their farm produce based on their discretion without following the benchmark in the industry. The truth is that it is one of the means of avoiding running into loss. The easier you sell off your harvest the better for your business.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Nicolas Zebedee and Farms Limited is all inclusive one because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Nicolas Zebedee and Farms Limited will make available to her clients;

• Payment via bank transfer
• Payment with cash
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for farm produces purchase without any stress on their part.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to calculating the cost of starting a commercial farm, there are some key factors that should serve as a guide.

The different niche of commercial farms determines the total cost of setting up the business. For illustration, the start – up cost for a fish farm is different from the start – up cost for mechanized crop farming, so also the start – up cost for poultry farming is different from the start – up cost of cattle ranch (dairy farm) et al.

As a matter of fact, if you choose to start a mechanized crop farming, then you should be willing to raise huge capital base to start the business. This is so because some cultivation machines/equipment can be pretty expensive. Below are some of the basic areas we will spend our start – up capital in setting up our commercial farm;

• The Total Fee for incorporating the Business (commercial farm) in United States of America – $750.
• The budget for key insurance policies, permits and business license – $2,500
• The amount needed to acquire/lease a farm land       – $50,000
• The amount required for preparing the farm land (for crop cultivation, fish ponds, poultry, fencing et al – $30,000
• The cost for acquiring the required working tools and equipment/machines/tractors et al– $500,000
• The Cost of Launching an official Website – $600
• Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,000

Going by the report from detailed research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need an average of $500,000 to start a standard commercial farm business in the United States of America. These are some of the equipment that we would need to fully launch our commercial farm,

• Soil cultivator
• Harrow (e.g. Spike harrow, Drag harrow, Disk harrow)
• Stone/Rock/Debris removal implement (e.g. Destoner, Rock windrower/rock rake, Stone picker/picker)
• Broadcast seeder (alternatively: broadcast spreader, fertilizer spreader, or Air seeder)
• Plastic mulch layer
• Potato planter
• Seed drill (e.g. Precision drill)
• Transplanter (e.g. Rice transplanter)
• Sprinkler system irrigation
• Milk machine (bulk tank, milking pipeline et al)
• Wheel Barrow

Basically, the nature of commercial farms does not require an office space; most people that run commercial farms operate directly from their farms. But we have decide to open a small liaison office; a place where administrative jobs will be carried out.

Generating Funding/Startup Capital for Nicolas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd.

No matter how fantastic your business idea might be, if you don’t have the required money to finance the business, the business might not become a reality. Finance is a very important factor when it comes to starting a business such as commercial farming.

No doubt raising start – up capital for a business might not come cheap, but it is a task that an entrepreneur must go through. Nicolas Zebedee and Family Farms Limited is a privately owned business and it will be financed by the owner of the company.

These are the areas where we intend sourcing for fund for Nicolas Zebedee and Family Farms Ltd;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from family members and friends (soft loans and gifts et al)
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the banks (loan facility).

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

It is easier for a company to survive when there is steady flow of income which is why we will ensure that we leverage on every business opportunities that we come across to sell our farm produce. Also as part of our business sustainability and expansion strategy, we will kick – start our food processing plant as soon as possible. This is to create additional income for the business.

Another sustainability and expansion strategy that we have adopted is continuous training of our workforce (both full-time staff and part – time workers) so as to provide them with the capacity to perform effectively. We believe strongly in the fact that if we are able to invest the best in our employees, then they will be able to give our clients the best and this will in turn produce benefits immensely.

We know that good and healthy farm produce, integrity, competence, trust and good relationship management is factor that can guarantee a business to grow and survive in harsh business environment which is why we will work hard not to compromise these qualities that we possess.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check: Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing of farm land in Des Moines, Iowa: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Start – up Capital Generation: Completed
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Building /construction of fish ponds, cattle ranch, and poultry: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed working tools, machines and equipment: Completed
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Farm land Treatment, Health and Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with key players in the industry (agriculture farm produce merchants, transporter / haulage and suppliers of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides): Completed

Farm Business Planning

Farm Business Planning is key to beginning farmer success.

It helps beginning farmers :

• Plan for the economic sustainability of a new farm enterprise.
• Obtain funding to purchase land, equipment and other resources from lending institutions, investors and/or grant making agencies.
• Articulate what their farm will look like.

On this page, we compiled free farm business planning resources to help you understand what a formal business plan is, and how to start planning your farm business. Sections include:

• Developing a Farm Business Plan
• Enterprise Budgeting

Enterprise budget resources are included on the farm business planning page because such tools are usually essential in helping you to develop your business plan.

Planning your farm business involves more than is outlined on this page alone. You’ll probably also be interested in funding (loans/grants) , farm incorporation , and risk management . Our  starting a farm page is worth visiting first. Also, you might find the following article helpful, because it touches on many farm business planning topics: Farm Products, What to Charge: Marketing, Price, Calculating Costs, Strategy and Much More .

1. Developing a Farm Business Plan

A  business plan  is a decision making tool that takes the form of a formal document. It states your business goals, why you think you can achieve them, and lays out your plan for doing so. Farm business planning is also a process, not an end product. A business plan is a work in progress, which farm business owners or operators will want to revisit regularly. 

Planning and Funding Your Farm Business  from the Cornell University Small Farms Project has lots of important and useful farm business planning resources.

Rural Businesses  is a web and print publication from the Minnesota institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA).

Building a Business Plan for Your Farm: Important First Steps  is a 20 page farm business planning publication that discusses the initial steps to help you move toward writing a formal business plan.

The Center for Agroecology has a Small Farm Business Planning publication that goes over many of the basics in a step by step format.

Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses is a farm business planning publication available from SARE.

Do I need a Business Plan for my Farm? is a web resource from the New England Small Farm Institute. It’s a great place to get started.

AgPlan  from the University of Minnesota helps rural business owners develop a business plan for free, while also offering sample business plans for ideas, and a way to print or download your plan.

Developing a Farm Business Plan includes several helpful resources from the USDA National Agricultural Library’s Rural Information Center.

Organic Farm Business Planning Page  from North Carolina State University features a number of publications and links related to financial planing for organic farmers.

Agricultural Business Planning Templates and Resources   is an ATTRA publication most relevant to smaller-scale or alternative agricultural entrepreneurs.

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Resources offers comprehensive resources on Bookkeeping and Other Basics ; Cash Flow Budgeting and Managing Debt ; Small Farm and Ranch Income Taxes , and more.

Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business  has educational resources to explore, such as the New Ventures in Food and Agriculture in Indiana , which offers business planning assistance.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension offers strategic farm business planning tools for commercial farm producers.

Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences has many Business Planning tools and information.  Penn State Cooperative Extension has a Developing a Business Plan page. Penn State also has a Farm Business Plan Template that allows you to plug in your information and create a basic business plan.

The U.S. Small Business Administration  works with local partners to counsel, mentor and train small businesses. It is worth getting to know their programs and connect with your local office.

The Martindale Center Reference Desk has an extensive  compilation of links to calculators, applets, spreadsheets, courses, manuals, handbooks, simulations, animations, videos and more. Martindale’s Agriculture Center can be of great use to farmers making business plans.

2. Enterprise Budgets

Enterprise budgets project costs and returns for a particular farm production practice. You can use enterprise budgets to make smart business management decisions, and to help you develop a viable business plan.

Enterprise Budgeting Tools of all sorts from the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, including organic crop budgeting tools, many vegetable budgeting tools, the crop conversion tool for side-by-side crop comparisons, specialty crop and livestock budgets, hydroponics budgets, wind calculators, composting calculators, manure calculators, distillers grain budgets, biomass calculators and specialty foods calculators.

Introduction to Farm Planning Budgets for New and Beginning Farmers (Virginia Tech)

Importance and Use of Enterprise Budgets in Agriculture   (University of Nevada)

Enterprise Budgeting (Kerr Center)

Organic Specific Enterprise Budgets

• Enterprise Budgets and Production Costs for Organic Production (ATTRA)
• Organic Crop Production Enterprise Budgets and Information   (Iowa State)
• Organic Enterprise Budget (Kansas Rural Center)

More Enterprise Budget Pages and Information

• Enterprise Budgets List (Virginia Cooperative Extension)
• Dairy Sheep Enterprise Budget (Center for Integrated Ag Systems, UW-Madison)
• Crop Budgets (University of Maryland)
• Farm Management Enterprise Budgets (Ohio State)
• Alabama Enterprise Budget Summaries (Alabama A&M and Auburn) 
• Start developing your business plan with the resources at   https://www.beginningfarmers.org/farm-business-planning/
• You can find more gr eat farming resources at   https://www.beginningfarmers.org/additional-farming-resources/

Farm Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 3,500 farmers create business plans to start and grow their farm businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a farm business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Farm Business Plan Template here >

What is a Farm Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your farm business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Farm

If you’re looking to start a farm business or grow your existing farm business you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your farm business in order to improve your chances of success. Your farm business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes. It can be used to create a vegetable farm business plan, or a dairy farm, produce farm, fruit farm, agriculture farm and more.

Source of Funding for Farm Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a farm business are personal savings, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

The second most common form of funding for a farm business is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Your business plan should include 10 sections as follows:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of farm business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a farm business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of farm businesses.

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the farm business industry. Discuss the type of farm business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of farm business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types among others:

• Vegetable Farm : this type of farm grows a wide variety of vegetables (but not grains or soybeans) and melons in open fields and in greenhouses.
• Dairy Farm : this type of farm primarily raises cattle for milk. Typically, this type of farm does not process the milk into cheeses or butter, etc.
• Fruit Farm : this type of farm primarily grows fruits.
• Hay and Crop Farm : More than half of these types of farms grow hay, while a small number grow sugar beets. A variety of other crops, such as hops and herbs, are included in the industry. Some operators also gather agave, spices, tea and maple sap.
• Industrial Hemp Farm : this type of farm grows and harvests cannabis plants with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of less than 0.3% by weight.
• Plant & Flower Farm : this type of farm grows nursery plants, such as trees and shrubs; flowering plants, such as foliage plants, cut flowers, flower seeds and ornamentals; and short rotation woody trees, such as Christmas trees and cottonwoods.
• Vertical Farming : This type of farm involves growing crops in vertically stacked layers, often using controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technologies. This method dramatically reduces the amount of land space needed for farming and can increase crop yields.

In addition to explaining the type of farm business you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, acquisition of additional acreage, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the farm business.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the farm business industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. 

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards decaffeinated farm business consumption, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for plenty of decaffeinated options.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your farm business plan:

• How big is the farm business (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your farm business. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your farm business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: food manufacturers, grocery wholesalers, retail grocers, restaurants, individual consumers, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of farm business you operate. Clearly food manufacturers would want different pricing and product options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than retail grocers.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other farm businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes processed foods, imported goods, and growing produce themselves. You need to mention such competition to show you understand the true nature of the market.

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other farm businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be farm businesses located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What products do they offer?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide superior products?
• Will you provide products that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you make it easier or faster for customers to acquire your products?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a farm business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : in the product section you should reiterate the type of farm business that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to wholesale crops, will you also offer subscriptions to individuals?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the products you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your farm. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your farm centrally located near gourmet restaurants and specialty grocers, etc. Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers. Also, if you operate or plan to operate farm stands, detail the locations where the stands will be placed.

Promotions : the final part of your farm business marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Making your farm stand extra appealing to attract passing customers
• Distributing produce samples from the farm stand or at farmers markets 
• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local bloggers and websites 
• Local radio advertising
• Banner ads at local venues

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your farm business such as serving customers, delivering produce, harvesting, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 1,000th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or acquire more arable land.

Management Team

To demonstrate your farm business’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in farming. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in farming and/or successfully running small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you serve 100 customers per week or 200? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your farm, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. For example, let’s say a company approached you with a massive $100,000 supplier contract, that would cost you $50,000 to fulfill. Well, in most cases, you would have to pay that $50,000 now for seed, equipment, employee salaries, etc. But let’s say the company didn’t pay you for 180 days. During that 180 day period, you could run out of money.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a farm business:

• Location build-out including barn construction, land preparation, etc.
• Cost of equipment like tractors and attachments, silos, barns, etc.
• Cost of nutrients and maintaining machinery
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Your new farm’s business plan must include a detailed financial plan based on reasonable assumptions of your costs and revenues. To determine if the results you show in this plan will be attractive to investors, look at industry standard financial metrics to see how you measure up against the farming industry, or your sector of the industry, on average. These are some basic measures and ratios to study.

Value of Production

The value of production is equal to your farm’s cash receipts plus the changes in value of product inventory and accounts receivable, less your livestock purchases. This is a measure of the value of the commodities you have produced in the period.

Net Farm Income

The NFI or net farm income, represents the value of production less direct and capital costs in the time period. This is a dollar figure, and not a ratio relating the income to the investment made, so it cannot be used to compare the farm against other farms.

Gross Margin

This represents the NFI less depreciation. The gross margin shows how much money is available in the year to cover the unallocated fixed costs, and dividends to owners and unpaid operators.

Return on Farm Assets

This is a ratio that can be used to compare the farm with others. This is calculated as NFI plus interest expense less unpaid operator labor, all divided by the total assets of the farm.

Asset Turnover Ratio

This ratio is equal to the value or production over the total farm assets. Combined with the operating profit margin ratio, this shows the efficiency of the farm in generating revenues.

Operating Profit Margin Ratio

This ratio is similar to Return on Farm Assets, but divides the same numerator (NFI plus interest expense less unpaid operator labor) by the value of production figure. This shows the percentage of each revenue dollar that becomes profit. If it is low, a higher turnover can compensate, and if it is high, a lower turnover ratio is required.

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your store design blueprint or location lease.

Farm Business Plan Summary

Putting together a business plan for your farm business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. It can be used for a small farm business plan template or any other type of farm. You will really understand the farm business, your competition and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful farm business.

Download Our Farm Business Plan PDF

You can download our farm business plan PDF here . This is a small farm business plan example you can use in PDF format.  

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Farm business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.  

Click here to see how Growthink’s professional business plan consulting services can create your business plan for you.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Free Agriculture Sample Business Plan PDF + How to Write

Elon Glucklich

6 min. read

Updated February 7, 2024

Free Download:  Agriculture Business Plan Template

As a farmer, you’re in the business of putting food on the table. Agriculture is one of the world’s oldest professions.

Today it accounts for over 5% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product, and 1 in 10 American workers are in agriculture, food, and related industries.

But starting a new agriculture business requires intensive planning and upfront preparation. If you’re looking for a free, downloadable agriculture sample business plan PDF to help you create a business plan of your own, look no further.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to find a sample business plan that exactly matches your farm. Whether you’re launching a larger agricultural business outside a bustling city or a smaller organic operation, the details will be different, but the foundation of the plan will be the same. 

Are you writing a business plan for your farm because you’re seeking a loan? Is your primary concern outlining a clear path for sales growth? Either way, you’re going to want to edit and customize it so it fits your particular farm. 

No two agriculture farming businesses are alike.

For example, your strategy will be very different if you’re a dairy operation instead of a soybean farm. So take the time to create your own financial forecasts and do enough market research for your specific type of agriculture so you have a solid plan for success. 

• What should you include in an agriculture farm business plan?

Your agriculture business plan doesn’t need to be hundreds of pages—keep it as short and focused as you can. You’ll probably want to include each of these sections: 

1. Executive summary

An overview of your agriculture business, with a brief description of your products or services, your legal structure, and a snapshot of your future plans. While it’s the first part of the plan, it’s often easier to write your executive summary last.

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2. Business summary and funding needs

Details about your farming operation, including how much capital you will need and the types of funding you’re considering. Include your business history, your current state, and your future projections. It should also cover your business location, the equipment and facilities needed, and the kinds of crops or livestock you plan to raise.

3. Products and services

Provide details on the types of crops, farming methods, and any value-added products you plan to offer, such as finished goods or even  agritourism offerings .

4. Marketing plan

Compile your market research findings, including the demand for your products or services, your target customers , and your competitors. It should also outline your marketing strategy—how you plan to attract and retain customers. 

5. Financial plan

Your revenue projections, cost estimates, and break-even analysis. Your financial plan and forecasts should demonstrate that your business has a path to profitability.

• Building on your farm business plan sample

With a free agriculture business plan template as your starting point, you can start chipping away at the unique elements of your business plan.

As the business owner, only you can speak to aspects of your agriculture operation like your mission and core values.

You’re putting in the long hours to start a thriving farm business, so aspects of your mission – like a commitment to sustainable farming practices – will be best explained in your own words. Authenticity will help you connect with a growing market of consumers who value transparency and environmental stewardship in their food sources.

As for more conventional aspects of business planning , you will want to take on things like your marketing and financial plans one at a time. Here are a few specific areas to focus on when writing your business plan.

Invest time in market research

Starting an agriculture operation requires significant startup costs. When you throw in the unique land use considerations involved, it’s crucial to conduct thorough market research before investing hundreds of thousands – or even millions – of dollars into a farm business.

Start by researching the types of farms operating in your locality and wider region, and the specific crops or livestock they specialize in. You will need to understand seasonal trends, including crop yields and livestock productivity.

Note the demographics of the local community to understand their buying habits and preference for local produce. Also, be aware of the competitive landscape and how your farm can differentiate itself from others. All of this information will inform your service, pricing, marketing, and partnership strategy.

From there, you can outline how you plan to reach your target market and promote your farm’s offerings.

Craft your agriculture go-to-market strategy

One of the things that makes an agriculture farm business plan different from some service-based business plans is that you might decide to work only with one or two businesses that purchase your goods.  

You may offer different tiers of products to different types of buyers, such as produce for an organic farmers market, and corn for another farm’s animal feed. If that’s the case, make sure you include ideas like setting aside land for organic growth and maintenance.

Discuss your advertising and promotional strategies, emphasizing channels relevant to your target market. Also, consider how partnerships with local businesses, farmers’ markets, and other industry stakeholders can enhance your visibility.

Include your pricing strategy and any special promotions or loyalty programs. Also, consider public relations and media outreach efforts that can raise awareness about your farm and its sustainable practices.

Prepare for unique farming challenges

Running an agricultural business comes with its own set of challenges, including weather-related disruptions and market volatility. Your business plan should identify these potential risks and present contingency plans to address them.

Include a plan to mitigate weather-related risks, such as crop diversification, employing weather-resistant farming practices, investing in appropriate infrastructure like greenhouses or drainage systems, or taking out insurance to cover weather-related losses.

Detail the operational aspects of your business , including land ownership, employee status, farm maintenance, and safety requirements. Also, illustrate your strategies for managing crop production, livestock care, land stewardship, and regulatory compliance.

Plan for the future

Contingency planning is important in all businesses.

But the unique challenges in agriculture of changing market dynamics, regulatory changes, and climate impacts make it especially necessary to plan for the future. Detail how you’ll measure success, and how you will be prepared to adapt your offerings if you need to change the focus of the business due to factors outside your control.

Also, be ready to discuss opportunities for scaling your business over time, such as introducing new crops, expanding farm operations, or opening additional locations.

• Get started with your farm business plan sample

There are obviously plenty of reasons farm owners can benefit from writing a business plan — for example, you’ll need one if you’re seeking a loan or investment. Even if you’re not seeking funding, the process of thinking through every aspect of your business will help you make sure you’re not overlooking anything critical as you grow.

Download this  agriculture farm sample business plan PDF  for free right now, or visit  Bplans’ gallery of more than 550 sample business plans  if you’re looking for more options.

Elon is a marketing specialist at Palo Alto Software, working with consultants, accountants, business instructors and others who use LivePlan at scale. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MBA from the University of Oregon.

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Farm Business Plan

Used 5,069 times

Farm Business Plan gives an overview of the company, including corporation history, owner backgrounds, creations and more. Use this template to quickly develop your farm company plan.

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Farm Business Plan Template

Prepared by:

​ [Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName] ​

​ [Sender.Title] ​

​ [Sender.Phone] ​

​ [Sender.Email] ​

Executive Summary

​ [Sender.Company] is owned and operated by [Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName] .

​ [Sender.Company] produces and sells (product types, e.g., produce, pastured animals, herbs, etc.), and we also provide on-farm services including (service types, e.g., apple picking, events, produce stand, etc.).

The target audience for [Sender.Company] 's product will be local consumers and businesses whom we will target directly. To market to this audience, we plan to take advantage of public picking events, farmers' markets, and a roadside farm stand.

Future of the Farm

​ [Sender.Company] plans to turn our XX acres of farmland into a sustainable source of crops, pastured animals, and pollinators. We plan to use regenerative farming practices as much as possible and understand what management techniques work best for our acreage.

Additionally, we will have a large greenhouse and use season extension techniques to get more value out of our farmland.

To build a locally well-known brand and eventually expand our presence across the state.

To sell enough of our product to generate a positive cash flow, support the farm owners and staff, and pay back capital plus 15% interest to our investors.

To preserve and enhance our farmland so that it remains sustainable and we can continue to share the fruits of the land with others.

Follow a thorough 3-year business plan and reassess every year to ensure we remain on track.

Seek funding from our network of contacts and outside funders for start-up costs.

Execute a creative marketing plan that introduces our brand to our target market.

Company Description

Business address and contact.

​ [Sender.StreetAddress] , [Sender.City] , [Sender.State] [Sender.PostalCode] ​

​ [Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName] : [Sender.Phone] , [Sender.Email] ​

Principal Members

(Owner.FirstName) (Owner.LastName)

Qualifications/Experience

(number) years of experience as a farm hand at (farm name), plus an additional 5 years of experience as the farm manager

(Education)

(Operator.FirstName) (Operator.LastName)

(Experience)

Legal Structure

​ [Sender.Company] is a sole proprietorship.

Company Details

Our property is zoned for farm use, and we plan to use the land as follows:

X acres for pastured animals

X acres for produce

X acres for agritourism activities and events

Farm Assets

Greenhouse and propagation supplies

Farm stand (planned for 20XX)

Market Research

The demand for locally raised animals and grown produce is climbing at a rate of XX% per year and is expected to reach a total value of $XX billion by 20XX.

Consumer demand for free-range, pasture-raised animals is evidenced by farms like (name competitors) which have grown into valuations of (approximate company values) , respectively.

Regulations

​ [Sender.Company] is a licensed business in the State of [Sender.State] as of the year 20XX. We are in the process of applying for all of the necessary permits for constructing the farm stand, expanding the barn, and hosting on-site visitors to the farm.

Service Line

Product/service.

Services Include:

Pasture-raised animals

Produce cultivation

Public apple picking

Public hay maze

Special event packages

Marketing & Sales

Customer communications.

​ [Sender.Company] will communicate with its customers by:

Interacting with customers in-person via farmers markets, the farm stand, and through the leveraging of networking events.

Building an active social media presence on Instagram and TikTok.

Advertising agritourism activities like apple picking, hay mazes, farm trails, and other events.

Creating SEO-friendly blog posts on the company website to increase online presence.

Establishing listings with the local tourism board and activity guides.

Sales Strategy

​ [Sender.Company] 's product will be sold primarily in the (region) . The farm is located on a road with extensive car traffic, so we plan to build a farm stand on the property to capture attention and drive sales.

We also plan to build a social media presence and leverage local advertising to drive awareness of our brand. We will also attend farmers' markets within the region to meet customers face-to-face and build relationships.

Five-year plan

Year One: 20XX

Create a legal business entity

Apply for necessary licenses and permits.

Finalize farm layout.

Procure additional equipment.

Establish social media profiles.

Build a small farm stand.

Attend farmer's markets.

Year Two: 20XX

(List goals for year two)

Year Three: 20XX

Year Four: 20XX

Year Five: 20XX

​ [Recipient.FirstName] [Recipient.LastName] ​

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