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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

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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.

Beginning Farmers

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 .

developing a farm plan

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.

stacks of cash and money

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/

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Farm Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Business Plan Outline

  • Farm Business Plan Home
  • 1. Executive Summary
  • 2. Company Overview
  • 3. Industry Analysis
  • 4. Customer Analysis
  • 5. Competitive Analysis
  • 6. Marketing Plan
  • 7. Operations Plan
  • 8. Management Team
  • 9. Financial Plan

Farm Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your farm business plan.

We have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their farms.

Below are links to each section of a small farm business plan template. It can be used to create a vegetable farm business plan, fruit farm business plan, agriculture farm business plans or many other types of rural businesses.

Sample Business Plan For Farms & Agricultural Businesses

  • Executive Summary – The Executive Summary is the most important part of your business plan. It is a brief description of your farm, its products and services, potential market opportunity, and competitive advantage.
  • Company Overview – Also called the Company Analysis, here, you will provide a detailed description of your agriculture business history, its products and other services, and business structure.
  • Industry Analysis – In the Industry Analysis, you will provide an in-depth analysis of the industry in which your farm operates including industry trends, market size and growth, and government regulations.
  • Customer Analysis – In the Customer Analysis, you will identify your target market and provide insights into their purchasing habits. You will also create customer segments and discuss your marketing strategy for reaching them.
  • Competitive Analysis – In the Competitive Analysis, you will identify your direct competition and provide insights into their strengths and weaknesses. You will also discuss your competitive advantage and how you plan to stay ahead of the competition.
  • Marketing Plan – The Marketing Plan includes a discussion of your marketing strategy and tactics along with your pricing strategy. You will also provide a budget for your marketing activities including attending farmers’ markets or advertising a farm stand.
  • Operations Plan – In the Operations Plan, you will discuss your farm’s day-to-day operations. You will also provide your business goals that you plan to achieve and a budget for your operating expenses.
  • Management Team – In this section, you will provide a brief overview of the farm owners and farm management team, their experience in the agricultural industry, and the organizational chart.
  • Financial Plan – In this section, you will provide three-year financial statements for your farm. This will include your income statements, projected balance sheets, and cash flow statements.

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Farm Business Plan FAQs

What is a farm business plan.

A farm business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your farm business. Among other things, a good agriculture farm business plan outlines your business concept, identifies your target audience , presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your farm business plan using our Farm Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Farms?

There are many types of farms. Some have commercial farms that produce crops and agricultural products for sale. Others have cooperative farms owned by people who pool their resources together and share profits among themselves. There are also vegetable farms, dairy, micro, organic, poultry, subsistence, or urban farms.

What Are the Main Sources of Revenues and Expenses for a Farm?

The primary source of revenue for a farm is the sale of its farmed goods such as rice, corn, milk, beef, chicken, depending on the kind of farm a business is.

Some key expenses for a farm are labor expenses, production costs like irrigation, fertilizer, water, and machinery maintenance.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Agriculture Business?

Farm business plans often receive funding from bank loans. Financing is also typically available from grants offered by local and state governments. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are other funding options. This is true for starting any agricultural business.

What are the Steps To Start a Farm Business?

Starting a farming business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

  • Develop An Agricultural Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed agriculture business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  It should also include your business goals and mission statement. You can quickly complete your farm business plan using our Farm Business Plan Template here .
  • Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your farm business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your farm business is in compliance with local laws.
  • Register Your Agriculture Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your farm business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 
  • Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your farm business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 
  • Choose a Business Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 
  • Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 
  • Acquire Necessary Farm Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your agricultural business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 
  • Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your farm business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful farm business and agribusiness planning:

  • How to Start a Farm Business

Where Can I Get a Farm Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free farm business plan template PDF here . This is a good farm business plan template you can use in PDF format.

  • Sample Business Plans
  • Retail, Consumers & E-commerce

Farming Business Plan

Executive summary image

Agriculture is the one industry that consistently does well, irrespective matter the economic conditions of the world. So, for a stable income and career farming business is a great option.

Are you looking to start writing a business plan for your farming business? Creating a business plan is essential to starting, growing, and securing funding for your business. We have prepared a farming business plan template for you to help in start writing yours.

sample business plan

Free Business Plan Template

Download our Free Farming Business Plan Template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

  • Fill in the blanks – Outline
  • Financial Tables

How to Write a Farming Business Plan?

Writing a farming business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section of the business plan intended to provide an overview of the whole business plan. Generally, it is written after the entire business plan is ready. Here are some components to add to your summary:

  • Start with a brief introduction: Start your executive summary by introducing your idea behind starting a farming business and explaining what it does. Give a brief overview of the idea that how will your farming business will be different.
  • Market opportunity: Describe the target market in brief, and explain the demographics, geographic location, and psychographic attributes of your customer. Explain how your agriculture business meets its needs. Clearly describe the market that your business will serve.
  • Mention your services: Describe in detail the products and crops your agriculture farm produces. Also, incorporate all the details about the tools and equipment you will use keeping quality in mind.
  • Management team: Name all the key members of your management team with their duties, responsibilities, and qualifications.
  • Financial highlights: Provide a summary of your financial projections for the company’s initial years of operation. Include any capital or investment requirements, startup costs, projected revenues, and profits.
  • Call to action: After giving a brief about your business plan, end your summary with a call to action, for example; inviting potential investors or readers to the next meeting if they are interested in your business.

Ensure you keep your executive summary concise and clear, use simple language, and avoid jargon.

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2. Business Overview

Depending on what details of your business are important, you’ll need different elements in your business overview. Still, there are some foundational elements like business name, legal structure, location, history, and mission statement that every business overview should include:

  • The name of your farming business and the type of business you are running or will run: organic farming, agricultural farming, dairy farming, commercial farming, or something else.
  • Company structure of your farming business whether it is a proprietorship, LLC, partnership firm, or some other.
  • Location of your farm and the reason why you selected that place.
  • Mission statement: Add a mission statement that sums up your farming business’s objectives and core principles. This statement needs to be memorable, clear, and brief.
  • Business history: Include an outline of the farming business history and how it came to be in its current position. If you can, add some personality and intriguing details, especially if you got any achievements or recognitions till now for your incredible services.
  • Future goals: It’s crucial to convey your aspirations and your vision. Include the vision of where you see your agriculture in the near future.

This section should provide an in-depth understanding of your farming business. Also, the business overview section should be engaging and precise.

3. Market Analysis

Market analysis provides a clear understanding of the market in which your farming business will run along with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. Your market analysis should contain the following essential components:

  • Target market: Identify your target market and define your ideal customer. Know more about your customers and which products they prefer: meat, crops, vegetables, or some other products.
  • Market size and growth potential: Provide an overview of the agriculture industry. It will include market size, trends, growth potential, and regulatory considerations.
  • Competitive analysis: Identify and analyze all other agricultural farms nearby, including direct and indirect competitors. Evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and explain how your farm can offer qualitative products.
  • Market trends: Analyze current and emerging trends in your industry, such as changes in technology, fertilizers, or customer preference. Explain how your farming business will cope with all the trends.
  • Regulatory environment: Describe any regulations or licensing requirements that affect the agricultural farm, such as safety codes, or hiring any agricultural engineer or food safety employee.

Some additional tips for writing the market analysis section of your business plan:

  • Use a variety of sources to gather data, including industry reports, market research studies, and surveys.
  • Be specific and provide detailed information wherever possible.
  • Include charts and graphs to help illustrate your key points.
  • Keep your target audience in mind while writing the business plan

4. Products And Services

The product and services section of an agriculture business plan should describe the specific services and products that will be offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

  • List the products you will produce or sell, such as crops, fruits, flowers, livestock, or value-added products like cheese or jams.
  • Describe each product: Explain the features of your products, such as their quality, variety, and uniqueness. Also, discuss how your products will be packaged and marketed.
  • Emphasize safety and quality: In all descriptions of services and products, emphasize the importance of safety and quality. Explain how your farming business will ensure that all services and products are delivered with the highest standards of safety and efficacy.

Overall, the product and services section of a business plan should be detailed, informative, and customer-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Operations Plan

When writing the operations plan section, it’s important to consider the various aspects of your business operations. Here are the components to include in an operations plan:

  • Operational process: Explain the steps taken to produce your crops or raise your livestock. This can involve planting, fertilizing, watering, harvesting, looking after animals, and other activities.
  • Technologies: Make a list of the tools and equipment you’ll need to run your farm, including tractors, harvesters, greenhouses, barns, and processing machinery. Describe your plans for purchasing and maintaining your farming business.

By including these key elements in your operations plan section, you can create a comprehensive plan that outlines how you will run your farming business.

6. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of the individuals responsible for running the farming business. This section should provide a detailed description of the experience and qualifications of each manager, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

  • Key managers: Describe the key members of your management team, their roles, and their responsibilities. It should include the owners, senior management, and any other farm manager, soil and plant scientist, agricultural salesperson, or someone else.
  • Organizational structure: Describe the organizational structure of the management team, including reporting lines and how decisions will be made.
  • Compensation plan: Describe your compensation plan for the management team and staff, including salaries, bonuses, and other benefits.
  • Board of advisors: If you have a board of advisors for your business, then mention them along with their roles and experience.

Describe your company’s key personnel and highlight why your business has the fittest team.

7. Financial Plan

When writing the financial plan section of a business plan, it’s important to provide a comprehensive overview of your financial projections for the first few years of your business.

  • Profit & loss statement: Create a projected profit & loss statement that describes the expected revenue, cost of products sold, and operational costs. Your farm’s anticipated net profit or loss should be computed and included.
  • Cash flow statement: Estimate your cash inflows and outflows for the first few years of operation. It should include cash receipts from clients, payments to vendors, loan payments, and any other cash inflows and outflows.
  • Balance sheet: Prepare a projected balance sheet, which shows the business’s assets, liabilities, and equity.
  • Break-even point: Determine the point at which your farming business will break even, or generate enough revenue to cover its operating costs. This will help you understand how much revenue you need to generate to make a profit.
  • Financing needs: Estimate how much financing you will need to start and operate your farming business. It should include both short-term and long-term financing needs, such as loans or investment capital.

Remember to be realistic with your financial projections, and to provide supporting evidence for all of your estimates.

8. Appendix

When writing the appendix section, you should include any additional information that supports the main content of your plan. This may include financial statements, market research data, legal documents, and other relevant information.

  • Include a table of contents for the appendix section to make it easy for readers to find specific information.
  • Include financial statements such as income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. These should be up-to-date and show your financial projections for at least the first three years of your business.
  • Provide market research data, such as statistics on the size of the agriculture industry, consumer demographics, and trends in the industry.
  • Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
  • Provide any additional documentation related to your business plans, such as marketing materials, product brochures, and operational procedures.
  • Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the information they need.

Remember, the appendix section of your farming business should only include relevant and important information that supports the main content of your plan.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

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This farming business plan sample will provide an idea for writing a successful farming business plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you are still confused about how to write an investment-ready agriculture business plan to impress your audience, then download our farming business plan pdf .

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Frequently asked questions, why do you need a farming business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful farming business. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your farming business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your farming business.

How to get funding for your farming business?

There are several ways to get funding for your agriculture business, but one of the most efficient and speedy funding options is self-funding. Other options for funding are!

  • Bank loan – You may apply for a loan in government or private banks.
  • Small Business Administration (SBA) loan – SBA loans and schemes are available at affordable interest rates, so check the eligibility criteria before applying for it.
  • Crowdfunding – The process of supporting a project or business by getting many people to invest in your farming business, usually online.
  • Angel investors – Getting funds from angel investors is one of the most sought options for startups.
  • Venture capital – Venture capitalists will invest in your business in exchange for a percentage of shares, so this funding option is also viable.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your farming business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and idea better than you, so we recommend you write your farming business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your agriculture business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any farming business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software.

About the Author

free farming business plan sample

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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Farm Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

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Farm Business Plan

If you want to start a successful farm or expand your current farming business, you need a business plan.

Fortunately, you’re in the right place. Our team has helped develop over 100,000 business plans over the past 20 years, including thousands of farm business plans.

The following farm business plan template and example gives you the key elements you must include in your plan. In our experience speaking with lenders and investors, the template is organized in the precise format they want.

You can download our Farm Business Plan Template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.  

Example Business Plan For Farm Businesses

I. executive summary, business overview.

[Company Name], located at [insert location here] is a new, 500 acre organic dairy, beef, and wheat farm providing food products to regional distributors. [Company Name] is headed by [Founder’s Name], an experienced farm manager.

[Company Name]will sell high-quality beef cuts, wheat by the bushel, and whole milk. The products will be certified organic as growth hormones, fertilizers and pesticides will not be used in production.

Customer Focus

[Company Name] will primarily serve regional distributors of dairy, beef, and wheat products. Some products may be sold directly to manufacturers in the local area for the production of other products from these ingredients.

These businesses typically gross $5 million to $50 million in annual revenues and source their supplies from farms within a 100 mile radius of their facilities.

Distributors and manufacturers of food products in the region see growth in interest in organic products and are in need of organic ingredients for suppliers. Consumers show increased demand for these organic products at stores.

Management Team

[Company Name]’s most valuable asset is the expertise and experience of its founder, [Founder’s Name]. [First name] has been a farm operations manager for the past 15 years. He has spent much of his career working with Blue Ridge Farms, where he oversaw dairy, meat, and grain production.

[Company name] will also employ an experienced salesmanager to sell to distributors and manufacturers. This will be a skilled salesperson trained in farm sales by [Founder’s Name]. An assistant manager will manage day-to-day operations of the farm.

Success Factors

[Company Name] is uniquely qualified to succeed due to the following reasons:

  • [Company Name] will fill a specific market niche in organic foods. In addition, we have surveyed the regional distributors and received extremely positive feedback saying that they explicitly want to buy our products when launched.
  • Our location is within 100 miles of numerous potential distributors and contains hundreds of acres of arable land.
  • The management team has a track record of success in the farming business.

Financial Highlights

[Company Name] is seeking a total funding of $683,200 of debt capital to open its farm. The capital will be used for funding capital expenditures and location build-out, hiring initial employees, marketing expenses and working capital.

Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

Financial SummaryYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5
Revenue$298,947 $332,212 $368,689 $405,491 $445,762
Total Expenses$282,316 $274,810 $295,944 $308,335 $320,390
EBITDA$16,631 $57,402 $72,745 $97,156 $125,372
Depreciation$41,000 $41,000 $41,000 $41,000 $41,000
EBIT($24,369)$16,402 $31,745 $56,156 $84,372
Interest$27,328 $23,912 $20,496 $17,080 $13,664
PreTax Income($51,697)($7,510)$11,249 $39,076 $70,708
Income Tax Expense$0$0$0$0$21,639
Net Income($51,697)($7,510)$11,249 $39,076 $49,069
Net Profit Margin--3%10%11%

II. Company Overview

You can download our Farm Business Plan Template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Who is [Company Name]?

[Company Name], located at [insert location here] is a new 500 acredairy, beef, and wheat farm providing food products to regional distributors. [Company Name] is headed by [Founder’s Name], an experienced farm manager. 300 acres of its land will be devoted to growing wheat and the remainder will be for dairy, beef, and office facilities.

While [Founder’s Name] has been in the farming business for some time, it was in [month, year] that he decided to launch [Company Name]. Specifically, during this time, [Founder] met with a former friend and fellow independent organic farm owner in South Dakota who has had tremendous success. After discussing the business at length, [Founder’s Name] clearly understood that a similar farm would enjoy significant success in his hometown.

Specifically, the customer demographics and competitive situations in the South Dakota area of his friend and in his hometown were so similar that he knew the business would work. After surveying the local market, [Founder’s name] went ahead and founded [Company Name].

[Company Name]’s History

Upon returning from South Dakota, surveying the local customer base, and finding potential land to start the farm, [Founder’s Name] incorporated [Company Name] as an S-Corporation on [date of incorporation].

The business is currently being run out of [Founder’s Name] home office, but once the land is purchased and [Company Name]’s facilities are finalized, all operations will be run from there.

Since incorporation, the Company has achieved the following milestones:

  • Found land and negotiated rate
  • Developed the company’s name, logo and website located at [website]
  • Determined building, equipment and fixture requirements
  • Begun recruiting key employees

[Company Name]’s Products

[Founder’s Name] will be able to provide customers with the following products:

  • High-quality organic beef cuts
  • Organically-grown wheat by the bushel
  • Organic whole milk

III. Industry Analysis

The American commercial farming industry continues to be subsidized by the government to bolster low food prices. This is a volatile and difficult industry in the United States, with small and medium-sized farms increasingly being bought by large farms or struggling to survive on their own.

However, for organic foods, trends are positive. Organic foods sales are projected to increase 18% per year over the next three years and were estimated at $23 billion last year, according to the Organic Trade Association Market Survey. This sector is said to represent 3% of overall food and beverage sales. Global demand for organic foods increases by over $5 billion per year.

The farming industry includes multiple segments including poultry meat, beef, dairy, grain crops, vegetables, fruits, and more. Many businesses focus on only one specific segment, while some produce multiple types of crops in order to hedge against price changes in any one segment.

Recently, Horizon, the largest US organic food brand, dropped the term “organic” from its dairy products choosing instead to use the term “natural”. Critics noted that the term “natural” has no regulatory meaning and shows Horizon’s attempt to lower the cost of production by not meeting the requirements for the organic label. This shows a concern in the market about the meaning behind labels and highlights the importance of regulation to create common definitions.

Organic.org published the following list of reasons to support organic foods and beverages:

  • Reduce the toxic load: Keep chemicals out of the air, water, soil and our bodies
  • Reduce if not eliminate farm pollution
  • Protect future generations
  • Build healthy soil
  • Taste better and truer flavor
  • Assist family farmers of all sizes
  • Avoid hasty and poor science in your food
  • Eating with a sense of place
  • Promote biodiversity
  • Celebrate the culture of agriculture

Trends in the industry include the following:

  • Meat and fish that are organically produced are becoming more popular
  • Organic dairy, bread, and grain are becoming more popular
  • Organic-only supermarkets are becoming more popular
  • Traditional supermarkets are increasing organic purchases to keep up with these competitors.

IV. Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

[Company Name]will primarily serve regional distributors of dairy, beef, and wheat products. Some products may be sold directly to manufacturers in the local area for the production of other products from these ingredients.

These businesses typically gross from $5 million to $50 million in annual revenues and source their supplies from within a 100 mile radius of their facilities.

Customer Segmentation

The Company will primarily target the following two customer segments:

  • Regional Organic Distributors: Organic food distributors source organic meat, dairy, and grains from medium and large farms, and sell them to food manufacturers who process, package and sell the products.
  • Organic Dairy Manufacturers: Small manufacturers that process organic dairy products, such as butter, cream, and cheese work directly with local farms to keep costs low whenever possible.

farm

V.Competitive Analysis

Direct & indirect competitors.

The following twoorganic farms operate within a 100 mileradius of [Company Name]. These, and other smaller organic farms like them, are the direct competitors of the business. Indirect competitors include non-organic dairy, beef, and grain farms.

Nature’s Bounty Farm

Nature’s Bounty Farm is a five-year old farm which produces vegetables and grains for organic distributors. They operate a 1000 acre farm, producing a high volume of goods.

However, Nature’s Bounty Farm does not offer organic dairy and meat, which are up-and-coming products.

Thompson Organics

Thompson Organics is a small, 300 acre, ten-year old farm which produces organic grains and bakes organic breads. They sell all of their products at farmer’s markets and directly at retail stores. This distribution strategy requires Thompson to have skilled customer service and sales employees, as well as facilities for baking and packaging.

Because Thompson avoids selling through to distributors, its brand is known directly by consumers who look for organic foods and it can command a premium. However, they, like Nature’s Bounty Farm, do not offer organic dairy and meat. They also have a high cost structure because of their small scale and operations.

Competitive Advantage

[Company Name] enjoys several advantages over its competitors. These advantages include:

  • Client-oriented service: [Company Name] will have a full-time sales manager to keep in contact with customers and answer their everyday questions. [Founder’s Name] realizes the importance of accessibility to customers and will instruct the sales manager to proactively solicit feedback from customers.
  • Management: [Founder’s Name] has been extremely successful working in the farming business and will be able to use his previous experience to assure clients of the care that [Company Name] will take to create the best organic products. His unique qualifications will serve customers in a much more sophisticated manner than [Company Name’s] competitors.
  • Transparency: To continue to assure customers and the government of the organic quality of [Company Name]’s products, operations can be inspected by customers at a moments notice, and a guide to the operations will be created to detail all of the steps in the production process for each crop.
  • Product Line: By offering wheat, dairy, and meat, [Company Name] will seek to hedge against price volatility in any one of these commodities.

VI. Marketing Plan

[Company Name] will use several strategies to promote its name and develop its brand. By using an integrated marketing strategy, [Company Name] will win customers and develop consistent revenue streams.

The [Company Name] Brand

The [Company name] brand will focus on the Company’s unique value proposition:

  • High-quality, organic milk, beef, and grains
  • Service built on long-term relationships
  • Transparency of operations to achieve customer assurance of organic quality

Promotions Strategy

Targeted Cold Calls

[Company Name] will initially invest significant time and energy into contacting potential customers via telephone and then by visiting their facilities. In order to improve the effectiveness of this phase of the marketing strategy, a highly-focused call list will be used; targeting distributors and manufacturers with an expressed interest in organic products. As this is a very time-consuming process, it will primarily be used during the startup phase to build an initial customer base.

Industry Events

By attending regional farming conferences, association meetings, and symposia, [Company Name] will network with industry leaders, and seek referrals to potential customers. [Founder’s Name] will often attend with the company sales manager, but both may attend separately in the future as they gain experience in this networking.

[Company Name] will invest resources in two forms of geographically-focused internet promotion—organic search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising. The Company will develop its website in such a manner as to direct as much traffic from search engines as possible. Additionally, it will use highly-focused, specific keywords to draw traffic to its website, where potential clients will find a content-rich site that presents [Company Name] as the trustworthy, high quality producer of organic foods that it is.

Pricing Strategy

[Company Name]’s pricing will be competitive compared with Nature’s Bounty Farm. Pricing will be about 50% lower than retail prices to allow for wholesalers and retailers to earn their margins.

VII. Operations

[Company Name] will carry out its sales operations through phone calls and visits to customer offices. The sales manager will increasingly direct sales activities, although [Founder’s Name] will be heavily involved at first.

The assistant manager will run the day-to-day operations of the farm, including scheduling and assigning the work of farm hands, sourcing and purchasing supplies and basic equipment, keeping the company’s books, maintaining legal licenses, handling insurance and insuring that the company meets government regulations. He will contact specialists for equipment repairs when needed and veterinarians to care for the cows when they require medical attention.

Field work by the farm hands will be from sunrise to sunset, with indoor work during the hottest parts of the day and after dark. Field work will include preparing fields for planting, the planting process, tending to planted fields, harvesting, and packaging grain into bushels. Work with the cows will include feeding, taking them in and out of the pasture, and running the milking equipment. It will also include slaughtering and dressing the cows for beef when directed.

[Company Name]’s long term goal is to become the highest quality farmer in the [city] area. We seek to do this by ensuring customer satisfaction and developing a loyal and successful clientele.

The following are a series of steps that will lead to this long-term success. [Company Name] expects to achieve the following milestones in the following [xyz] months:

DateMilestone
[Date 1]Close on purchase of land
[Date 2]Design and build out [Company Name] farm buildings
[Date 3]Hire and train initial staff
[Date 4]Kickoff of promotional campaign with targeted cold calls
[Date 5]Produce first harvest
[Date 6]Reach break-even

VIII. Management Team

[First name] is intimately familiar with the operations requirements for a farm producing the same products as [Company Name]. He has received organic training certification to become an organic food producer.

[Company name] will also employ an assistant manager to manage operations. This will be an experienced operations manager who will be trained in farm operations by [Founder’s Name]. Furthermore, a sales manager will be hired to focus on marketing, sales, and customer service to distributors as manufacturers for [Company Name] products. These two individualswill either have undergraduate business degrees or years of relevant operations or sales experience.

Hiring Plan

In order to launch the business we will also hire the following additional employee:

  • Farm Hand: (1 full-time to start) Additional farm hands will be hired if capacity increases or if another farm is started.

The hiring process will be managed by the assistant manager who will be directly responsible for the farm hand, with oversight and approval by [Founder’s Name]. This individual must be in top physical condition, have experience in physical labor, and have great mechanical facility and care for the quality of his work and products.

The assistant manager and [Founder’s Name] will provide back-up support for the farm hand in the busiest times and when he is out sick or on vacation.

IX. Financial Plan

Revenue & pricing.

[Company Name]’s revenues will come primarily fromsale in three product areas.

Revenue StreamCurrent Price% of Revenue
Milk$2 / gallon68%
Beef$1 / pound8%
Grain$6 / bushel24%

The price of beef is only an average per cow, and individual cuts are sold at market rates depending on the quality of the cut of meat.

Prices are expected to fluctuate with market volatility on the rise, although they are expected to rise consistently, on average.

Key Cost Drivers

As with most services, labor expenses are the key cost drivers. The staff of four will earn competitive salaries allowing [Company Name] to hireexperienced workers. Furthermore, the costs of the mortgage and its interest for the land will be significant.

The major cost drivers for the company’s operation will consist of:

  • Marketing expenses (associations, events, internet marketing).

Capital Requirements and Use of Funds

  • Build-out of farm and equipment purchases: $273,200
  • Initial marketing expenditure: $10,000
  • Property down payment: $100,000
  • Working capital: $300,000 to pay for marketing, salaries, and lease costs until [Company Name] reaches break-even

Key Assumptions & Forecasts

The following table reflects the key revenue and cost assumptions made in the financial model.

Acreage for Crops300
Number of customers per month
FY150
FY275
FY3100
FY4125
FY5150
Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5
Revenues
Product/Service A$151,200 $333,396 $367,569 $405,245 $446,783
Product/Service B$100,800 $222,264 $245,046 $270,163 $297,855
Total Revenues$252,000 $555,660 $612,615 $675,408 $744,638
Expenses & Costs
Cost of goods sold$57,960 $122,245 $122,523 $128,328 $134,035
Lease$60,000 $61,500 $63,038 $64,613 $66,229
Marketing$20,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000
Salaries$133,890 $204,030 $224,943 $236,190 $248,000
Other Expenses$3,500 $4,000 $4,500 $5,000 $5,500
Total Expenses & Costs$271,850 $412,775 $435,504 $454,131 $473,263
EBITDA($19,850)$142,885 $177,112 $221,277 $271,374
Depreciation$36,960 $36,960 $36,960 $36,960 $36,960
EBIT($56,810)$105,925 $140,152 $184,317 $234,414
Interest$23,621 $20,668 $17,716 $14,763 $11,810
PRETAX INCOME($80,431)$85,257 $122,436 $169,554 $222,604
Net Operating Loss($80,431)($80,431)$0$0$0
Income Tax Expense$0$1,689 $42,853 $59,344 $77,911
NET INCOME($80,431)$83,568 $79,583 $110,210 $144,693
Net Profit Margin (%)-15.00%13.00%16.30%19.40%

5 Year Annual Balance Sheet

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5
ASSETS
Cash$16,710 $90,188 $158,957 $258,570 $392,389
Accounts receivable$0$0$0$0$0
Inventory$21,000 $23,153 $25,526 $28,142 $31,027
Total Current Assets$37,710 $113,340 $184,482 $286,712 $423,416
Fixed assets$246,450 $246,450 $246,450 $246,450 $246,450
Depreciation$36,960 $73,920 $110,880 $147,840 $184,800
Net fixed assets$209,490 $172,530 $135,570 $98,610 $61,650
TOTAL ASSETS$247,200 $285,870 $320,052 $385,322 $485,066
LIABILITIES & EQUITY
Debt$317,971 $272,546 $227,122 $181,698 $136,273
Accounts payable$9,660 $10,187 $10,210 $10,694 $11,170
Total Liabilities$327,631 $282,733 $237,332 $192,391 $147,443
Share Capital$0$0$0$0$0
Retained earnings($80,431)$3,137 $82,720 $192,930 $337,623
Total Equity($80,431)$3,137 $82,720 $192,930 $337,623
TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY$247,200 $285,870 $320,052 $385,322 $485,066

5 Year Annual Cash Flow Statement

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5
CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS
Net Income (Loss)($80,431)$83,568 $79,583 $110,210 $144,693
Change in working capital($11,340)($1,625)($2,350)($2,133)($2,409)
Depreciation$36,960 $36,960 $36,960 $36,960 $36,960
Net Cash Flow from Operations($54,811)$118,902 $114,193 $145,037 $179,244
CASH FLOW FROM INVESTMENTS
Investment($246,450)$0$0$0$0
Net Cash Flow from Investments($246,450)$0$0$0$0
CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING
Cash from equity$0$0$0$0$0
Cash from debt$317,971 ($45,424)($45,424)($45,424)($45,424)
Net Cash Flow from Financing$317,971 ($45,424)($45,424)($45,424)($45,424)
SUMMARY
Net Cash Flow$16,710 $73,478 $68,769 $99,613 $133,819
Cash at Beginning of Period$0$16,710 $90,188 $158,957 $258,570
Cash at End of Period$16,710 $90,188 $158,957 $258,570 $392,389

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Farm Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Growthink.com Farm Business Plan Template

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.

Finish Your Farm Business Plan in 1 Day!

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

With Growthink’s Ultimate Farm Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

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 pdf you can use in PDF format.  

Farm Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my farm business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Farm Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Farm Business Plan.

Where Can I Download a Free Farm Business Plan Example PDF?

You can download our farm business plan PDF template here . This is an example business plan template 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

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Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

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Details of a Small Farm Business Plan

  • Swarthmore College

free farming business plan sample

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  • Urban Farms
  • Planting Guides
  • Indoor Gardening

Writing a farm business plan can be a tool for you to plan your farming business. It can also be a requirement of securing grants and loans for your farm business. The process of writing a farm business plan may seem overwhelming and intimidating at first, but if you break it down into its component steps, it becomes much more manageable.

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a roadmap for your small farm . It is both process and product. During the writing of a farm business plan, you'll develop an overall vision and mission for your business. You will think about your short- and long-term goals. You'll define the steps needed to achieve those goals. You'll set the direction for your business to develop over the next five years.

If you're already an established business, your new business plan will show where you're going next. A good business plan should be:

Mission Statement

Your farm’s mission statement is your overarching purpose for your business:

  • Why does your farm exist?
  • What purpose does your farm serve?
  • Where is your farm headed?

This is beyond “make money.” This mission statement is based on your values and your core identity as a small farm.

The goals in your business plan are the specific, measurable “things” you will achieve with your small farm. Short-term goals are defined as those that you will complete within one year. Long-term goals are those that take longer than one year to complete.

SMART Goals are:

  • Rewarding, and have a

Background Information

In this section of your business plan, take inventory of what you have right now:

  • Where are you located?
  • How many acres of land are you farming?
  • When did you begin farming?
  • How are you currently operating?
  • What general practices do you use for such things as conservation, tillage, environmental impact, and marketing?

Farm Strategy

This is where your business plan gets to looking forward. You are going to formulate your farm strategy from now into the next five years or so.

  • Gather information and research markets. Make sure that your farm plan fits into the general market in terms of supply and demand. Investigate and analyze industry trends, identify competitors, and define buyers.
  • SWOT Analysis. This is an analytical tool that can be used in making decisions. SWOT stands for: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. As a business, analyze your internal strengths and weaknesses. Then look externally at what opportunities and threats exist - competitors, new markets, government regulations, economic conditions, and so forth.
  • Create alternative strategies. Looking at the information you've gleaned and the analysis you just did, think through options for your farm strategy. Don't rely on price alone; economies of scale are challenging on the small farm level.
  • Don't jump to one conclusion immediately. Really spend some time fleshing out the specifics of some of the strategies and looking at their advantages and disadvantages. Try to find options that combine your internal strengths with opportunities in the external environment.
  • Look at all your strategies, then reread your mission statement. The ideal farm plan will fit your mission best.
  • Write an implementation plan. This is where you write a plan that will make your new strategy happen.

Marketing Strategy and Plan

In the next part of your farm business plan, you develop and outline a marketing strategy for your products and services. This can build on the research you did in the previous step. For each product, include ​the price, placement, and promotion ideas. Consider how you will convey real and perceived value to your customers.

Management Summary

This part of your business plan details your farm business’ structure. Everyone who is involved in the management of the business should be listed here. External resources are listed here as well.

Financial Analysis

In this section, you will need to detail the financial aspect of your farming operation. List your current finances in detail, including all income and operating expenses. Referring to your new strategy, you will forecast what is needed for future growth and to meet the goals you have outlined in terms of capital. Include what your future operating expenses will be.

Pulling It All Together

Writing a farm business plan is a big project. Don’t let that put you off. Your plan can be as simple as it needs to be for right now. Begin with your mission statement and goals. Do your homework by analyzing markets and researching competitors and trends. Have fun brainstorming alternative strategies and let them marinate a while. Take it one step at a time.

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Cornell CALS - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

12: Business Plans

What is a business plan.

A business plan is a document that helps you to organize and succinctly summarize the vision you have for your business. The plan contains the operational and financial objectives of a business, the detailed plans and budgets showing how the objectives are to be realized.

A good business plan will contain the following:

  • Your business vision, mission statement, key values, and goals
  • Description of the product(s) you intend to produce
  • Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats the business may experience are described
  • Production plans
  • Marketing plans
  • Estimated start-up costs
  • Information on your legal structure and management team
  • Current financial statements or projected financial statements.
  • Resume or brief explanation of your background and relevant experience
  • Less than 10 total pages so that people actually read it

Helpful Publications for Writing a Business Plan

General Business Resource Publications:

  • Starting an Ag-Business? A Pre-Planning Guide http://publications.dyson.cornell.edu/outreach/extensionpdf/2004/Cornell_AEM_eb0408.pdf
  • Business Transfer Guide: Junior Generation http://publications.dyson.cornell.edu/outreach/extensionpdf/2016/Cornell-Dyson-eb1605.pdf
  • Producing a Business Plan for Value-Added Agriculture http://publications.dyson.cornell.edu/outreach/extensionpdf/2007/Cornell_AEM_eb0708.pdf
  • Business Planning for the Agriculture Sector: A Guide to Business Plan Development for Start-up to Mid-size Operations http://publications.dyson.cornell.edu/outreach/extensionpdf/2010/Cornell_ pdf
  • Building a Sustainable Business (Sustainable Agricultural Research Education (SARE)Publications) sare.org/publications/business.htm 280 pages of education and practical exercises to guide you through the financial, management, and interpersonal skills needed to start a successful farm business. Order hard copy for $17 or download PDF online for free.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Publications for Specific Commodities:

  • Landscape Business Planning Guide http://publications.dyson.cornell.edu/outreach/extensionpdf/2003/Cornell_AEM_eb0313.pdf
  • Writing a Business Plan: A Guide for Small Premium Wineries http://publications.dyson.cornell.edu/outreach/extensionpdf/2002/Cornell_AEM_eb0206.pdf
  • Writing a Business Plan: An Example for a Small Premium Winery https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/122203/2/Cornell_AEM_eb0207.pdf

Getting Help Writing a Business Plan

Cornell Cooperative ExtensionThe type of programming offered in each county is unique so contact your county extension office to see if they have a farm management or small business development educator. Often these educators offer business plan workshops and are willing to advise, review, or assist in writing your plan. Additional economic data and marketing tools can be found at the following website:
Cornell Small Farms Program Online Course BF 202: Business Planning The Cornell Small Farms Program offers 20+ online courses every year on many topics related to the production and business sides of farming. Most are taught by Cornell Cooperative Extension educators. BF 202 is a 6-week course that will guide you through the process of writing your business plan, with weekly live webinars and feedback on your plan from an experienced farmer.
New York State Small Business Development CenterA network of 23 regional centers delivering business counseling and training free of charge to New Yorkers who want to start a business or improve the performance of an existing business.
NY FarmNetNew York FarmNet has business plan writing publications (listed earlier in this fact sheet) in addition to farm counselors throughout the state who offer free and confidential help on any topic of concern, including: finances, farm changes, farm transfer, natural disaster, personal stress, family communication, and marital conflict.
Empire State Development’s Entrepreneurial Assistance ProgramProgramPart of New York State’s economic development agency, they have 9 centers across the state to provide specialized help to women, minority group members and persons with disabilities who are starting or operating an early stage business.1-800-STATE NY
SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business”SCORE is a nonprofit organization offering free business advice and training by experienced volunteers. Check the website for chapters in your area.
Federal Small Business AdministrationFederal agency with offices throughout the state providing counseling services and loan guarantees. They have a special emphasis area to work with women, minorities, veterans, and businesses involved in international trade.
AgPlanAgPlan is powerful website developed by the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota to help rural businesses develop a business plan.
USDA New Farmers WebsiteUSDA’s New Farmers Website provides a portal to various sites providing technical assistance for planning a business.

free farming business plan sample

free farming business plan sample

Business plan tools

A business plan is like a road map. It helps you define your ag operation’s core objectives and build a detailed plan for how to achieve them.

Free business plan bundles

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Examples

Farm Business Plan

free farming business plan sample

Most entrepreneurs are terrified of planning. But this can be a different scenario for you.  A farming business can be more successful if you will develop a farm  business plan . Not only will you set the steps that you need to follow to achieve your goals, but you can also become more prepared with the risks. More so, your  strategic plans  will help you develop a mission statement that will guide you through. So, are you ready for this? Below,we provide you a farm business plan examples that you can look into as a guide.

20+ Farm Business Plan Examples

1. farm business plan template.

Farm Business Plan Template

  • Google Docs

Size: A4 & US

2. Animal Farm Business Plan Template

Animal Farm Business Plan Template

3. Agriculture Business Plan Template

Agriculture Business Plan Template

4. Dairy Farm Business Plan Template

Dairy Farm Business Plan Template

Size: A4, US

5. Vegetable Farming Business Plan Example

vegetable farming business

6. Farm Business Plan Template Example

Farm Business Plan Template

  • Apple Pages

Size: 21 KB

7. Farm Business Plan Template

Farm Business Plan Template 1

Size: US, A4

8. Partnership Business Plan for Farm Management Example

Partnership Business Plan For Farm Management Example 01

Size: 619 KB

9. Farm Business Planning Model Example

Farm Business Planning Model Example 01

10. Community Farm Business Plan Example

Community Farm Business Plan Example 01

11. Small Farm Business Planning Example

Small Farm Business Planning Example 01

Size: 782 KB

12. Agricultural Business Plan Guidelines Example

Agricultural Business Plan Guidelines Example 01

13. Organic Farm Business Plan Example

Organic Farm Business Plan Example 01

Size: 369 KB

14. Farm business Succession Plan Example

Farm business Succession Plan Example 011

Size: 3007 KB

15. Dairy Farm Business Plan Example

Dairy Farm Business Plan Example 011

16. Farm Partnership Business Plan Example

Farm Partnership Business Plan Example 012

17. Farm Business Planning Example

Farm Business Planning Example 011

Size: 736 KB

18. Simple Farm Business Plan Example

Simple Farm Business Plan Example 01

19. Agri-Business Plan for a Farm Example

Agri Business Plan For a Farm Example 01

Size: 270 KB

20. Agricultural Farm Business Plan Example

Agricultural Farm Business Plan Example 01

Size: 515 KB

21. Farm Business Plan Example

Farm Business Plan Example 01

Size: 153 KB

What Is a Farm Business Plan?

A farm business plan is an excellent organizational and business material that you can use for a variety of purposes. All you must do is to be familiar with  business plan guidelines  and the basics of farm business management so you can already identify the specific business plan document that you need.

Importance of a Farm Business Plan

Have you ever been to a hotel where you can see each process’s organization from the welcoming of guests up to their check-out procedures? One of the planning documents that provide a contribution to that organization is a  hotel operational business plan . This can be compared to the usage of a farm business plan if you want to ensure that the operations of your farm business are laid out properly. According to a gathered  analysis  published by Noble Research Institute,  the advantages of a farm business plan  includes an easy application to loans. It can also promote solidarity within the farm business’s stakeholders. This is relatively substantial, especially for every small business in the agricultural industry.

How To Create a Farm Business Plan

Creating your farm business plan can be easier if you will refer to helpful agriculture business plan examples. But aside from the items mentioned above, there are still some items that can make it more efficient for you to develop an outstanding, complete, and organized farm business  plan . Some of these tips and guidelines are all listed below.

1. Begin with a Realistic Plan

To begin with, always start by visualizing your ideas. After that, you can now proceed with outlining your goals and objectives. Remember to make it as realistic as possible. Come up with measurable and obtainable plans. This should include  proposals ,  marketing , and budget . Truly, there is no easy business. So, plan long-term, and everything else will follow.

2. Provide an Executive Summary

Next, you have to learn how to write an  executive summary  for your business plan. Especially for farm business startups, an executive summary is one of the parts of the farm business plan that will be first seen by your target audience. Make it as appealing and as presentable as possible so you can already get positive responses and impressions. But remember, don’t make it too long and invite confusion from readers. Make it precise as much as possible.

3. Set an Action Plan

What could be the necessary steps to do in achieving your goals? Here, you have to outline your  action plans . It should be relevant to your objectives. Therefore, they must align. You can also set a  schedule  to follow. This helps you cope with your daily tasks while keeping it on time. Another thing to remember is to make it attainable for everyone in the organization.

4. Present the Values and Benefits

make sure that your farm business plan can present your business values. It should be a reflection of your identity, brand,  mission statement , and image as a business. These characteristics can set you apart from your competition. It can promote memory retention, which is an excellent way for you to remain relevant and memorable in the marketplace where the farm business belongs.

5. Proofread the Plan

Don’t propose it right away. But make sure that you check your content from the cover page down to the last pages. Is your budget for the business plan considerable? Can your members achieve success in no time? It is essential to check it first before using it for actual scenarios. This helps you come up with an excellent  report  later on.

FAQ’s

How much is a typical business plan.

The price of a business plan depends on the agency that creates it. But in most cases, it reaches up to $15,000 for a complete plan.

Is a business plan necessary?

A business plan is a necessity if you take a look at the bigger picture when it comes to finances and projects. This helps you accomplish more than what you imagine for your business.

What are the two primary elements of a business plan?

Among the various elements of a business plan, the executive summary and market analysis are standard.

Again, feeling overwhelmed with everything that you need to consider when developing a farm business plan is normal. However, you should make sure that you will not be carried away so you can focus on the items that can help you give the farm business a boost in productivity, efficiency, sales, visibility, and leads. Be mindful of how you will develop farm planning strategies. Also, see how an effective one can improve your farm business’s overall operations . So, get ready with your  document  and follow the list of steps above.

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ProfitableVenture

Sheep Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Agriculture Sector » Livestock Farming

Do you want to start a sheep farm and need to write a business plan ? If YES, here is a sample sheep farming business plan template & FREE feasibility report.

Sheep farming is a business that is becoming attractive and interested investors are channeling their monies in this industry. This is so because aside from the meat (mutton or lamb), products such as milk and wool and even the horns and hoofs are in high demand from related industries.

Another good news is that you can’t get it wrong because sheep meat (mutton or lamb) finds general acceptance in the world, especially among tribes that would rather not eat beef.

It is important to state that starting a sheep farming business comes with its own fair share of challenges, but that does not rule out the fact that it is indeed a profitable business venture. An aspiring entrepreneur can either choose to start it on a small or large scale depending on their financial status.

A Sample Sheep Farming Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Sheep farmers primarily raise or fatten sheep and lambs for their wool, meat, milk or sale to other farmers. Meat derived from these animals is separated into two categories, which include lamb and mutton. Lamb is meat from sheep less than one year old, while mutton refers to meat from sheep more than one year old.

There is no single sheep farming company that has dominate market share in the industry hence smaller sheep farming business can successfully make profits.

Statistics has it that in the united states of America alone, there are about 50,144 registered and licensed sheep farming business responsible for employing about 48,966 people and the industry rakes in a whopping sum of $621 million annually.

The industry was projected to enjoy 2.5 percent annual growth between 2014 and 2019. It is important to state that the sheep farming in the US industry has no companies with major market shares.

A recent report published by IBISWorld shows that that industry revenue will decline at an average annualized rate of 6.5 percent to $385.6 million over the five years to 2010. Sheep farming operations are shrinking, as the result of low demand and diminished production levels.

Meat production has particularly been hurt by the high level of imports, with lamb imports being significantly affected. Since lamb is considered a high-end meat, the economic downturn has caused disposable income levels to drop, consequently hurting consumer demand. With demand remaining low, prices have been negatively affected.

Wool production, another aspect of sheep farming, is continuing to decline as well. Wool yields per animal have decreased marginally, though prices are expected to remain high because of concerns about the Australian wool supply and strong global demand.

Still, profits are expected to fall at a relatively strong rate over the last five years, with the cost of feed rising and drought conditions threatening production. In light of these negative trends, farm numbers are expected to fall, with enterprise, establishment and employment numbers all declining.

One thing is certain about sheep farming business, if you are able to conduct your market research and feasibility studies, you are more likely not going to struggle to sell your sheep and its by products because loads of people out there eat mutton, drink milk and industries make use of byproducts from sheep in manufacturing their products.

Over and above there are few barriers to entry into the sheep farming industry. Usually, all inputs are readily available. In the nearest future, players in this industry may face the highest costs associated with accessing technology, especially in relation to genetic modification engineering in livestock breeding.

So also, intellectual property rights protecting new inventions and technology may mean that new entrepreneurs coming into the industry will need to pay license fees and this of course will cause increase in the startup fee for a sheep farming business.

2. Executive Summary

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC is a registered and licensed sheep farming company that will be based in the outskirt of Des Moines, Iowa – United States of America. We have done our detailed market research and feasibility studies and we were able to secure twenty acres of land to build our cattle ranch and start our sheep farming business.

Our sheep farming business is a going to be standard one hence will be involved in commercial breeding of sheep. In the nearest future, hopefully within the first five years of officially running AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC, we will start our milk and wool processing plant and also start exporting our mutton and other by products to other parts of the world.

We are in the sheep farming 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 (meat and milk) production, raw material production for industries, to export agriculture produce from the United States to other countries and over and above to make profit.

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC is well positioned to become one of the leading sheep farming businesses in the United States of America, which is why we have been able to source for the best hands and equipment to run the business. We have put process and strategies in place that will help us employ best practices when it comes to sheep farming.

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC is a private registered sheep farming company that is owned by Andy Bryan Pedro and his immediate family members.

Before starting AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC, Andy Bryan Pedro has worked with some of the leading livestock farms in the United States of America. He has worked in the industry for over 20 years before resigning to start his own sheep farming business.

3. Our Products and Services

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC is a licensed sheep farming business that is committed to producing meat and products such as milk and wool and even the horns and hoofs of sheep. We are in this line of business to make profits and we will ensure that we do all that is permitted by the law to achieve our business aim and objectives.

These are the areas we will concentrate on in our sheep farming business. If need arises, we will definitely add more related services to our list;

  • Sheep farming (e.g. for meat, milk and wool production or herd replacements)
  • Lamb feedlots (except stockyards for transportation)
  • Sale of processed sheep meat and products such as milk and wool and even the horns and hoofs

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

  • Our Vision is to be listed among the top 5 sheep farming business not just in Des Moines –  Iowa, but also in the United States of America.
  • Our mission is to sell our sheep meat and products such as milk and wool in commercial quantities both locally, nationally and internationally.
  • We want to build a sheep farming business that can favorably compete with other leading brands in the United States of America.

Our Business Structure

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, intends starting small in Des Moines – Iowa, but hopes to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading sheep farms in the industry. We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the kind of world class business we want to own.

At AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, dedicated, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stakeholders.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the management of the farm. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions; Below is the business structure of AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC;

  • Chief Operating Officer

General Farm Manager

  • Administrator / Accountant
  • Sheep Ranch Manager / Supervisor
  • Sales and Marketing Executive
  • Field Employees
  • Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Operating Officer:

  • Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results
  • Responsible for providing direction for the business
  • Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
  • Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
  • Evaluates the success of the organization
  • Responsible for the planning, management and coordinating all farm activities
  • Supervise other section manager
  • Ensure compliance during project executions
  • Providing advice on the management of farming activities across all section
  • Responsible for carrying out risk assessment
  • Using IT systems and software to keep track of people and progress of the growth of sheep
  • Represent the organization’s interest at various stakeholders’ meetings
  • Ensures that farming goals desired result are achieved, the most efficient resources are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied.
  • Oversee the smooth running of the sheep farming activities across the various farming sections.

Administrator/Accountant

  • Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
  • Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
  • Carrying out induction for new team members
  • Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
  • 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
  • Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
  • Handles all financial transactions for the company
  • Serves as internal auditor for the company

Sheep Farming Manager/Supervisor

  • Responsible for managing the breeding of sheep
  • Responsible for managing boarding services, breeding services, dairy support services, livestock health services, farrier services, and shearing services et al.
  • Work closely with the General Manager to achieve the organizations’ goals and objectives

Sales and Marketing Officer

  • Identify, prioritize, and reach out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
  • Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts
  • Writing winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with company policy
  • Responsible for handling business research, marker surveys and feasibility studies for clients
  • Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
  • Document all customer contact and information
  • Represent the company in strategic meetings
  • Help increase sales and growth for the company

Field Workers/Contract Staff

  • Responsible for feeding sheep as instructed by the supervisor
  • Responsible for cleaning the sheep ranch
  • Change the water in the water trough / trench as instructed by the supervisor on a regular basis
  • Assist in handling the breeding of sheep
  • Carries out task in line with the stated job description
  • Assist in transport working tools and equipment from the farm and back to the designated store room
  • Handles any other duties as assigned by the farm manager

Client Service Executive/Front Desk Officer

  • Welcomes guests and clients by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
  • Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
  • Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
  • Manages administrative duties assigned by the cattle ranch manager in an effective and timely manner
  • Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients
  • Receives parcels / documents for the company
  • Distribute mails in the organization
  • Handles any other duties as assigned by the line manager

6. SWOT Analysis

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC 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 sheep farming business that will favorably compete with leading sheep farming businesses in the United States of America.

Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC;

Our strength as a sheep farming business is the fact that we have healthy relationships with loads of major players in the industry within and outside of the United States. We have some of the latest tools and equipment that will help us breed our sheep and generate milk and wool 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 Sheep Farming industry in our payroll.

Our weakness could be that we are a new sheep farming business in the United States and we may not have the required cash to pump into the publicity of our business. 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:

Red meat prices dictate the returns for American cattle ranches and feedlots. Increased prices generate an increase in returns per head for farmers.

Sheep and lamb yield red meat, and red meat prices dictate returns to sheep producers. As the price of red meat increases, so too does industry revenue. The price of red meat is expected to rise in the coming year, representing a huge potential opportunity for the industry.

Disease can reduce the national sheep flock and negatively affect industry operators. Additionally, consumer concerns about food safety following disease outbreaks can adversely affect downstream demand for lamb and mutton. While there is no way to anticipate an outbreak, the threat of disease in US livestock negatively affects the industry.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

  • Market Trends

Despite the fact that commercial cattle rearing or better still sheep farming has been in existence since time immemorial, that does not in any way make the industry to be over saturated; commercial sheep farmers are exploring new technology to continue to improve cattle rearing processes and also meat and milk preservation and packaging process.

The fact that there is always a ready market for mutton and its by products makes the business ever green. With the recent advancement in technology, livestock farmers can now improve the various breeds of the animals they are breeding.

As a matter of fact, it is now easier for sheep farming businesses to comfortably import the kind of breed they want from any country of their choice.

8. Our Target Market

The end consumers of mutton and its products and also those who benefit from the business value chain are all encompassing; it is far – reaching. Almost every household consumes produce from sheep farms be it meat, milk, wool, hoof, horns and the skin (leather) used for bags, belts and shoe production et al.

So also, a large chunk of manufacturing companies depends on sheep farming businesses for some of their raw materials.

In essence a sheep 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 not just in the United States of America alone but also other parts of the world which is why we will be exporting some of our products to other countries of the world.

Our Competitive Advantage

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC is fully aware that there are competitions when it comes to selling mutton or lamb and its by products, 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 sheep farming processes that can help us sell our products at competitive prices, good network and excellent relationship management.

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 objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

  • Sources of Income

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC is in the Sheep Farming industry 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. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC;

  • Sale of processed sheep meat (mutton or lamb), and products such as milk and wool and even the horns and hoofs

10. Sales Forecast

From the survey conducted, we were are able to discover that the sales generated by a commercial sheep farming businesses depend on the size of the ranch, the network of the business and of course the quantity of meat they can produce per time.

We have perfected or sales and marketing strategies 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 operation and build the business from survival to sustainability.

We have been able to examine the Sheep Farming industry, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. Below are the projections that we were able to come up with for the first three years of running AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC;

  • First Fiscal Year (FY1): $280,000
  • Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $450,000
  • Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $700,000

N.B : This projection was 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, and unfavorable government policies .

  • Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are quite aware that the reason why some sheep farming businesses hardly make good profits is their inability to sell off their produce to a larger market. In view of that, we decided to partner with some of the leading sheep merchants to help us maximize profits.

In summary, AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC will adopt the following strategies in marketing our mutton and other products;

  • Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to hotels, restaurants, caterers, merchants that deal in sheep meat (mutton or lamb), and products such as milk and wool and even the horns and hoofs sheep and key stake holders in and around Des Moines – Iowa.
  • Advertise our business and livestock farms in agro – allied and food related magazines and websites
  • List our sheep farming business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
  • 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 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.

Below are the platforms we want to leverage on to boost our sheep farming brand and to promote and advertise our business;

  • Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
  • Sponsor relevant community – based events / programs
  • Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our business
  • Install our Billboards on strategic locations all around Des Moines – Iowa
  • Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
  • List our commercial sheep farms in local directories / yellow pages
  • Advertise our commercial sheep farm in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
  • Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles and trucks are well branded with our company logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Sale prices for sheep meat and products such as milk and wool and even the horns and hoofs of sheep are subject to fluctuation as part of the sheep cycle of financial markets. The relatively long period it takes sheep farmers to build up a sheep herd and raise new sheep and lamb to the desired weight tends to extend the length of such a cycle.

Generally speaking, a sheep will cost between $2,000 and $3,000. The actual cost depends on the weight of the sheep, the gender, and the breed. Yearlings usually sell for between $800 and $1,500. Sheep will also differ in price based on whether or not they are dairy sheep or wool sheep or meat sheep.

We are quite aware that one of the easiest means of penetrating the market and acquiring loads of customers is to sell our products at competitive prices.

One thing is certain, the nature of sheep farming business we are involved in makes it possible for farmers to place prices for their sheep 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 sheep when they are mature the better for your business.

  • Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC is all inclusive 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 AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC will make available to her clients;

  • Payment via bank transfer
  • Payment with cash
  • Payment via online bank transfer
  • Payment via check
  • Payment via Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
  • Payment via mobile money transfer
  • Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients make payment of sheep purchase without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

Below are some of the basic areas we will spend our startup capital in setting up our sheep farming business/cattle ranch;

  • The total fee for incorporating the business 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 – $150,000
  • The amount required for preparing the farm land (for construction of cattle ranch and cages / fencing et al et al) – $100,000
  • The cost for acquiring the required working tools and equipment / machines / fencing et al – $50,000
  • The amount required for purchase of the first set of sheep, feeds, medication and other supplies – $150,000
  • The cost of launching an official website – $600
  • The amount required for payment of workers for a period of 3 months – $100,000
  • 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 four hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($450,000) to start a standard sheep farming business in the United States of America.

Generating Funds/Startup Capital for AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC

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 sheep farming business.

No doubt raising startup capital for a business might not come cheap, but it is a task that an entrepreneur must go through.

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC is a family owned business and it will be financed by Andy Bryan Pedro and his immediate family members. These are the areas where we intend sourcing for fund for Jonah Livingston and Family Farms Ltd;

  • Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
  • Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
  • Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $200,000 (Personal savings $150,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $250,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

Part of the plans we have in place to sustain AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC is to ensure that we continue to make available in commercial quantities sheep meat (mutton or lamb), and products such as milk and wool and even the horns and hoofs of sheep, deliver quality services, improvise on how to do things faster and cheaper.

We are not going to relent in providing conducive environment for our workers and also the required trainings that will help them deliver excellent services at all times.

From our findings, another factor that kills new businesses is financial leakages. In order to plug financial leakages, the management of AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC adopted the use of payment machine and accounting software to run the business.

We are quite aware that our customers are key component to the growth and survival of our business hence we are going to continuously engage them to give us ideas on how to serve them better. We will not waste time in adopting new technology, and international best practices as it relates to the production of sheep meat and its by products such as milk and wool and even the horns and hoofs of sheep.

AB Pedro® Sheep Farms, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

  • Business Name Availability Check : Completed
  • Business Incorporation: Completed
  • Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts : Completed
  • Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
  • Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
  • Application for business license and permit: Completed
  • Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
  • Leasing of farm land in Des Moines – Iowa: Completed
  • Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
  • Startup Capital Generation: Completed
  • writing of business plan: Completed
  • Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
  • Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
  • Printing of Packaging and Promotional Materials: Completed
  • Recruitment of employees: In Progress
  • Building /construction of cages and fence et al: In Progress
  • Purchase of the first set of sheep, feeds and medications: Completed
  • 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, beef jerky businesses, abattoir operators and transporter / haulage): Completed

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Agriculture Farm Business Plan

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Botanical Bounty

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">, opportunity.

The health and vitamin industry is growing at a very quick pace. Customers want to have natural and plant alternatives to medication. They are starting to believe the body is a temple. They don’t want to pollute with chemicals. The industry needs botanical plants that are ready to process as well as give to nurseries for the “do it yourselfers”.

Botanical Bounty is working hard to become a leading producer of botanical plants for the natural supplement industry as well as plant nurseries.

Botanical Bounty has three distinct customers: supplement companies, processors of botanicals for supplement companies, and nurseries that resell the plants.

The first two customers purchase the plants for use in their products which they ultimately sell to the end consumer.

The market for natural supplements is quite exciting. Surveys show that over 158 million consumers (over 55% of U.S. population) use dietary supplements. An estimated 115.3 million consumers buy vitamins and minerals for themselves, and 55.8 million purchase them for other members of their family, including children. Consumer surveys consistently find that nearly half of all Americans now use herbs – a statistic that is particularly remarkable when we realize that today’s herbal products industry is just over a quarter century old.`

Competition

Competition takes two forms, farms similar in size and production capacity to Botanical Bounty and megafarms. The similarly sized farms range in size from 5-30 acres. The number of different herbs grown varies from a handful to upwards of 50. The choice of plants grown is based on owner preference as well as location and the ability of the local growing conditions to support the different plants.

It is Botanical Bounty’s mission to become the leading provider of botanical perennials to the health/vitamin industry. This will be accomplished by providing quality plants at fair prices while exceeding customer’s expectations.

Expectations

To finance our growth and full-time production, we need to purchase $35,000 worth of new equipment as long-term assets taking that total up to $53,800. To that end, we are seeking a $100,000 10-year loan. Sales forecasts conservatively indicate that $190,000 revenue will be generated in year two, rising to over 400,000 by year 4.

Financial Highlights by Year

Financing needed.

We need to have a $100,000 10 year loan. We will use our $35,000 of cash from our current operations.

Problem & Solution

Problem worth solving.

There is a growing trend towards plant cures to common diseases or health issues.Consumers care about getting a natural supplement to make them feel better and take care of their body. Because of this the natural market has grown exponentially in the last few years. The market needs high quality botanicals to keep up  with demand. 

Our Solution

Botanical Bounty has identified three keys that will be instrumental in their success. The first is the implementation of strict financial controls. By having the proper controls, production efficiency will be maximized. The second key will be the never ending pursuit for the industry’s highest concentration levels of botanical ingredients in each plant. The third key is the recognition and implementation of the philosophy that 100% customer satisfaction is required to ensure a profitable business. Profits are a by product of satisfying customers, not the other way around.

Target Market

Market size & segments.

Botanical Bounty has identified three different target market segments: 

Supplement Companies This customer group manufactures botanical supplements for their own label products. The companies purchase the plants and extract the active ingredients and transform them into sellable products for their own brand. There are a handful of large companies that operate in this market space. Ten years ago there were many different ones but through consolidation the industry has grown in size but decreased in the number of different players.

Processors These customers purchase the the plants, extract the botanicals and either sell the concentrated botanicals to the end producers or they themselves produce the supplement and sell the final product to other companies for their private label products. In essence they are the subcontractor for the supplement companies. These companies therefore are one layer within the manufacturing system and do not sell to the end consumer. They act as a supplier/processor for the retail brands.

Other Nurseries/Garden Centers This customer group purchases the plants which they in turn sell at retail to the individual end consumer. The typical consumer is a health conscious individual who is interested in either extracting the botanical from the plant immediately or growing the plant in their own garden for future use.

Current Alternatives

As mentioned previously, competition takes two forms, farms similar in size and production capacity to Botanical Bounty and megafarms. The similarly sized farms range in size from 5-30 acres. The number of different herbs grown varies from a handful to upwards of 50. The choice of plants grown is based on owner preference as well as location and the ability of the local growing conditions to support the different plants.

On the other end of spectrum is the megafarm. These farms have a similar range of species cultivated, however they differ greatly in production capacity. These farms are huge, typically not less than 100 acres, peaking at 300 acres. These growers however are few number.

The buying patterns of the different customers are typically based on these variables:

  • Availability
  • Ability to deliver consistently on long-term contracts
  • Significant % of active ingredients
  • Consistency

Our Advantages

Botanical Bounty has a dual competitive edge:

Healthy Plants The healthier the plant, the faster it will grow, the more botanicals that can be extracted from it. This means an increase in production efficiency due to a larger percentage of plants that are sellable. Other characteristics of healthy plants which are important on the production side is: lower pest counts, more established root structures, and high biomass.

High Concentration of Active Botanicals This is beneficial to the purchaser because they are buying the plants precisely for the active botanicals. High concentration levels are valuable to Botanical Bounty because they increase the amount of botanicals produced per plant or per acre, increasing the production capacity of a given amount of land, thereby increasing their return on investment and increasing the attractiveness of Botanical Bounty’s plants relative to the competition.

Keys to Success

Our keys to success are: 

  • Strict financial controls.
  • The never ending pursuit of the highest concentration of botanicals in every plant.
  • Ensuring that all customer’s needs are met and they are satisfied with the purchased products.

Marketing & Sales

Marketing plan.

Pro Tip:

Botanical Bounty’s sales strategy efforts will focus on identifying qualified leads and turning them into paying customers. The main sales effort that Botanical Bounty will undertake is the reinforcement of the fact that Botanical Bounty’s plants have the industry’s highest percentage of botanicals. This will be quite appealing to the buyers as this is exactly what they want, more botanicals per plant. In addition to selling the buyers on Botanical Bounty’s competitive edge of potent plants, there will be an emphasis on Botanical Bounty’s ability to perform on long-term contracts.

Botanical Bounty recognizes that the transactions should not be thought of as individual sales, but as long-term relationships. This is a reasonable assumption based on the fact that the customers are in the business of utilizing botanicals, that they will continually have the need for the botanicals, and that it is far less expensive to establish a relationship with one vendor than to continually have to find new vendors that can meet their needs.

Locations & Facilities

Botanical Bounty is a 10 acre farm that concentrates on the growing of botanical medicinals. Botanical Bounty has chosen five plant species that have significant market demand as well being well suited for growth in the Willamette River Valley. Botanical Bounty will feature: Echinacea – an immune system booster; Ginseng – a source of energy; St John’s Wort – for mild depression; Skullcap- for inflammation; and Ginger – a stomach soother.

Milestones & Metrics

Milestones table.

Milestone Due Date
Jan 09, 2020
Jan 15, 2020
July 23, 2020
Dec 05, 2020

Key Metrics

Our key metrics are: 

  • Sales, cost of sales, expenses, profits, and cash.
  • Production cost of goods. We need to keep them low.
  • Keep current on our competitors botanical concentration and prices.
  • Measure the number of emails and phone calls.
  • Measure the Facebook Page views and Twitter re-tweets. 
  • Measure website searches and inquiries. 

Ownership & Structure

Botanical Bounty is an Oregon L.L.C. owned by David and Susan Nealon. The L.L.C. business formation has been chosen as a strategic way to shield the Nealons from personal liability.

Company History

Botanical Bounty has been in operation for two years. Initially it was started as a hobby where Susan could use her plant biology skills while covering some of the costs. The Nealon’s were able to achieve this lifestyle due to a windfall that David received as a result of exercised stock options. After the second year, the Nealon’s decided that although they had the money to live on for many years, it would be irresponsible to needlessly spend it so they got serious about the business and made a concerted effort to become profitable.

Botanical Bounty has chosen the Willamette River Valley as an ideal place to grow perennials. Botanical Bounty has 10 acres of land which they use for production. During several of the winter months, production is moved into their green house for propagation. Botanical Bounty employs a drip irrigation system for all of the plants.

Management Team

Botanical Bounty will be lead by the husband and wife team of David and Sue Nealon. David brings a wealth of business and project management skills to the company. While working at Yahoo!, David was responsible for the successful launch and market lead capture of Yahoo!s driving directions section. Utilizing these skills, David will be responsible for the business operations of the farm. Sue, with a background of plant biology will be the driving force of the operation, growing the highest active ingredient content plants in the country. Additionally, because of her wealth of knowledge, she will be the leader of the sales department.

Personnel Table

2020 2021 2022
David $25,200 $25,704 $26,218
Sue $26,400 $26,928 $27,467
Grower $21,600 $22,032 $22,473
Laborers (3.08) $40,500 $55,080 $74,908
Totals $113,700 $129,744 $151,066

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

Key assumptions.

Our key assumptions 

  • Our market and customer base are growing and with them the opportunities for sales.   
  • The area has wealthy households that can afford to spend money on non essential vitamins.   
  • Our customers appreciate our dedication to high quality products and price controls.   
  • We will be able to get the 100,000 dollar loan at 8 percent based on our past success and being able to put our property up as collateral. We are a safe investment. If unplanned expenses pop up we have people interested in investing.

Revenue by Month

Expenses by month, net profit (or loss) by year, use of funds.

We will be using the loan to purchase machines and to expand our farm and our personnel to grow the highest quality botanicals and process them so they can be turned into vitamins or other products that give the  customer a natural cure. 

Sources of Funds

We are leveraging our business to get an $100,000 10-year loan. We will also be using the cash on hand from our current business. 

Projected Profit & Loss

2020 2021 2022
Revenue $208,590 $307,600 $419,600
Direct Costs $62,577 $92,280 $125,880
Gross Margin $146,013 $215,320 $293,720
Gross Margin % 70% 70% 70%
Operating Expenses
Salaries & Wages $113,700 $129,744 $151,066
Employee Related Expenses $22,740 $25,949 $30,213
Sales and Marketing $10,500 $5,400 $5,500
Rent $24,000 $24,000 $24,000
Utilities $6,000 $6,000 $6,000
Insurance $3,000 $3,000 $3,000
Total Operating Expenses $179,940 $194,093 $219,779
Operating Income ($33,927) $21,227 $73,941
Interest Incurred $7,129 $7,238 $6,631
Depreciation and Amortization $5,830 $5,830 $5,830
Gain or Loss from Sale of Assets
Income Taxes $0 $0 $2,730
Total Expenses $255,476 $299,441 $360,850
Net Profit ($46,886) $8,159 $58,750
Net Profit/Sales (22%) 3% 14%

Projected Balance Sheet

2020 2021 2022
Cash $24,463 $29,034 $87,541
Accounts Receivable $0 $0 $0
Inventory $7,690 $10,490 $10,490
Other Current Assets
Total Current Assets $32,152 $39,524 $98,030
Long-Term Assets $58,300 $58,300 $58,300
Accumulated Depreciation ($5,830) ($11,660) ($17,490)
Total Long-Term Assets $52,470 $46,640 $40,810
Total Assets $84,622 $86,164 $138,840
Accounts Payable $2,722 $3,422 $3,424
Income Taxes Payable $0 $0 $1,850
Sales Taxes Payable
Short-Term Debt $7,318 $7,925 $8,583
Prepaid Revenue
Total Current Liabilities $10,040 $11,347 $13,857
Long-Term Debt $86,468 $78,543 $69,961
Long-Term Liabilities $86,468 $78,543 $69,961
Total Liabilities $96,508 $89,891 $83,818
Paid-In Capital $35,000 $35,000 $35,000
Retained Earnings ($46,886) ($38,727)
Earnings ($46,886) $8,159 $58,750
Total Owner’s Equity ($11,886) ($3,727) $55,023
Total Liabilities & Equity $84,622 $86,164 $138,840

Projected Cash Flow Statement

2020 2021 2022
Net Cash Flow from Operations
Net Profit ($46,886) $8,159 $58,750
Depreciation & Amortization $5,830 $5,830 $5,830
Change in Accounts Receivable $0 $0 $0
Change in Inventory ($7,690) ($2,800) $0
Change in Accounts Payable $2,722 $700 $2
Change in Income Tax Payable $0 $0 $1,850
Change in Sales Tax Payable
Change in Prepaid Revenue
Net Cash Flow from Operations ($46,023) $11,889 $66,432
Investing & Financing
Assets Purchased or Sold ($58,300)
Net Cash from Investing ($58,300)
Investments Received $35,000
Dividends & Distributions
Change in Short-Term Debt $7,318 $607 $658
Change in Long-Term Debt $86,468 ($7,925) ($8,583)
Net Cash from Financing $128,786 ($7,318) ($7,925)
Cash at Beginning of Period $0 $24,463 $29,034
Net Change in Cash $24,463 $4,571 $58,507
Cash at End of Period $24,463 $29,034 $87,541

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LIVESTOCK FARMING – FREE BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE

  • Post author: Ane
  • Post published: March 11, 2017
  • Post category: BUSINESS-PLAN-AND-FEASIBILITY-STUDY / Business Tips / Update
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LIVESTOCK FARMING - FREE BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE

Animal Husbandry

Table of Contents

Factory Farming:

Veterinarians – You will need to have appointment with a veterinary Doctors near you for periodic check-up and vaccination.

FREE BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE

Other livestock farming.

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Deacon Anekperechi Nworgu, a seasoned economist who transitioned into a chartered accountant, auditor, tax practitioner, and business consultant, brings with him a wealth of industry expertise spanning over 37 years.

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    Here are a few tips for writing the market analysis section of your small farming business plan: Conduct market research, industry reports, and surveys to gather data. Provide specific and detailed information whenever possible. Illustrate your points with charts and graphs. Write your business plan keeping your target audience in mind. 4.

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    Sample from Growthink's Ultimate Farm Business Plan Template: The following industry statistics bode well for [Company Name]. According to the recent report entitled, "Vegetable Farming in the U.S." by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the industry's annual revenue is approximately $19.4 billion, with an estimated gross ...

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  20. Sheep Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]

    A Sample Sheep Farming Business Plan Template. 1. Industry Overview. Sheep farmers primarily raise or fatten sheep and lambs for their wool, meat, milk or sale to other farmers. Meat derived from these animals is separated into two categories, which include lamb and mutton. Lamb is meat from sheep less than one year old, while mutton refers to ...

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    Poultry Farming Business Plan Template - Free download as Word Doc (.doc / .docx), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. This document provides a sample business plan template for starting a poultry farm. It includes sections on the business overview, market analysis, competitive advantage, and sales/marketing strategy. The business overview describes the large market for ...

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  23. LIVESTOCK FARMING

    LIVESTOCK FARMING - FREE BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE. 2. Pig Farming in Nigeria: Pig farming has began to become popular among livestock farmers in Nigeria in the recent time. Pork, the by-product of the farm, is said to be fetching huge billions of Naira annual revenue in Nigeria.