The Basics of Farm Business Planning

Man inside a cow pen with wooden fences — Your business plan is a roadmap to the success of your farm or ranch. *Photo by Preston Keres, USDA*

Sustainable farming and ranching means taking care of the land, the environment, people and the community, while the farm business makes a profit. Many farmers and ranchers choose sustainable farming and ranching as a lifestyle that reflects their values. Common goals include:

Having a good quality of life for themselves, their families and their employees
Producing fresh, healthy foods for their communities
Taking care of the land for the next generation
Helping their communities understand and accept their way of farming

Farm business planning is critical because it helps you to identify and achieve long-term goals for yourself, your family, your business and your land.

Creating a solid business plan for your operation can be an involved process. This publication will introduce you to its basics, including what a business plan is, why you need one, and what to expect from the planning process when you’re ready to get started.

This publication summarizes the five tasks (or steps) to help you create a written business plan. These tasks are based on SARE’s Building a Sustainable Business, an in-depth workbook that guides readers through the many details of the planning process.