“Profits Preserve Passion” – Economic sustainability is key to the longevity of any Ag enterprise. All aspects of business management are crucial to reaching your goals in commercial agriculture. It all starts with good planning and record keeping.
“Control the Controllable’s” – Risk management on a variety of small business issues is also critical to keeping a small farm profitable over the long term. You can’t control the weather, but you can control how you manage your Agriculture business.
CSU Extension Ag Business Management Resources
Business Planning
Boulder County Extension offers Small Farmers support, as well as Small Acreage Management for the many properties that are 1-100 acres.
Whether you are farming on small acreage, in urban spaces or are involved in large-scale production agriculture, Extension resources provide research-based information for producers located from the plains to the mountains. CSU Extension Agriculture
SARE’s Learning Center is a treasure trove of sustainable agriculture information. We recommend the book “Building a Sustainable Business” SARE or Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
Ag Plan – is an online business planning tool. On this website, you can develop your own business plan, learn what you need to include in your plan with tips & resources, view sample business plans for ideas, share your plan — print, download and work with your own reviewers.
ATTRA is a sustainable agriculture program developed and managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology. They are committed to providing high value information and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States.
The Colorado Business Resource Guide is made possible by a collaborative effort between federal and state business assistance agencies and the private sector. This is one of the most successful and comprehensive business start-up guides in the nation.
The Agricultural and Rural Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association concentrates on helping lawyers serve the agricultural interests and the legal needs of rural Colorado, including farmers and ranchers, their lenders, suppliers and service businesses that need legal assistance.
Estate Planning
- Transition & Changes helps farmers & ranchers develop a plan to transition their business to the next generation.
- Good Farm Policy: Avoid these top 10 estate planning mistakes from Iowa State University.
- The Family Farm & Estate Planning from Michigan Estate Plans.
Marketing
- Colorado Department of Ag – Markets Division
- Colorado Market Maker – list your Ag product in this online searchable database
- USDA Ag Marketing Service
Direct Marketing & Value Added
- 2010 Colorado Farmers Market Association survey
- Colorado Farmers’ Market Association
- Boulder County Farmers’ Markets
- ATTRA – marketing fact sheets
- Southwest Marketing Network
- North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association
- Ag Marketing Resource Center
Market Reports
Publications
- Bountiful Colorado – Flyer
- Direct Marketing Resource Guide
- Challenges & Opportunities For Marketing Fruit From The Western Slope of Colorado, 2001
Food Systems & Policy
- CSU Extension Ag Policy fact sheets
- Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council
- CSU Food Systems & Ag Policy
Insurance
Labor
- Ag Help Wanted– Guidelines for managing Ag labor
- Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management – NCAT pub
- Labor Management in Agriculture – UC Davis pub
Full doc - Colorado Department of Labor
Record keeping
- QuickBooks can be a great tool for tracking farm expenses and incomes as well as generating financial reports
Leasing
Financing
- CSU Extension Ag Production & Tax Classification
- CSU Extension Ag & Resource Economics
- USDA Farm Service Agency – Loan Programs
- Colorado Agricultural Development Authority – Beginning Farmer Program
- The Farmers’ Guide to Agricultural Credit
Taxes
- IRS Schedule F (Form 1040)
- Farmer’s Tax Guide
- Agricultural Employer’s Tax Guide
- Maintaining Ag Status for Colorado Ranches for Sale
- Smartasset (not an endorsement)
Regulatory
- Colorado Farm to Market
- Boulder County Public Health Department
- Colorado Department of Health and the Environment
