As markets vary and farm land continues to be sold to development, the urgency to help farmers stay on the land increases. The USDA National Commission on Small Farms defines small farms as “farms with less than $250,000 gross receipts annually on which day-to-day labor and management are provided by the farmer and/or farm family that owns the production or owns, or leases, the productive assets [average] net cash income of only $23,159…over 80% of a farmers gross sales are absorbed by farming expenses.”
Subscribe to the Small Farms listserv at CSU
Go to the CSU listserv and select “Small_Farms” from the list and fill out the form
This listserv is intended to connect, support, and promote small farms in Colorado with news, educational outreach, and production and marketing related info. It also is not moderated, meaning that anyone subscribed to it can send emails to everyone on the list, providing a forum for discussion of small farms issues.
THIS IS A CSU LISTSERV, NO COMMERCIAL EMAILS PLEASE.
Boulder County Small Farm listserv
The Ag Agent is currently an open position. Please come back in May 2023 to request a subscription. boco_small_farms@lists.colostate.edu – similar to small_farms@lists.colostate.edu but specifically for Boulder County (some duplicate postings are possible on both).
Market Farm Business
Are you interested in starting a market farm Business? Check out this great fact sheet with resources and questions to ask yourself.
Business Planning Resources
- SARE – Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education offers many valuable business planning resource books
- “Building a Sustainable Business” entire publication: http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books;
- Ag Plan – online business plan tool – register for Ag Plan and select an “Ag -Value Added” template
Universities with Small Farm Support Programs
Leasing Boulder County Parks & Open Space Ag Land
- Growers Association – mechanism for several small farm operations to lease one parcel together
- Leasing Process Specifics
- Insurance Requirements
- Bid Submittal Form & Bid Evaluation Criteria
- Generic Lease document – NOTE – this is a very general lease and a specific lease will vary somewhat
Financing
- Colorado Agricultural Development Authority Beginning Farmer Program
- Mountain Plains Farm Credit Services – See AgVantage Program for Young, Beginning, and Small Producers
- The Farmers’ Guide to Agricultural Credit (4.5 MB and 45 pages)
- USDA Farm Service Agency Loan Programs
Grant Sources
Magazines/Newsletters
Farmer Advocacy/Farmland Conservation
- Rocky Mountain Farmers’ Union
- Colorado Farm Bureau
- Center for Rural Affairs
- American Farmland Trust
- Colorado Young Farmers Educational Association
Food Systems & Ag Policy
CSU Extension Food Systems & Ag Policy
