researching a potential small acreage enterprise

Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching

Researching a Potential Small Acreage Enterprise

What type of information do you need?

Production information about your crop or livestock enterprise

Marketing information about your product

Income and expenses projections

Passive vs ActiveInformation Gathering

Not all of the information you need will be available without asking, phoning, visiting

Secondary information

Primary is developed by your experience

Information Gathering & staying ahead of the market

Click on image to start video

Sources of Information

Books, publications (library, bookstore) Journal articles (library, bookstore,

subscribe) Other farmers Universities (Extension) Agencies (NRCS, SBDC, FSA) Non-profit organizations, farmer

networks Internet

Universities/Extension Service

Idaho Small Farms http://www.SmallFarms.ag.uidaho.edu

WSU Small Farms http://smallfarms.wsu.edu/

Missouri http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/

Penn State http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/

UC Davis http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/

Texas A&M http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/alternatives/alternativelinks.html

Federal (USDA) sites - general

● CSREES http://www.reeusda.gov/● SARE http://www.sare.org/● Small Farm

http://www.reeusda.gov/smallfarm/● Natural Resources Conservation Service

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/● National Ag Library

http://www.nal.usda.gov

State Agency sites

Idaho Department of Ag http://www.agri.state.id.us/ Marketing http://www.agri.idaho.gov/marketing/ Organic http://www.agri.idaho.gov/plants/organic/gen_info.htm

Idaho Small Business Development Center http://www.idahosbdc.org/

Idaho Natural Resources Conservation Service http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/

Agencies - Prices and statistical data

Economic Research Service http://www.ers.usda.gov/

National Ag Statistical Service http://www.usda.gov/nass/

Ag Marketing Service (AMS) http://www.ams.usda.gov/

Farmer sites The New Farm

http://www.newfarm.org/

Cedar Meadow Farm http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/

Greentree Naturals http://www.greentreenaturals.com/

Organizations

Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas http://www.attra.org

Rural Roots http://www.ruralroots.org/ North American Farm Direct Marketing Association

http://www.nafdma.com/ The Food Alliance http://www.thefoodalliance.org/

Periodicals/Journal publications

Growing for Market http://www.growingformarket.com/

Small Farm Today http://www.smallfarmtoday.com/

Summary

Read

Attend conferences

Network

Credits

Presentation developed by Cultivating Success

TM : Sustainable Small Farms Education.

Video segments taken from:“Meadowlark Farm: A Case Study of a Small-Acreage Farm” produced by Ben Troka, University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Copywrite 2005, University of Idaho.