sample horticulture business plan

[Pdf Sample] Business Plan For Horticulture Farming Docx

In today’s thriving market, the horticulture industry presents a world of opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking to cultivate their own green success. Whether you have a passion for plants, a love for nature, or a desire to contribute to sustainable living, developing a well-structured horticulture business plan is essential for turning your dreams into reality.

This comprehensive guide will take you through the key steps of creating a horticulture business plan, providing you with insights, strategies, and practical tips to help your venture blossom and thrive.

[Pdf Sample] Horticulture Business Proposal Plan Docx

Agrolearners.com is a horticulture-focused business dedicated to providing education and resources to individuals interested in the field of horticulture. We believe in the power of horticulture to create sustainable and eco-friendly solutions for food production, environmental preservation, and personal well-being.

By offering comprehensive online courses, practical training, and a vibrant community platform, Agrolearners.com aims to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in the horticulture industry.

Executive Summary: Painting a Picture of Success

Agrolearners.com envisions becoming the leading online platform for horticulture education globally. By leveraging innovative teaching methodologies, state-of-the-art technology, and a passion for horticulture, we strive to revolutionize the way people learn and engage with the industry.

Company Overview: Cultivating a Vision

Agrolearners.com is founded by a team of horticulture enthusiasts who possess a deep understanding of the industry and a shared commitment to fostering knowledge and skill development. Our core values revolve around quality, accessibility, and community engagement.

Through our online platform, learners can access a wide range of courses, from introductory modules for beginners to specialized programs for professionals seeking to enhance their expertise. We also provide interactive learning materials, practical demonstrations, and a supportive community forum for learners to connect, share experiences, and seek guidance from experts.

Market Analysis: Sowing the Seeds of Opportunity

Read Also:  [Pdf Sample] Crop Farming Business Plan Docx

Products and Services: Nurturing Nature’s Bounty

Agrolearners.com offers a diverse range of horticulture courses and resources designed to cater to various skill levels and interests. Our course catalog includes subjects such as plant biology, crop production, landscape design, pest management, and sustainable agriculture practices .

We employ a mix of instructional videos, interactive quizzes, practical assignments, and live webinars to ensure an engaging and immersive learning experience. Additionally, learners have access to a vast library of resource materials, case studies, and expert advice to support their educational journey.

Read Also:  [Pdf Sample] Palm Oil Farming & Production Business Plan Docx

Marketing and Sales Strategy: Growing Your Customer Base

We will also offer free trial courses, discounted packages, and referral programs to incentivize enrollment and foster customer loyalty. By actively engaging with our target audience and consistently delivering high-quality content and learning experiences, we aim to establish Agrolearners.com as the go-to platform for horticulture education.

Read Also:  [Pdf Sample] Poultry Farming Business Plan In South Africa Docx

Operational Plan: Tending to Business Operations

Our team will consist of experienced horticulture professionals, instructional designers, content creators, and customer support staff who will collaborate to develop and deliver high-quality educational content, maintain the platform, and provide responsive customer service.

Organizational Structure: Building a Strong Foundation

To effectively manage operations and drive growth, Agrolearners.com will adopt a hierarchical organizational structure. The core team will comprise a CEO, department heads, and key personnel responsible for content development, technology, marketing, customer support, and finance.

As the business expands, additional staff will be recruited to meet growing demands. We will prioritize building a collaborative and inclusive work culture that fosters innovation, continuous learning, and employee satisfaction.

Financial Plan: Harvesting Profitable Growth

We will closely monitor expenses, such as content development, platform maintenance, marketing, and administrative costs, to ensure profitability and sustainable growth. Additionally, we will seek external funding through grants, investments, and strategic partnerships to support expansion plans and further enhance our offerings.

Read Also:  [Pdf Sample] Business Plan For Goat Farming In South Africa Docx

Risk Analysis: Preparing for Stormy Weather

Here is the Download Link To Horticulture Business Plan Pdf Sample By Agrolearner.com

Sustainability and Environmental Considerations: Cultivating a Greener Future

Conclusion: planting the seeds of success.

Agrolearners.com is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for horticulture education. By leveraging our expertise, embracing technological advancements, and nurturing a vibrant learning community, we are confident in our ability to revolutionize horticulture education globally.

Share this:

Author: adewebs, you may also like:, [pdf sample] business plan for pig farming docx, starting a poultry farm with limited resources in ghana: a comprehensive guide for new farmers, how to register agribusiness company in kenya (see full guide), starting a poultry farm with limited resources in nigeria: guide for new farmers, leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How To Write a Business Plan for Horticulture in 9 Steps: Checklist

By alex ryzhkov, resources on horticulture.

• Financial Model
• Business Plan
• Value Proposition
• One-Page Business Plan
• SWOT Analysis
• Business Model
• Marketing Plan

Welcome to our blog post on how to write a business plan for horticulture! With the horticulture industry in the US experiencing remarkable growth, now is a great time to enter this market. According to recent statistics, the horticulture industry is projected to reach a value of $XX billion by XXXX , indicating the immense potential for businesses in this field. To help you get started, we have put together a comprehensive checklist of nine essential steps to create a successful business plan for horticulture. Let's dive in!

Identify Your Target Market And Research Their Needs

Before starting your horticulture business, it is crucial to identify your target market and understand their specific needs and preferences. This step will help you tailor your products and services to meet the demands of your potential customers and increase your chances of success.

Researching your target market involves gathering information about their demographics, preferences, buying habits, and pain points. This data will provide valuable insights into their needs and help you develop effective marketing strategies.

Here are some tips on how to research your target market:

• Conduct surveys or interviews with potential customers to understand their preferences and challenges.
• Analyze market trends and industry reports to identify growth opportunities.
• Study your competitors' customer base to determine if there are untapped segments.
• Use social media platforms and online forums to gather feedback and engage with your target audience.
• Attend industry conferences and trade shows to network with potential customers and gain insights into market needs.

Once you have identified your target market, it is important to delve deeper into understanding their needs. This requires conducting behavioral analysis to determine how your customers make purchasing decisions, what influences their choices, and what factors are important to them when selecting plant suppliers.

• Identify the specific plant species and varieties that are in demand in your target market.
• Research the preferred packaging and labeling requirements of your potential customers.
• Understand the preferred delivery methods and schedules of your target market to ensure timely and efficient service.
• Identify any unique needs or niche markets within the horticulture industry that you can cater to.

By thoroughly researching and understanding your target market, you will be equipped with the knowledge needed to develop products and services that meet their specific needs. This will give you a competitive edge and position your horticulture business for success.

Conduct A Thorough Market Analysis

Before starting a horticulture business, it is crucial to conduct a thorough market analysis. This step involves gathering and analyzing data to gain a comprehensive understanding of the horticulture industry and identify potential opportunities and challenges.

To conduct a thorough market analysis, consider the following:

• Identify the demand: Research the demand for plants and flowers in your target market. Identify the specific needs and preferences of potential customers, such as nurseries, garden centers, landscapers, and other organizations that utilize plants. This will help you tailor your products and services to meet their requirements.
• Analyze the competition: Research and analyze your competitors in the horticulture industry. Identify their strengths and weaknesses, pricing strategies, target markets, and unique selling propositions. This will help you identify ways to differentiate your business and attract customers.
• Understand market trends: Stay updated with the latest trends and developments in the horticulture industry. This includes changes in consumer preferences, emerging plant species, sustainable practices, and technological advancements. Understanding these trends will help you adapt your business strategies and offerings to stay competitive.
• Assess market size and growth potential: Estimate the size of your target market and assess its growth potential. This will help you determine the scalability of your horticulture business and identify opportunities for expansion.
• Analyze pricing and profitability: Analyze the pricing structure in the horticulture industry and identify the factors that affect profitability. Consider the costs involved in growing, maintaining, and distributing plants and flowers, as well as market demand and pricing strategies. This will help you set competitive prices and ensure profitability.
• Utilize online resources, industry publications, and trade associations to gather market data and insights.
• Conduct surveys or interviews with potential customers to gain firsthand information about their needs and preferences.
• Stay updated with local and national regulations related to horticulture, as they may impact your business operations.

A thorough market analysis will provide you with valuable insights to make informed decisions and develop effective strategies for your horticulture business. It will help you identify your target market, position your business competitively, and align your products and services with customer demands.

Determine Your Unique Selling Proposition

Identifying your unique selling proposition (USP) is crucial in the horticulture industry, where competition can be fierce. Your USP is what sets you apart from your competitors and gives customers a reason to choose your business over others. Here are the key steps to determine your USP:

• Understand your target market: Before you can determine your USP, it is important to have a deep understanding of your target market and their needs. Conduct market research and gather insights into what customers in the horticulture industry are looking for.
• Identify your strengths: Take a close look at your business and identify your unique strengths. This could be anything from the quality and variety of plants you offer to your exceptional customer service or eco-friendly practices.
• Evaluate your competitors: Research your competitors in the horticulture industry to see what they are offering and how you can differentiate yourself. Identify any gaps or areas where you can provide a better offering.
• Create a value proposition: Once you have a good understanding of your target market, strengths, and competitors, create a strong value proposition that clearly communicates the unique benefits your business provides to customers.
• Focus on what makes your business special and different from others.
• Highlight any certifications, awards, or special achievements that set you apart.
• Consider conducting surveys or seeking feedback from existing customers to understand their perception of your business and identify unique selling points.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate the market and adjust your USP if needed to stay ahead of the competition.

Determining your unique selling proposition is a critical step in developing a successful business plan for horticulture. It helps define your brand and allows you to effectively communicate the value you bring to your target market. Remember, a strong USP can be the key differentiator that attracts customers and drives success in the competitive horticulture industry.

Research Competitors In The Horticulture Industry

When starting a horticulture business, conducting thorough research on your competitors is crucial for your success. Understanding the competitive landscape will give you insight into industry trends, pricing strategies, customer preferences, and gaps in the market that you can capitalize on. Here are some key steps to effectively research your competitors in the horticulture industry:

• Identify your main competitors: Begin by identifying the main competitors in your target market. Look for businesses that offer similar products or services and operate within your geographical area. This could include wholesale nurseries, garden centers, or online plant retailers.
• Evaluate their strengths and weaknesses: Analyze your competitors' strengths and weaknesses to understand what sets them apart and where they might be lagging. This information will help you identify opportunities to differentiate your business and provide added value to customers.
• Analyze their pricing and value proposition: Examine your competitors' pricing strategies and value propositions. Compare their prices, discounts, and promotions with your own to determine how competitive you are in the market. Additionally, identify the unique selling points that set your competitors apart and consider how you can position your business differently.
• Study their marketing and branding efforts: Take a close look at your competitors' marketing and branding strategies to gain insights into their messaging, target audience, and overall brand identity. This information will help you refine your own marketing approach and create a unique brand that stands out.
• Regularly monitor your competitors' websites, social media channels, and promotional materials to stay updated on their latest offerings and marketing tactics.
• Attend industry trade shows and conferences to connect with both competitors and potential buyers. This will not only provide valuable networking opportunities but also help you stay informed about industry trends and best practices.
• Consider conducting surveys or interviews with customers who have purchased from your competitors. This will provide valuable customer insights and feedback on what your competitors are doing well and where they may be lacking.

By conducting a comprehensive analysis of your competitors, you will be better equipped to create a unique business strategy that differentiates your horticulture business from others in the industry. This knowledge will allow you to make informed decisions, enhance your marketing efforts, and ultimately gain a competitive advantage in the market.

Develop A Strong Brand Identity

In the horticulture industry, a strong brand identity can set your business apart from competitors and establish a sense of trust and recognition among your target market. To develop a strong brand identity, consider the following:

• Define your brand values: Start by clearly defining the values that your horticulture business stands for. These values should align with the needs and preferences of your target market.
• Create a memorable logo: Your logo will be the visual representation of your brand and should be designed in a way that reflects the nature of your business. It should be unique, memorable, and easily recognizable.
• Design consistent brand assets: Consistency is key when it comes to building a strong brand identity. Design consistent brand assets such as business cards, letterheads, packaging, and website that align with your logo and overall brand image.
• Develop a compelling brand story: Craft a compelling brand story that communicates the essence of your business and connects with your target market on an emotional level. This can help build a strong emotional connection with your customers.
• Use consistent brand messaging: Develop consistent brand messaging that clearly communicates your unique selling proposition and resonates with your target market. This messaging should be used across all communication channels, including your website, social media, and marketing materials.

Tips for developing a strong brand identity:

• Research your target market to understand their preferences and values.
• Seek professional help if you lack design or branding expertise.
• Consistently monitor and update your brand identity to stay relevant in the market.

Create A Financial Plan And Set A Budget

Creating a comprehensive financial plan and setting a budget is crucial for the success of your horticulture business. It allows you to make informed decisions and allocate resources effectively. Here are some key steps to consider:

• Evaluate your start-up costs: Determine the initial investment required to acquire land, purchase equipment, hire labor, and cover other expenses. It is essential to have a clear understanding of your financial needs from the beginning.
• Estimate ongoing operational expenses: Calculate the recurring costs involved in growing and maintaining your plant inventory, such as seedlings, fertilizers, irrigation systems, pest control, and utilities. Additionally, consider expenses related to marketing, shipping, and any other overhead costs.
• Forecast your revenue: Based on your market research, estimate your potential sales and the expected timeframe for generating revenue. Consider the demand for your products, the pricing strategy, and any seasonal variations that may impact sales.
• Create a sales forecast: Break down your revenue projections into monthly or quarterly targets. This will help you track your progress and make adjustments, if needed, to meet your financial goals.
• Identify funding options: Determine if you require external funding to support your business. Explore options such as loans, grants, or partnerships. Prepare a compelling business case, including your financial projections, to attract potential investors or lenders.
• Work closely with an accountant or financial advisor who specializes in horticulture businesses. They can help you create a realistic financial plan and provide valuable insights.
• Keep track of your expenses and revenue regularly. This will enable you to identify any deviations from your budget and take corrective actions promptly.
• Periodically review and update your financial plan to reflect changes in the market, your business operations, and your goals. Flexibility and adaptability are essential in a dynamic industry like horticulture.

By creating a financial plan and setting a budget, you will be better equipped to navigate the financial aspects of your horticulture business. It will help you make strategic decisions, monitor your progress, and ensure sustainable growth in the long run.

Identify The Necessary Resources And Equipment

When starting a horticulture business, it is crucial to carefully identify and gather all the necessary resources and equipment required for your operations. These resources and equipment are essential for efficiently growing, cultivating, and supplying plants and flowers to your target market. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind:

• Land: Determine the amount of land needed based on the scale of your operations. Assess the land for its fertility, drainage, and access to irrigation systems.
• Greenhouses and Structures: Depending on the type of plants you will be growing, consider investing in greenhouses, hoop houses, or other structures that provide controlled environments for optimal plant growth.
• Planting and Cultivation Equipment: Acquire the necessary tools and equipment for activities such as seeding, propagation, transplanting, pruning, and maintaining plant health. This may include tillers, seeders, tractors, sprayers, and various hand tools.
• Irrigation Systems: Install an efficient irrigation system to ensure plants receive adequate water while minimizing waste. This may include sprinklers, drip irrigation, or a combination of both.
• Storage and Packaging: Plan for appropriate storage facilities to preserve the quality of your plants. Consider the need for refrigeration or specialized storage options for delicate flowers. Additionally, invest in suitable packaging materials to protect and transport your products safely.
• Transportation: Determine the transportation needs to deliver your plants and flowers to customers. This may involve investing in trucks, vans, or partnering with logistics companies.
• Consider the long-term requirements of your horticulture business when purchasing equipment. Opt for reliable and durable options to minimize the need for frequent replacements.
• Research various suppliers and compare prices to ensure you acquire equipment and resources at a reasonable cost without compromising quality.
• Stay updated with advancements in horticultural technology and equipment to enhance productivity and reduce manual labor.
• Don't overlook the importance of safety equipment. Provide protective gear for yourself and your employees to ensure a safe working environment.

By being thorough in identifying the necessary resources and equipment, you can ensure a smooth and efficient operation of your horticulture business. This will contribute to the overall success and profitability of your venture.

Determine The Legal And Regulatory Requirements

Before starting a horticulture business, it is crucial to understand and comply with the legal and regulatory requirements in your specific geographical area. These requirements vary depending on the location, so thorough research is necessary. Here are some key areas to consider:

• Licensing: Determine if you need any specific licenses or permits to operate a horticulture business. This may include a nursery license, pesticide applicator license, or a seller's permit for selling plants.
• Business Structure: Decide on the legal structure for your business, such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, or limited liability company (LLC). Consult with a lawyer or accountant to understand the pros and cons of each structure.
• Zoning and Land Use: Check the zoning regulations in your area to ensure that your chosen location is suitable for a horticulture business. Some areas may have restrictions on commercial agricultural activities or specific requirements for greenhouses or nursery operations.
• Environmental Regulations: Familiarize yourself with any environmental regulations that may impact your horticulture business, such as regulations regarding water usage, waste management, and the use of pesticides or fertilizers.
• Insurance: Consult with an insurance agent to determine the types of insurance coverage required for your business. This may include general liability insurance, property insurance for your equipment and inventory, and workers' compensation insurance if you have employees.
• Employment Laws: Understand the employment laws in your area, including minimum wage requirements, overtime regulations, and any specific labor laws that may apply to agricultural businesses. Ensure compliance with these laws when hiring and managing employees.
• Consult with a lawyer or business advisor who specializes in agricultural or horticultural businesses to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the legal requirements.
• Stay updated on any changes to regulations or licensing requirements that may affect your horticulture business. Join industry associations or networks to stay informed.
• Maintain proper record-keeping to demonstrate compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. This will be useful during inspections or audits.

Create A Detailed Operational Plan

Now that you have thoroughly researched and analyzed your target market, developed a strong brand identity, and created a financial plan, it's time to dive into the operational aspects of your horticulture business. A detailed operational plan will serve as a roadmap for the day-to-day activities and processes involved in running your business efficiently.

1. Determine your production processes: Outline the steps involved in growing and cultivating your plants and flowers. Consider factors such as seed sourcing, propagation methods, irrigation systems, pest and disease control, and harvesting practices.

2. Define your inventory management: Establish a system to track and manage your inventory effectively. This includes monitoring stock levels, organizing plants by species and size, and implementing procedures for reordering and replenishing supplies.

3. Plan your staffing requirements: Assess the labor needs of your horticulture business and determine how many employees or contractors you will need. Consider skills required for different tasks, such as planting, pruning, packaging, and customer service.

4. Create a production schedule: Develop a timeline that outlines when specific tasks need to be completed. This will help you allocate resources efficiently, plan for seasonal fluctuations, and ensure a consistent supply of plants and flowers to meet customer demands.

5. Establish quality control measures: Implement processes to ensure that your plants and flowers meet the highest quality standards. This may involve regular inspections, testing for pests and diseases, and implementing best practices for plant care and maintenance.

Tips for creating a detailed operational plan:

• Consider creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each task to maintain consistency and improve efficiency.
• Regularly review and update your operational plan to adapt to changes in the market, technology, or regulations.
• Establish relationships with reliable suppliers to ensure a steady supply of seeds, fertilizers, and other necessary resources.
• Invest in training programs for your employees to enhance their skills and knowledge in horticulture practices.

A well-crafted operational plan will provide a framework for managing your horticulture business effectively and help you navigate challenges with ease. By considering each step of your production processes, inventory management, staffing requirements, and quality control measures, you can ensure smooth operations and deliver high-quality plants and flowers to your customers.

In conclusion, writing a business plan for horticulture requires careful consideration of various factors to ensure success in this competitive industry. By following the nine steps outlined in this checklist, you can create a comprehensive plan that addresses key aspects such as market analysis, branding, financial planning, resource allocation, legal requirements, and operational strategies.

Identifying your target market and understanding their needs is crucial for tailoring your products and services to meet their demands. Conducting a thorough market analysis helps you identify trends, opportunities, and potential challenges, enabling you to make informed decisions.

Determining your unique selling proposition allows you to differentiate your business from competitors, while researching your competition helps you understand their strengths and weaknesses.

Developing a strong brand identity is essential for creating a memorable and recognizable presence in the market. Additionally, creating a financial plan and setting a budget helps you manage your resources effectively.

Identifying the necessary resources and equipment ensures that you have the means to grow and maintain your inventory, while understanding the legal and regulatory requirements helps you comply with relevant laws and regulations.

Finally, creating a detailed operational plan outlines the specific steps and processes involved in running your horticulture business smoothly.

By following these steps, you can lay a solid foundation for your horticulture business, increasing your chances of profitability and long-term success in the industry.

$169.00 $99.00 Get Template

Related Blogs

• Starting a Business
• KPI Metrics
• Running Expenses
• Startup Costs
• Pitch Deck Example
• Increasing Profitability
• Sales Strategy
• Rising Capital
• Valuing a Business
• How Much Makes
• Sell a Business
• Business Idea
• How To Avoid Mistakes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

Business Plan Template for Horticulturists

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Subcategory
• Get started in seconds

Are you a horticulturist looking to take your business to new heights? Look no further than ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Horticulturists! This comprehensive template is specifically designed for nursery owners, landscape designers, and other horticulture professionals who want to create a solid roadmap for success.

With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Horticulturists, you can:

• Outline your business goals, strategies, and financial projections
• Attract investors and secure loans with a compelling and well-structured plan
• Effectively manage your operations and stay on track towards your milestones

Don't let the complexity of creating a business plan overwhelm you. With ClickUp's user-friendly template, you'll have everything you need to grow your horticulture business right at your fingertips. Get started today and watch your dreams bloom!

Business Plan Template for Horticulturists Benefits

A Business Plan Template for Horticulturists offers a range of benefits for those in the horticulture industry, including:

• Clear goal setting: Outlining specific goals and objectives helps horticulturists stay focused and on track.
• Strategic planning: A business plan template helps identify strategies to reach target markets and grow the business effectively.
• Financial projections: Accurate financial projections allow horticulturists to forecast revenue, expenses, and profitability.
• Investor attraction: A well-crafted business plan can attract potential investors and secure funding for horticulture-related ventures.
• Operational efficiency: Having a solid plan in place helps horticulturists effectively manage day-to-day operations and make informed decisions.

Main Elements of Horticulturists Business Plan Template

ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Horticulturists provides all the essential elements you need to create a comprehensive business plan for your horticulture-related venture:

• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of each section of your business plan with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do, ensuring that every aspect of your plan is accounted for and properly managed.
• Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields such as Reference, Approved, and Section to add specific details and categorize different sections of your business plan, making it easy to organize and reference important information.
• Custom Views: Access five different views to effectively manage and present your business plan, including the Topics view to focus on key areas, the Status view to track progress, the Timeline view to visualize milestones, the Business Plan view to see the plan as a whole, and the Getting Started Guide view for step-by-step assistance in creating your plan.

With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Horticulturists, you can confidently outline your goals, strategies, and financial projections, ensuring a solid foundation for your horticulture business.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Horticulturists

If you're a horticulturist looking to create a business plan, using ClickUp's Business Plan Template can help streamline the process. Follow these six steps to effectively utilize the template and set yourself up for success:

1. Define your vision and mission

Start by clearly defining your vision for your horticulture business. What do you hope to achieve, and how do you want to make a difference in the industry? Next, establish your mission statement, which outlines the purpose of your business and the value you aim to provide to customers.

Use the Docs feature in ClickUp to document and articulate your vision and mission.

2. Assess the market and competition

Conduct thorough research to understand the market for horticultural products and services. Identify key trends, customer needs, and potential opportunities. Additionally, analyze your competition to determine their strengths, weaknesses, and unique selling points.

Utilize the Table view in ClickUp to organize and analyze market research data.

3. Outline your products and services

Clearly define the range of products and services your horticulture business will offer. Consider the specific types of plants, landscaping services, or consulting services you plan to provide. Highlight any unique features or benefits that set your offerings apart from competitors.

Create tasks in ClickUp to outline and categorize your products and services.

4. Develop a marketing strategy

A solid marketing strategy is crucial for reaching and attracting customers. Identify your target audience and develop a plan to effectively reach them. Consider using a combination of online and offline marketing channels, such as social media, local advertising, and partnerships with other businesses.

Use the Gantt chart feature in ClickUp to create a timeline for your marketing activities.

5. Create a financial plan

Develop a comprehensive financial plan that outlines your projected revenue, expenses, and profitability. Consider factors such as startup costs, ongoing expenses, pricing strategy, and sales projections. Additionally, establish a budget and financial goals for your horticulture business.

Utilize the Dashboards feature in ClickUp to track and monitor your financial metrics.

6. Set milestones and action plan

Break down your business plan into smaller milestones and create an action plan to achieve them. Set specific goals and deadlines for each milestone, and outline the tasks and resources required to accomplish them. Regularly review and adjust your plan as needed to stay on track.

Create tasks and milestones in ClickUp 's Milestones feature to track your progress and ensure accountability.

By following these six steps and leveraging ClickUp's Business Plan Template, you'll be well-equipped to create a comprehensive and effective business plan for your horticulture business.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Horticulturists

Horticulturists can use the Business Plan Template for Horticulturists in ClickUp to create a comprehensive plan for their horticulture-related businesses.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a successful business plan:

• Use the Topics View to outline different sections of your business plan, such as Executive Summary, Market Analysis, Marketing Strategy, Financial Projections, etc.
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each section, whether it's Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, or To Do
• The Timeline View will give you a visual representation of your business plan's timeline, allowing you to set deadlines and milestones
• The Business Plan View will provide you with a comprehensive overview of your entire plan, making it easy to review and make adjustments
• The Getting Started Guide View will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to use the template and create a successful business plan
• Utilize the custom fields, such as Reference, Approved, and Section, to add additional information and categorize your business plan
• Update statuses and custom fields as you work on each section to keep track of progress and ensure everything is on track
• Business Plan Template for Manufacturers
• Business Plan Template for Customer Service
• Business Plan Template for Mining Engineers
• Business Plan Template for Social Media Managers
• Business Plan Template for Gender Decoder

Template details

Free forever with 100mb storage.

Free training & 24-hours support

Serious about security & privacy

Highest levels of uptime the last 12 months

• Product Roadmap
• Affiliate & Referrals
• On-Demand Demo
• Integrations
• Consultants
• Gantt Chart
• Native Time Tracking
• Automations
• Kanban Board
• vs Airtable
• vs Basecamp
• vs MS Project
• vs Smartsheet
• Software Team Hub
• PM Software Guide

Vegetable Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Agriculture Sector

Are you about starting a vegetable farm? If YES, here’s a complete sample vegetable farming business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE to raise money .

Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a vegetable farming business. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample vegetable farming marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for vegetable farms. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

Why Start a Vegetable Farming Business?

As an aspiring entrepreneur who is interested in starting a business in the agricultural sector of your country, you can be rest assured that there are loads of business opportunities available, and vegetable farming is one of them. Vegetable farming is known to be a profitable business which has over the years evolved from small scale (backyard garden), into a global industry in all countries where it is carried out.

Countries in the Caribbean, South America, North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa are known to be in the forefront when it comes to cultivating varieties of vegetables. If you are considering starting a vegetable farm business, the good news is that you cannot get it wrong.

This is because various types of vegetable are consumed by almost everybody all over the globe. It is important to state that starting a vegetable farming business comes with its own 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 a vegetable farm on a small scale or on a large scale depending on their financial status.

If you have decided to go into vegetable farming, then you should ensure that you carry out thorough feasibility studies and market survey. Business plan is yet another very important business document that you should not take for granted when launching your own vegetable farming business.

Below is a sample vegetable farming business plan template that can help you to successfully write your own with little or no difficulty.

A Sample Vegetable Farming Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Vegetable farmers grow a wide variety of vegetables in open fields and in greenhouses. Some vegetable farmers also grow a variety of fruits and other crops.

If you are a close observer of the vegetable farming industry, you will agree that the industry is anticipated to increase due to increasing consumer health consciousness, which has led to increasing demand for fresh produce. While per capita fruit and vegetable consumption has remained stable in recent time, the price of vegetables has increased as consumers demand premium, fresh vegetables.

So also, the number of both small and large farms has been increasing. Small, local farms are benefiting from the organic, local movement, while large, commercial farms are improving labor efficiency. Going forward, players in the vegetable farming industry will continue to increase revenue generation for their business.

The Vegetable Farming industry is indeed a fast – growing industry that is pretty much active in all countries of the world. As a matter of fact, The Netherlands has some of the largest greenhouses where vegetables are cultivated in the world.

That is the scale of food production in the country so much so that in 2000 alone, greenhouses occupied about 10,526 hectares, or 0.25 percent of the total land area.

The Netherlands has an estimate of 4,000 greenhouse establishments that operate well over 9,000 hectares of greenhouses and employ about 150,000 workers, producing €7.2 billion worth of vegetables, fruit, plants and flowers, some 80% of which are exported.

Statistics has it that in the united states of America alone, there are about 76,459 registered and licensed vegetable farms scattered all across the United States responsible for employing about 317,590 and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $26 billion annually. The industry is projected to enjoy 2.5 percent annual growth.

One thing is certain when it comes to vegetable farming, if you are able to conduct your market research and feasibility studies before choosing a location for cultivating your vegetable, you are likely not going to struggle to grow the vegetable farming business and also sell your vegetables because there are always food processing companies and consumers out there who are ready to buy from you.

Lastly, with vegetable farming it will pay you not to only cultivate vegetable and sell them for consumption in farm markets to retailers and consumers. You can as well start a complimentary business like vegetable processing plant to package your vegetables to save cost.

The bottom line is that if you have enough farm land (space) and you are interested in maximizing vegetable farming, you are sure going to make huge profits from the business.

2. Executive Summary

Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC is a registered and licensed commercial farm that will be based in the outskirts of Los Angeles, California – United States. We have done our detailed market research and feasibility studies and we were able to secure 25 hectares of land to start our vegetable farm.

We will always leverage on greenhouse farming to cultivate vegetable hence we will construct a structure with walls and roof made essentially of transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic conditions are grown.

At Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC we will be involved in the cultivation of crops such as; cucumbers, shallots, tomatoes, lettuce, chilis, capsicum, red salad onions and snow peas, chinese cabbage, lettuce, basil, roses, tomatoes, okra, cantaloupe and bell peppers, watercress,

Basil, coriander, parsley, lemongrass, sage, beans, peas, kohlrabi, taro, radishes, strawberries, melons, onions, turnips, parsnips, mushroom, carrot, melon, sweet potato, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant as well as the choys that are used for stir fries. We will also be involved in greenhouse vegetable production.

In the nearest future, hopefully within the first five years of officially running Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC, we will start our food processing and packaging plant and also start exporting our vegetables to other parts of the world.

This is why aside from the fact that we have secured the required farm land and most of the farming equipment and machines, we have also hired key employees who are currently undergoing training so as to be able to fit into the ideal picture of the 21 st  century vegetable farming business workforce that we want to build.

We are in the vegetable farming business because we want to leverage on the vast opportunities available in the agriculture industry to contribute our quota in growing the U.S. economy, in national food production, raw materials production for industries, to export agricultural produce from the United States to other countries and over and above to make profit.

Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC is well positioned to become one of the leading vegetable farms in the United States of America, which is why we have been able to source the best hands and machines to run the business with. We have put process and strategies in place that will help us employ best practices when it comes to vegetable farming in the United States of America.

Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC is a Private registered commercial farm that is owned by Johnson Jael and his immediate family members. The company will be fully and single handedly managed by the owner – Johnson Jael and his immediate family members at least for a period of time.

3. Our Products and Services

Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC is a commercial farm that will be cultivating various vegetables via greenhouse farming model and land farming for both the United States’ market and the global market. We are in business to produce both vegetables and fruits in commercial quantities.

We will also ensure that we operate a standard food processing and packaging plant as part of our complimentary services. We are in this line of business to make profit and we will ensure that we do all that is allowed by the law of the United States of America to achieve our business goals and objectives.

These are the areas we will concentrate on in our vegetable farms. If need arises we will definitely add more agriculture produce to our list;

• Cultivation of crops such as; cucumbers, shallots, tomatoes, lettuce, chilis, capsicum, red salad onions and snow peas, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, basil, roses, tomatoes, okra, cantaloupe and bell peppers, watercress, basil, coriander, parsley, lemongrass, sage, beans, peas, kohlrabi, taro, radishes, strawberries, melons, onions, turnips, parsnips, mushroom, carrot, melon, sweet potato, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant as well as the choys that are used for stir fries
• Vegetable and fruit processing and packaging
• Greenhouse construction, consultancy and advisory services

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our Vision is to become one of the leading vegetable farm brands not just in the United States of America but also on the global stage.
• Our mission statement as a commercial farm is to go into full – time cultivation of vegetables and fruits that will not only be consumed in the United States of America but also exported to other parts of the world.
• We want our processed fruits and vegetable to flood the nooks and crannies of the United States and other countries of the world.

Our Business Structure

Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC is a commercial vegetable farm that intends starting small in Los Angeles – California, but hopes to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading commercial vegetable farms in the commercial farming industry both in the United States and on a global stage.

We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of world class business we want to own, which is why we are committed to only hire the best hands in and around California.

At Johnson Jael® Vegetable 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 our stakeholders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

In view of the above, Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Operating Officer

General Farm Manager

Administrator/Accountant

• Crop (Vegetable and Fruits) Cultivation Manager/Supervisor

Vegetable and Fruits Processing and Packaging Plant Manager/Supervisor

• Sales and Marketing Executive
• Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

• 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; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities
• 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 fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• 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 across the various sections on behalf of the organization
• Supervises other section manager
• Ensures compliance during project executions (especially in the construction of greenhouse and hothouse et al)
• 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 crops
• Responsible for overseeing the accounting, costing and sale of farm produce after harvest
• Represent the organization’s interest at various stakeholders’ meetings
• Ensures that farming goals are achieved, the most efficient resources (manpower, equipment, tools and chemicals et al) are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied. Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carrying out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Oversee the smooth running of the daily farming activities across the various farming sections
• 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
• Serves as internal auditor for the company

Crop (Vegetable and fruits) Cultivation Manager/Supervisor

• Responsible for the cultivation of crops such as; cucumbers, shallots, tomatoes, lettuce, chilis, capsicum, red salad onions and snow peas, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, basil, roses, tomatoes, okra, cantaloupe and bell peppers, watercress, basil, coriander, parsley, lemongrass, sage, beans, peas, kohlrabi, taro, radishes, strawberries, melons, onions, turnips, parsnips, mushroom, carrot, melon, sweet potato, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant as well as the choys that are used for stir fries
• Supervises other workers within the department
• Work closely with the General Manager to achieve the organizations’ goals and objectives
• Responsible for managing the fruits and vegetable processing and packaging plant section of the business

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; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of relevant projects.
• 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 customers
• Develop, execute and evaluate new plans for expanding increase sales
• Document all customer contact and information
• Represent the company in strategic meetings
• Help increase sales and growth for the farm

Front Desk/Customer’s Service Officer

• Welcomes guests and clients to the farm 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 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 Hankins Jordan® Banana Farms, Inc.
• Distribute mails in Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC
• Handles any other duties as assigned by the line manager

6. SWOT Analysis

Johnson Jael® Vegetable 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 vegetable farm that will favorably compete with leading commercial vegetable farms in the United States of America and in other parts of the world.

We are quite aware that there are several large, medium and small scale vegetable farms all over Los Angeles – California and even in the same location where we intend locating ours, which is why we are following the due process of establishing a business.

We know that if a proper SWOT analysis is conducted for our business, we will be able to position our business to maximize our strength, leverage on the opportunities that will be available to us, mitigate our risks and be welled equipped to confront our threats.

Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC employed the services of an expert HR and Business Analyst with bias in the commercial farming industry to help us conduct a thorough SWOT analysis and to help us create a Business model that will help us achieve our business goals and objectives.

Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Hankins Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC;

Our strength as a vegetable farm company is in the fact that we have healthy relationships with loads of major players (agriculture merchants) in the agricultural industry; both suppliers and buyers within and outside of the United States.

We have some of the latest vegetable farming machines, tools and equipment that will help us cultivate crops (vegetables and fruits) in commercial quantities with less stress. Asides from our relationship (network) and equipment, we can confidently boast that we have some the most experienced hands in the vegetable cum greenhouse commercial farming line of business.

Our major weakness is that we are a new vegetable farm in the United States and it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from international markets in the already saturated and highly competitive commercial farming industry. Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to promote our business the way we would want to.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities that are available to us cannot be quantified; we know that everybody on planet earth eats different types of vegetables. So also changes in consumer preferences have led supermarkets and other retail outlets to demand fresh vegetables and fruits all year-round. We are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that is available in the industry.

Both the number of small local farms and the number of larger commercial farms have been growing. Increasing imports of fresh produce will slightly constrain demand for vegetables and fruits. Just like any other business, one of the major threats that we are likely to face is economic downturn.

It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing/spending power. Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new vegetable farm or commercial greenhouse farm in the same location where our target market exists and who may want to adopt the same business model like us.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

If you are conversant with rising technology and scientific development in the agriculture industry, you will quite agree that vegetable and fruits farming via greenhouse commercial farming model are at the front burner. Greenhouse commercial farming is rapidly gaining entrance in our world today.

Greenhouse farming gives room for greater control over the growing environment of various crops. Dependent upon the technicality and specification of a greenhouse design, some of the important factors which may be controlled include temperature, levels of light and shade, irrigation, fertilizer application, atmospheric humidity et al.

Basically, greenhouses are used to overcome shortcomings in the growing qualities of a piece of land such as a short growing season or poor light levels. In essence, they are designed to improve food production in marginal environments.

So also, if you are a close observer of the trends in the vegetable farming industry, you will agree that the vegetable farming industry is anticipated to increase due to increasing consumer health consciousness, which has led to increasing demand for fresh produce.

While per capita fruit and vegetable consumption has remained stable in recent time, the price of vegetables has increased as consumers demand premium, fresh vegetables.

So also, the number of both small and large farms has been increasing; small local farms are benefiting from the organic, local movement while large, commercial farms are improving labor efficiency. Going forward, players in the vegetable farming industry will continue to increase revenue generation for their business.

8. Our Target Market

Naturally, the end consumers of vegetable farm produce and those who benefit from the business value chain of the vegetable farm industry is all encompassing. Every household consumes produce from vegetable farms be it vegetables or fruits et al. In essence, a vegetable 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 of fresh vegetables and fruits not just in the United States of America alone but other parts of the world which is why we will be exporting some of our vegetables and fruits either in raw or processed form to other countries of the world.

Our competitive advantage

It is easier to find entrepreneurs flocking towards an industry that is known to generate consistent income which is why there are more commercial farmers in the United States of America and of course in most parts of the world.

For example, Statistics has it that there are 2.2 million farms in the United States of America, covering an area of 922 million acres. This goes to show that there is an appreciable number of farmers in the United States of America but that does not mean that there is stiff competition in the industry.

As a matter of fact, entrepreneurs are encouraged by the government to embrace commercial farming. This is so because part of the success of any nation is her ability to cultivate her own food and also export foods to other nations of the world.

Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC is fully aware that there are competitions when it comes to selling vegetables and fruits all over the globe, 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 farming processes that can help us sell our produce at competitive prices, good network and excellent relationship management.

Our competitive advantage lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team of hardworking and highly proficient farmers, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in various niche areas in the vegetable farming industry.

Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected team members, we have some of the latest and efficient vegetable and greenhouse farm machines and equipment and we will be guided by best practices in the industry.

Another competitive advantage that we are bringing to the industry is the fact that we have designed our business in such a way that we will operate an all – round standard vegetable farm that will be involved in diverse areas such as vegetable and fruit cultivation, food processing and packaging plant. With this, we will be able to take advantage of all the available opportunities within the industry.

Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us, help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC is in the vegetable farming business 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.

In essence we are not going to rely only on the sale of our farm produce to generate income for the business. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC;

• Sale of crops such as; cucumbers, shallots, tomatoes, lettuce, chilis, capsicum, red salad onions and snow peas, chinese cabbage, lettuce, basil, roses, tomatoes, okra, cantaloupe and bell peppers, watercress, basil, coriander, parsley, lemongrass, sage, beans, peas, kohlrabi, taro, radishes, strawberries, melons, onions, turnips, parsnips, mushroom, carrot, melon, sweet potato, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant as well as the choys that are used for stir fries

10. Sales Forecast

From the survey conducted, we were able to discover that the sales generated by a vegetable farm depend on the size of the farm and the nature of the vegetable farm.

We have perfected our 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 first year of operation and build the business from survival to sustainability.

We have been able to critically examine the vegetable farming industry, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast.

• First Year-: $250,000
• Second Year-: $500,000
• Third Year-: $900,000

N.B : This projection is 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 (draughts, epidemics), and unfavorable government policies . Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are quite aware that the reason why some vegetable farms hardly make good profits is their inability to sell off their farm produce, especially perishable crops as at when due. In view of that, we decided to set up a standard food processing plant to help us

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to stakeholders in the agriculture industry, companies that rely on the agriculture industry for their raw materials, supermarkets, grocery stores, hotels and restaurants and agriculture produce merchants et al.
• Advertise our business and agriculture produce in agro – allied and food related magazines and websites
• List our vegetable farms on yellow pages ads
• 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 (conventional and non – conventional 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 can leverage on to boost our vegetable farm 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 Los Angeles – California
• Engage in roadshows from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Contact corporate organizations and residents in our target areas by calling them up and informing them of Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC and the farm produce we sell
• List our vegetable farms in local directories/yellow pages
• Advertise our vegetable farms 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

If you want to get the right pricing for your farm produce, then you should ensure that you choose a good location for vegetable farm, choose a good breed/seed that will guarantee bountiful harvest, cut the cost of running your farm to the barest minimum and of course try as much as possible to attract buyers to your farm as against taking your farm produce to the market to source for buyers; with this, you would have successfully eliminate the cost of transporting the goods to the market and other logistics.

We are quite aware that one of the easiest means of penetrating the market and acquiring loads of customers for all our vegetables and fruits is to sell them at competitive prices hence we will do all we can to ensure that the prices of our farm produce are going to be what other commercial farmers would look towards beating.

One thing is certain, the nature of vegetable farming makes it possible for farmers to place prices for their farm produces 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 a loss. The easier you sell off your harvest the better for your business.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Johnson Jael® Vegetable 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 Johnson Jael® Vegetable 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 for farm produces without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials to clients who may want to deposit cash or make online transfers.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to calculating the cost of starting a vegetable farm with a standard greenhouse farm, there are some key factors that should serve as a guide. The most important expenses is the construction of the greenhouse or hothouse as the case may be.

As a matter of fact, if you choose to start mechanized crop farming, then you should be willing to raise huge capital base to start the business. This is so because some cultivation machines/equipment can be pretty expensive. Below are some of the basic areas we will spend our start – up capital in setting up our vegetable farm;

• The total fee for incorporating the business in United States of America – $750
• The total cost for payment of insurance policy covers (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) at a total premium – $9,400
• The amount needed to acquire/lease a farm land – $50,000
• The amount required for preparing the farm land – $70,000
• The cost for acquiring the required working tools and equipment/machines/fencing et al – $10,000
• The amount required for the purchase of the first set of vegetables and fruits seedlings et al – $50,000
• The amount required to set up a standard vegetable processing plant within the farm facility – $100,000
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
• 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 $500,000 to start a standard vegetable farm with a processing plant in the United States of America. Basically, vegetable farms do not require an office space, most people that run vegetable farms operate directly from their farms. But we have decided to open a small liaison office; a place where administrative jobs will be carried out.

Generating Funds/Startup Johnson Jael® Vegetable 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 vegetable farm. No doubt raising startup capital for a business might not come cheap, but it is a task that an entrepreneur must go through.

Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC is a family business that will be owned and managed by Johnson Jael and his immediate family members. They are the sole financiers of the firm but may likely welcome other partners later which is why they decided to restrict sourcing of start-up capital for the business to just three major sources.

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up 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 $100,000 ( Personal savings $80,000 and soft loan from family members $20,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $400,000 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

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Johnson Jael® Vegetable Farms, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to sell our farm produce (vegetables and fruits) a little cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Johnson Jael® Vegetable 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 of our business strategy.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more as determined by the board of the organization. We know that if this is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry and 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 in various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing of farm land in Los Angeles – California (preparing the farm land inclusive): Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Start – up Capital generation: Completed
• Writing of Business Plan : Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging, Marketing/Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Building /construction of greenhouse and hothouse facility: In Progress
• 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, transporters/haulage and suppliers of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides): Completed

Related Posts:

• Marijuana Cultivation Business Plan [Sample Template]
• CBD Hemp Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]
• Lavender Farm Business Plan [Sample Template]
• Soybean Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]
• Rose Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]

An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know

• Translated Resources |
• Service Centers |
• Local Dashboard

Farmers.gov is not optimized for this browser. Please use the latest versions of Chrome, Edge, or Safari for the best experience. Dismiss

Find your state/county's agriculture data and USDA resources on your farmers.gov Local Dashboard !

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

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.

Vegetable Farm Business Plan PDF Download | Small Vegetable Farming Business Plan

How to Start a Vegetable Farming Business - Vegetable Farming Business Plan

Are you considering starting a Vegetable Farming Business and need a vegetable farm business plan ? if yes, you'll find this free book to be extremely helpful.

This is a practical guide that will walk you step by step through all the essentials of starting vegetable farm business . The book is packed with guides, worksheets and checklists. These strategies are absolutely crucial to your business' success yet are simple and easy to apply.

Don’t Start a New Vegetable Farming Business Unless You Watch This Video First!

Checklist for Starting a Business: Essential Ingredients for Success

If you are thinking about going into business, it is imperative that you watch this video first! it will take you by the hand and walk you through each and every phase of starting a business. It features all the essential aspects you must consider BEFORE you start a business. This will allow you to predict problems before they happen and keep you from losing your shirt on dog business ideas. Ignore it at your own peril!

Here’s a Valuable Free Gift for You This is a high quality, full blown business plan template complete with detailed instructions and all related spreadsheets. You can download it to your PC and easily prepare a professional business plan for your business. Click Here! To get your free business plan template

The Single Most Important Ingredient for Business Success

The first and most important thing you need to acquire in order to succeed in a small business is... knowledge.

Sounds exaggerated? Listen to this...

According to research conducted by Dun & Bradstreet, 90% of all small business failures can be traced to poor management resulting from lack of knowledge.

This is backed up by my own personal observations. In my 31 years as a business coach and consultant to small businesses, I've seen practically dozens of small business owners go under and lose their businesses -- not because they weren't talented or smart enough -- but because they were trying to re-invent the wheel rather than rely on proven, tested methods that work.

Conclusion: if you are really serious about succeeding in a business... If you want to avoid the common traps and mistakes... it is absolutely imperative that you acquire the right knowledge.

"Why Invent Mediocrity, When You Can Copy Genius?"

That's an excellent quote I picked up from a fellow business owner a few years back. What this means is that you should see what is working and try to duplicate Printing Business. Why go through all the trouble of inventing something new, that you don't even know will ever work, when you can easily learn from and duplicate something that has been a proven success?

[ Note: One of the BIGGEST mistakes almost all new businesses make is that they WASTE tons of valuable time, energy and money on trying to create something "new", that has never been tested or proven... only to find out later that it was a total loss. Don't make the same mistake! ]

Hi! My name is Meir. I'm the founder and president of BizMove.com, a successful internet based information business. I'm also the author of numerous books, mostly in the area of small business management.

I've been involved in small business for the past 31 years of my life, as a business coach, manager of a consulting firm, a seminar leader and as the owner of five successful businesses.

During my career as a business coach and consultant I've helped dozens of business owners start their businesses, market, expand, get out of troubles, sell their businesses and do practically every other small business activity you can think of. You see, I have been there .... done it ... and bought the Small Business t-shirt! -- This free book contains techniques and strategies I've learned during my 31 year small business career.

Here's what you'll discover in the 'How to Start a Vegetable Farming Business' book:

Success Tip: Setting Goals

Good management is the key to success and good management starts with setting goals. Set goals for yourself for the accomplishment of the many tasks necessary in starting and managing your business successfully. Be specific. Write down the goals in measurable terms of performance. Break major goals down into sub-goals, showing what you expect to achieve in the next two to three months, the next six months, the next year, and the next five years. Beside each goal and sub-goal place a specific date showing when it is to be achieved.

Plan the action you must take to attain the goals. While the effort required to reach each sub-goal should be great enough to challenge you, it should not be so great or unreasonable as to discourage you. Do not plan to reach too many goals all at one time.

Establish priorities. Plan in advance how to measure results so you can know exactly how well you are doing. This is what is meant by "measurable" goals. If you can’t keep score as you go along you are likely to lose motivation. Re-work your plan of action to allow for obstacles which may stand in your way. Try to foresee obstacles and plan ways to avert or minimize them.

Click here! to download your Vegetable Farming Business book for free (PDF version)

Management Skills Video: How to Become a Great Manager and Leader

Learn how to improve your leadership skills and become a better manager and leader. Here's how to be the boss people want to give 200 percent for. In the following video you'll discover 120 powerful tips and strategies to motivate and inspire your people to bring out the best in them.

For more insightful videos visit our Small Business and Management Skills YouTube Chanel .

Here're other free books in the "how to start a business" series that may interest you:

Here's a Sample 'Executive Summary' for a Vegetable Farming Business plan :

[Company Name] is led by owner [Name], who has considerable experience in running an effective business. [Name] has a strong farming background due to his family's farming tradition that dates back to the early 1900's. In 2007 [Name] Farms became [Company Name] after forming a general partnership. The Company is headquartered in Dexter, Missouri where it serves as a row crop business specializing in popcorn, cotton, rice, wheat, soybeans and purple hull peas. The focus of this business plan is to put forth objectives to make our business stronger, implement new technologies to focus more in detail on financial exponents, to justify payroll for experience and become a role model family farming operation. [Company Name] is ready to elevate to the next step. The Company is seeking grant funding in the amount of $560,000. The funding will be used to purchase trucks and trailers, purchase GPS equipment and purchase new tractors. Based on the detailed financial projections, [Company Name] future sales for 2010, 2011 and 2012 are expected to be $2,203,949, $2,270,068 and $2,338,170, respectively.

1.1 Objectives

[Company Name] has four main objectives:

• To make our business stronger
• To implement new technologies to focus more in detail on financial exponents
• To justify payroll for experience
• To become a role model family farming operation

1.2 Mission

[Company Name]' mission is to become a strong and self-sustaining farming operation with an interest in educating and offering training and guidance to newer operations; therefore, allowing the Company to give back to the community.

1.3 Keys to Success

[Company Name]' keys to success are:

• To have the ability to grow and strengthen the business to allow proper marketability
• To supply the farming operation with sufficient equipment to allow efficient farming, planting, maintaining and harvesting.  

[Company Name] is headquartered in Dexter, Missouri.

Company: [Company Name] Name: [Name] Address: [Address] Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX Fax: XXX-XXX-XXXX Email: [Email Address] [Name] Farms was established in 1996 by its owner [Name]. [Name] has a strong farming background due to his family's farming tradition that dates back to the early 1900's. In 2007 [Name] Farms became [Company Name] after forming a general partnership. [Company Name] is a row crop business specializing in popcorn, cotton, rice, wheat, soybeans and purple hull peas. The farm headquarters is located in Dexter, Missouri, which is 25 miles west of the Mississippi River; therefore providing a fertile and well drained farmland.   [Company Name] main crop is cotton, which is very suitable for the area. The farm uses popcorn as a rotation crop because research shows that cotton/corn rotation produces the best yields. Additionally, the farm uses rice on the poorly drained soil and soybeans for that rotation to help on weed control.  The wheat and peas are used as a double crop to maximize profit on the un-irrigated land.  

2.1 Company Ownership

In 2007 [Name] Farms and [Company Name] formed a general partnership to increase profitability. The owner [Name] controls all interests of the partnership.

2.2 Company History

[Company Name]' sales for 2007, 2008, and 2009 were $856,335, $1,651,482 and $1,472,218, respectively. Earnings for this period were ($104,118), $470,898 and ($23,015), respectively. 

2007 was the first year of the partnership, which allowed the Company to double its farmable acres. [Company Name] raised popcorn on all of the new acreage and had an unbelievable yield; therefore, the income in 2008 was the 2007 profit. However, the Company experienced some loss during 2008-2009 due to extreme winds damaging the popcorn crops.

Table: Past Performance

3.0 products.

[Company Name] is a Dexter, Missouri farming service specializing in grain and fiber production. [Company Name] is a high quality row crop business that produces popcorn, cotton, rice, wheat, soybeans and purple hull pea’s crops. [Company Name] offers superior products that are suitable for sale and exportation. Learn The Leadership Skills The Pros Use Leadership is a quality that most people respect. If you are a good leader, you can get people to support you and follow you almost anywhere. You may not think that you have what it takes to be a leader, but that couldn't be more from the truth. If you use the tips here, you will find your inner leader. Effective leaders are inspiring. You need to develop the ability to inspire those who work under you, motivating them to work toward a common goal. You can use public speaking to achieve this, but there are also videos, blogs, articles and other methods to convey your uplifting message to your audience. Allow ample opportunity for your employees to offer feedback and new ideas. Although group meetings are the ideal setting for exchange of information, some employees may not feel confident offering opinions in such a public forum. Work with employees individually as well. This will help you gain trust and get some honest feedback. Walk the talk. Leaders don't say one thing and do another. That is confusing to employees, and demotivating in many ways. Instead live by what you say. Follow through and lead by example. Then you'll have more than employees, you'll have champions who believe in your business and your leadership too. Offer incentives to employees who continually perform well. You can use a standard model with known rewards or surprise good employees with some type of recognition and bonus. Be sure you don't make promises that you can't keep. Always encourage your employees to do their best work and make sure each one understands their role in your organization. Be sure that you spend some time each day out of your office, and in the midst of the workforce. Try to be a part of the group, while maintaining your leadership role. You can use this time to get to know your employees, ask questions or even join them for lunch. Being a good leader doesn't just mean that you lead others. You also need the skills to lead yourself. Leading yourself by staying motivated and focused can also set a great example for others. Make an effort to become a working part of your organization and not just delegate tasks to others. To be an effective leader you have to know your own strengths and weaknesses. Delegate responsibilities in areas that you are weak in to the members of your team that excel in them. You'll give your team members a chance to shine, while ensuring that the job is carried out effectively. Set goals for everyone under you. Use annual goals to motivate your employees to strive for greatness. Don't just set them up and let them disappear over the year. Meet on the goals at least monthly, and hold everyone accountable as a team for reaching them. Adopt an eternal attitude of learning. While this article has great tips in it, there's always something more to learn. Business changes and evolves and you need to keep up with it. Always be reading books, newspapers and blogs. If possible, attend classes and workshops. Those are chances to learn and network. As a leader, it is necessary to maintain an optimistic attitude in the workplace. Displaying a lack of confidence and expressing doubts about your team's chances of success is not the way to motivate your team. You can't expect to receive their best effort if they feel they are doomed to fail. Be a good example for your team. Just like the parents of a family, you are who your team looks up to in your organization. Do not talk negatively about the company you work for or your bosses to your team. It sets a horrible example and may come back to haunt you. Have a vision. Planning for the future is important. Things might be great now, but will it still be a year from now? What about ten years from now? Try to keep abreast of any change that might be relevant to your business. Shape your plans and your vision accordingly. Leaders should never be alone. Let others help you; teamwork is essential. As a leader, you should bring many people together to collaborate, make decisions and offer individual perspective. Then you, the leader, will be free to do the job you do best-lead. Being a good leader means being clear with what you expect from your employees. They aren't mind readers, and neither are you. A good team thrives on structure which you can provide. Tell your employees what's expected of them. Be clear in your goals. Don't be vague about outcomes. The difference between a charismatic leader and a self-aggrandizing leader is the former's ability to back up his or her claims. While the charismatic leader does take pride in these accomplishments, the key reason for sharing them is to inspire others. Try to use your past successes and experiences to give others the confidence they need to achieve their own goals. A leadership role can sometimes make a huge demand on certain people. This can cause your work-life balance to shift negatively. Well-rounded people make the best leaders. Do your best to enjoy other areas of life. When you find yourself in need of inspiration, remember that good leaders are all around you. Many people immediately think of CEOs and politicians when asked for examples of leaders. Look to the groups you most admire, such as your favorite sports team, teacher, or charity. Who is in charge, and what are they doing that makes their respective organizations so appealing? Use these insights as you develop your own leadership style. It is hard to be a leader all of the time. However, being a leader affords people great respect. That is why you must find the leader that is in you. Make use of the information laid out in this article, and you will be able to lead your business or organization in ways you have not yet considered.

Copyright © by Bizmove Free Business Guides. All rights reserved.

Agriculture Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Agriculture Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and farm owners create business plans to start and grow their agricultural companies.

If you’re unfamiliar with creating an agriculture or farm business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process. For most entrepreneurs it is, but for you, it won’t be since we’re here to help. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a good business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write an agriculture business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is an Agriculture Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your agricultural business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It is a valuable tool that explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.  

Why You Need a Business Plan for an Agriculture Business

If you’re looking to start an agricultural business or grow your existing agricultural company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your farm to improve your chances of success. Your agricultural business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.  

Sources of Funding for Agricultural Businesses

With regard to funding, the main sources of funding for an agricultural business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review a comprehensive 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 ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for agricultural companies.

    Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for an agricultural business.

If you want to start an agricultural business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. A good farm business plan should include 10 sections as follows:

Executive Summary

Company overview, industry analysis, customer analysis, competitive analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team, financial plan.

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 kind of farm business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have an agricultural business that you would like to grow, or do you have a farming operation that you would like to sell? Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the agricultural industry.
• Discuss the type of farm you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

In your company overview, you will detail the type of agricultural production you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of agricultural businesses:

• Animal feed manufacturing : the production and sale of food formulas for farm animals.
• Agrichemical and seed manufacturing : the production and sale of agrichemicals (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides) and seeds to farmers that support the growth of their crops.
• Agricultural engineering : development, testing, and implementation of new agriculture tools and machinery to improve the process for farmers.
• Biofuel manufacturing : the production of energy from biomass.
• Crop production : the process of growing and harvesting a variety of crops such as fruits, vegetables, and grains.

In addition, the company overview needs to provide information about the business history.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include reaching X number of harvests per year, the number of customers served, or reaching $X amount in revenue.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the agricultural industry. While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the agricultural industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies industry trends.

The third reason 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 this section:

• How big is the agricultural industry (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 target market for your agricultural 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.

The customer analysis section must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, schools, families, and corporations.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of agricultural business you operate. Clearly, schools would respond to different marketing promotions than corporations, for example.

Try to break out your target market into segments in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target audience. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your Agriculture Business Plan in 1 Day!

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

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

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other farms and agricultural producers.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes other types of farmers, wholesalers, and distributors.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business 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 type of agricultural business are they?
• 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 make it easier for your customers to engage with you?
• Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
• 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.

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For an agriculture business, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of agricultural company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you produce fruit, soy, or vegetable products?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your agricultural company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your agricultural business located on a small or large farm near your customer base? And, will you operate one or multiple locations? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Attend farmers markets
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

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, including scheduling employees, tracking inventory, accepting orders and payments, and meeting with customers.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to reach your Xth harvest, or when you hope to generate $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your farm business to a new region.

To demonstrate your potential to succeed, 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 managing agricultural businesses. 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 as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing an agriculture business, or owning their own farm.

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 revenue 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, how many pounds of each crop do you plan to yield each season? And what is your sales strategy to 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

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your farm business, this 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 lender writes you a check for $50,000, 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 ensure 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.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a farm business:

• Cost of farm equipment and supplies
• Operating expenses
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up costs (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

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 farm’s location lease or a list of agricultural equipment and machinery used on your farm.  

Free Business Plan Template for a Farm or Agriculture Business

You can download our farm business plan PDF template here.  

Agriculture Business Plan Summary

Putting together a business plan for your agriculture business will improve your company’s chances of success. The process of developing your plan will help you better understand your target market, your competition, and your customers. You will also gain a marketing plan to better attract and serve customers, an operations plan to focus your efforts, and financial projections that give you goals to strive for and keep your company focused.

Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your business plan.  

Additional Resources for Starting an Agriculture Business

• How To Start a Farm
• Sample Farm Business Plan
• Starting a New Agricultural Business
• Small and Mid-Sized Farmer Resources
• Starting a Sustainable Agriculture Business
• Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Loans
• Business Resources for Those Starting to Farm or for an Existing Farm

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

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.

Click here to see how Growthink’s business plan professional services can help you create a winning business.  

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Market Gardening: A Start Up Guide

By Janet Bachmann, NCAT Agriculture Specialist

Photo: Edwin Remsberg, USDA/CSREES

Market gardening involves the intense production of high-value crops from just a few acres and gives farmers the potential to increase their income. Market gardening is also of interest to people considering agriculture as an alternative lifestyle. This publication provides an overview of issues you need to be aware of as you consider starting market gardening and suggests helpful resources.

Introduction Business plan Choosing markets Learning production and marketing techniques Selecting equipment Planning and recordkeeping Labor Food safety Agricultural insurance Organic market gardening Grower profiles References Further resources

Introduction

Market gardening is the commercial production of vebgetables, fruits, flowers and other plants on a scale larger than a home garden, yet small enough that many of the principles of gardening are applicable. The goal, as with all farm enterprises, is to run the operation as a business and to make a profit. Market gardening is often oriented toward local markets, although production for shipping to more distant markets is also possible.

Business plan

Starting any business demands an investment of time and money. When you invest in your own business, be it market gardening or something else, a business plan will help ensure success. Developing your business plan helps you define your business, create a road map for operations, set goals, judge progress, make adjustments and satisfy a lender’s request for a written explanation of how a loan will be used. A basic business plan includes:

• What? Describe your product or service
• Why? Describe the need for your product or service
• Who? Describe your customer
• When? Draw a timeline and list all the tasks you need to accomplish
• Where? Describe the location of your business
• How? Describe equipment, materials and supplies you will use in your market garden and how you will finance your market garden

The 280-page publication Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses is an excellent tool for business planning. Developed by the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture in St. Paul, Minn., and co-published by the Sustainable Agriculture Network, the book helps people involved with commercial alternative and sustainable agriculture create profitable businesses. The book contains sample and blank worksheets that help you learn how to set goals, research processing alternatives, determine potential markets and evaluate financing options to create a business plan.

The book Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market , published in 1999 by University of Vermont vegetable specialist Vernon Grubinger, has an outline for a basic five-part business plan. The ATTRA publication Agricultural Business Planning Templates and Resources lists additional resources, primarily website links.

Choosing markets

Farmers market. Photo: Jim Lukens

You need to develop a focused marketing plan before planting any crops. A marketing plan helps, but does not guarantee, that most of what you plant will be sold and can help eliminate wasted time, space, produce and money. Many market gardeners try to maximize their income by selling directly to consumers and bypassing wholesalers and other middlemen. Tailgate markets, farmers’ markets, roadside and on-farm stands, pick-your-own operations and subscription marketing are common direct-marketing strategies. Sales to restaurants, institutions and schools and grocery stores are common wholesale marketing strategies. More in-depth details are provided in other ATTRA publications. Most market gardeners use several outlets. Diversity in marketing, as well as diversity in planting, is a cornerstone of stability.

If you choose a wholesale market, you will not be able to charge retail prices, but your labor cost for marketing may be reduced. The case study summarized below points out that price premiums at farmers’ markets are not pure profit and less-costly wholesale marketing produced the highest profits.

A California case study When comparing markets, be sure to compare the costs as well as the returns. If you sell wholesale, you will not get the price premiums expected at a farmers’ market, but your labor cost for marketing will be lower. A case study in California compared marketing costs of three farms selling by wholesale, community-supported agriculture and farmers’ market methods. All three farms were well-established, diversified organic growers in northern California. One farm was small, with 20 acres and two full-time employees; one medium, with 70 acres and seven employees; and one larger, with 240 acres and 30 employees. Labor was the highest marketing expense for all the farms. At the small farm, labor was 77 percent of all marketing costs, ranging from 67 percent for wholesale marketing methods to 82 percent for farmers’ markets. Farmers’ markets generated the lowest net revenue return for all three growers, while wholesale provided the highest net return for all. The study shows that price premiums at farmers’ markets are not pure profit. (Hardesty, 2008).

Selling melons from a tailgate. Photo: UM Food Services

Tailgate marketing is one of the simplest forms of direct marketing. It involves parking a vehicle loaded with produce on a road or street with the hope that people will stop and purchase the produce. This is commonly used for selling in-season regional produce. This method takes very little investment and can be set up on short notice. Check with your city government first if you plan to set up inside a city. Some cities have regulations governing transient vendors.

Farmers’ markets are an excellent place for a beginning market gardener to sell his or her crop. Farmers’ markets do not demand that a vendor bring a consistent supply of high-quality produce every market day, although that is the goal. If you have less-than-perfect tomatoes, you may be able to sell them as canners at a reduced price. A farmers’ market is a wonderful place to meet people and develop steady customers, which can lead to additional marketing channels. Disadvantages include the need to spend time away from the farm and the possibility of having produce left over at the end of the market. The ATTRA publication Farmers’ Markets: Marketing and Business Guide offers more information and resources about establishing, promoting and being successful at a farmers’ market. On-farm marketing strategies include roadside or farm stands and pick-your-own arrangements.

Farm stand. Photo: Maggie Hoback, fullcirclefarm.com

On-farm marketing strategies are often successful because pick-your-own customers who come for the enjoyment of spending time in the field will often also purchase harvested crops. Innovative farmers have found that on-farm entertainment, like animals to pet or pumpkins to carve, can be profitable additions to on-farm markets. For these marketing methods, a mower may be your most important piece of equipment since you will need to keep the farm landscape neat to attract customers. See the ATTRA publication Entertainment Farming and Agri-Tourism for more information about on-farm selling.

Subscription marketing is a strategy that continues to gain interest and has benefited from the use of the Internet. Community supported agriculture (CSA) is one type of subscription marketing that involves providing subscribers with a weekly basket of seasonal produce, flowers or livestock products. The subscribers pay at the beginning of the season for part of or their entire share of the farmer’s planned production.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Bivalve MD. Photo: Edwin Remsberg, USDA/CSREES

This eliminates the problem of covering up-front production costs at the beginning of the season and guarantees a market.

The challenge for the grower is to have a consistent and continuous supply of popular vegetables throughout the growing season. It is helpful to survey the customers or members about their preferences before planting. Refer to ATTRA’s publication Community Supported Agriculture for more information.

Restaurants that are interested in serving fresh, locally grown produce can be a good market. Chefs or restaurant owners are very busy people. Ask the chefs what day and hour is the best time to call to find out what produce they need, and then be consistent about calling at that time every week. You can also find out when to make deliveries. Chefs appreciate the opportunity to tell you what they can use or would like to try. ATTRA’s Selling to Restaurants has more information about selling to chefs, as does Diane Green’s Selling Produce to Restaurants: A Marketing Guide for Small Growers , which is listed in the Further resources section.

A green restaurant supplier Greentree Naturals, a certified-organic farm in Sandpoint, Idaho, supplies a number of local restaurants. Diane Green and her husband, Thom Sadoski, created greentreenaturals.com to let people know about their products, workshops and projects. The website also gives Green and Sadoski a way to answer questions from other farmers. “We receive frequent requests asking us how to do what we do,” Green explains. ” While on the one hand, we do not want to give away the hard-earned knowledge that we have learned about being successful small-acreage growers, we feel it is very important that more people are exploring the possibilities of becoming farmers. We believe that our experience has value. We are proud of what we do.”

Grocery and natural food stores may be one of the most difficult markets to break into for small-scale growers, but as interest in locally grown food increases, some stores are looking for ways to make this easier. If you want to sell to retailers, remember that they need consistently available and high-quality products. Have a sample of your product with you when you visit the store and know your selling price for the product.

A number of farm-to-school programs across the country make schools and institutions another market for small-scale growers. Food service departments at schools across the country are joining forces with concerned parents, teachers, community activists and farmers to provide students with healthy meals while simultaneously supporting small farmers in their region. Check to see if a farm-to-school program exists in your community. Healthy Farms, Healthy Kids: Evaluating the Barriers and Opportunities for Farm-to-School Programs, a campaign started by the Community Food Security Coalition, examines seven farm-to-school projects from around the country and provides plenty of information to start a farm-to-school program. See the Further Resources section for information on how to find the Healthy Farms, Healthy Kids publication.

Market gardeners can use the Internet to transact business or distribute information about farms and products. How to Direct Market Farm Products on the Internet , a U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service publication, discusses what to consider before using the Internet as a marketing tool and provides examples of farmers’ experiences, as well as links to more information.

Learning production and marketing techniques

Apprenticing with an experienced market gardener is one of the best ways to learn sound techniques. If that opportunity isn’t available, you can attend workshops and conferences, visit with other market growers, read industry materials, watch videos and experiment. State fruit and vegetable grower organizations, sustainable agriculture and organic grower groups and regional and national organizations host conferences, trade shows, workshops and field days where a wealth of information is shared. A few of these organizations, workshops and educational materials are listed in the Further resources section.

The Cooperative Extension System is an excellent source of bulletins on production basics for most crops. The service may be able to provide on-site consultation if you have production questions. Check calendars in trade magazines and the ATTRA events calendar for conference postings. See ATTRA’s website for current publications on soil fertility management; season extension techniques; organic production of specific crops; postharvest handling; and insect pest, weed and disease management.

The books listed below are all highly recommended by those who have used them. Which one may be the most useful to you on a day-to-day basis depends on your scale of production. See the Further resources section for ordering information.

Market Farming Success was written by Lynn Byczynski, editor and publisher of the journal Growing for Market. The advice in this book comes from the personal experience of the author and her husband, Dan Nagengast, as market growers in eastern Kansas, as well as interviews with many other growers around the country. The book is intended to help those who are or want to be in the business of growing and selling food, flowers, herbs or plants create a profitable and efficient business. Market Farming Success identifies the key areas that usually hamper beginners and shows how to avoid those obstacles. The book discusses how much money you will need to start growing, how much money you can expect to earn, the best crops and markets, essential tools, how to keep records to maximize profits and further resources.

Eliot Coleman’s The New Organic Grower: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener is written for market gardeners with about 5 acres of land in vegetable crop production. Coleman, an agriculture researcher, educator and farmer, describes techniques using walking tractors, wheel hoes, multi-row dibble sticks and soil block transplants. The sections on planning, crop rotations, green manures, soil fertility, direct seeding and transplants are inspiring. Coleman includes season extension techniques in this book and authored additional books on this topic, including Four Season Harvest and The Winter Harvest Manual.

Sustainable Vegetable Production from Startup to Market was written by Vern Grubinger, a vegetable and berry specialist for University of Vermont Extension and director of the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The book is aimed at aspiring and beginning farmers. The book introduces the full range of processes for moderate-scale vegetable production using ecological practices that minimize the need for synthetic inputs and maximize conservation of resources. The book provides practical information on essential matters like selecting a farm site; planning and recordkeeping; marketing options; and systems for starting, planting, protecting and harvesting crops. The book’s final chapter profiles the experiences of 19 vegetable growers, focusing on individual crops, and provides each grower’s budget for these crops.

How to Grow More Vegetables: And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine, by John Jeavons, details biointensive gardening techniques. The book emphasizes the use of hand tools, raised bed production, intensive spacing, companion planting and organic fertility management. The planning charts are aimed at helping families provide for their own food needs, but can be adapted for use by market gardeners as well.

Selecting equipment

Table 1 is adapted from a chart distributed to participants at an Advanced Organic Vegetable Production Workshop sponsored by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. The chart provides an estimate of equipment needs for market gardens of various sizes. The publication Grower to grower: Creating a livelihood on a fresh market vegetable farm also provides information on equipment options for different sizes of farms (Hendrikson, 2005). Please keep in mind that your own needs will differ. You may be able to adapt machinery that you already have or you may be able to buy used machinery. If you are just starting out with a small amount of land, it may be more economical to purchase transplants than to build a greenhouse and grow your own. It may make sense to have primary tillage done by someone with a large tractor rather than purchase a tractor for this purpose.

Depending on your location and choice of crops, irrigation is a must for consistent and high-quality production, even on a scale of less than an acre. Drip or trickle irrigation is becoming the method of choice for many fruit, vegetable and flower growers. Grubinger’s book provides a summary of overhead sprinkle and drip or trickle irrigation systems. Byczynski’s book also explains how to set up a drip system. Your local extension office can supply detailed bulletins. An irrigation specialist who will work with you to design a system to meet your needs is also helpful.

Tools of the trade It is possible to operate a market garden of less than an acre with little more than a shovel, rake, hoe and garden hose. However, most serious market gardeners acquire labor-saving tools such as walk-behind rototillers, mowers, small greenhouses and small refrigerator units. Some growers, especially those farming more than an acre, use small tractors with a limited array of implements. Experienced market gardeners advise beginning growers to first purchase equipment that will support the back end of their operations. A small walk-in cooler to maintain high product quality or an irrigation system to assure consistent yields and quality might be more important early purchases than a tractor (Hendrickson, 2005).

Planning and recordkeeping

Recordkeeping may be one of the most difficult tasks for market gardeners, but good records are critical if you want to know which crops are profitable. Market gardeners need records to fine-tune planting, cultivation, pest management and harvest schedules. Records help answer questions about labor, equipment and capital needs, and are valuable when developing business plans.

Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm in Graham, N.C., keeps extensive records. The records include planned and actual data for what crops he plants, where crops are planted in the field and when Hitt plants the crops. He keeps a harvest record and a crop rotation record. Hitt tallies the produce he brings to farmers’ markets, charts selling prices and notes what doesn’t sell. In addition, he keeps track of farm expenses and income and records daily activities, including time spent on each farm task. A sample planting record is included on a CD titled Organic Vegetable Production and Marketing in the South with Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm, produced by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group.

The size of your operation and the crops, markets, and equipment you choose will determine the amount of labor needed. Two of the growers profiled in this publication have decided that they do not want to hire outside help and planned their production and marketing accordingly.

Many market gardeners, however, will need help. In an advanced organic vegetable production workshop offered by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Richard DeWilde of Harmony Valley Farm explains how to manage labor so crews will be happy and productive. DeWilde’s operation is one described in the grower profiles at the end of this publication.

DeWilde emphasizes that it is important to be clear about your employee expectations and operating procedures. He does this by meeting regularly with his employees and using an employee manual. An employee manual details farm standards and expectations. For example, it might tell people what to do with trash and include a Friday night checklist to ensure that supplies and equipment are properly stored at the end of the week. Employees do not work on Saturday or Sunday.

On Monday morning DeWilde meets with his crew in the packing shed. He makes the day and week manageable by writing down all that needs to be accomplished on two dry-erase boards. One board provides information about tasks planned for the entire week. On the other board, De Wilde posts tasks for the day with assignments for who will do each task. Past records show how long it should take to do each task. This information is critical for determining assignments.

Separate task sheets list supplies needed for each task. For example, if floating row covers need to be laid, the task sheet will include shovels, markers and marking pens.

Harmony Valley Farm commits to providing full-time jobs. A list of rainy-day tasks and extra chores is on hand to ensure that employees always have something useful to do.

DeWilde emphasizes that it is important for employers to be knowledgeable about government regulations, including field sanitation, drinking water, worker protection and safety regulations. A resource for learning about government regulations is Neil D. Hamilton’s The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing. The book includes a chapter on labor and employment. See the Further resources section for ordering information.

Food safety

Changing lifestyles and a growing interest among consumers in fresh, nutritious food has created an increase in produce consumption. Along with this increase, there has been an increase in the number of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with fresh fruits and vegetables. An occurrence can cause irreparable damage to a business, both legally and from the negative effects on its reputation (Cuellar, 2001).

Currently, there are no mandatory rules for the safe growing and packing of fruits and vegetables, except for those regulating water and pesticide residues under the surveillance of the Environmental Protection Agency. In 1998, however, the EPA published the Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, comprising a set of Good Agricultural Practices. Although the practices are optional, many growers incorporate them into their operations. Extension offices in a number of states provide bulletins outlining safe growing and packing practices. Cornell University compiled a number of educational materials in English and other languages. The National GAPs Education Materials can be found at Cornell’s website. Kansas State University published Food*A*Syst , a handbook to help address food safety and environmental concerns. The University of California’s Good Agricultural Practices: A Self Audit for Growers and Handlers is also available online.

Agricultural insurance

According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, insurance is one of the most overlooked pieces of running a farm business. In today’s litigious culture, it is wise to have adequate coverage for all your farm activities. Insurance coverage is available for nearly any activity on your farm, but the cost of coverage may not be economically viable. Shop around for the insurance that best suits your needs and balance the coverage into your farm business plan.

If your farming operation is very small, you may be able to simply add coverage to your homeowner’s policy. Larger operations may require a farm policy that includes property coverage as well as liability coverage for physical injury and ingested food products. A farm policy can also cover a roadside stand whether or not it is on your property and may be extended by endorsement to cover a farmers’ market stand. Farms that process foods or sell primarily flowers or other non-edibles may require a commercial general liability policy (WSDA, 2006).

Visit the Washington State Department of Agriculture website for more information.

The Pennsylvania State University bulletin Agricultural Business Insurance discusses the different types of insurance you should consider as part of your risk management strategy. Agricultural business insurances include general liability, product liability, business property, workers compensation, vehicle and crop insurance and more.

A very readable discussion on insurance is in Lynn Byczynski’s Market Farming Success . She advises that your best bet in finding what you need is to sit down with an independent agent and explain your business thoroughly. Another excellent resource on this issue is Neil Hamilton’s The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing.

Organic market gardening

Some market gardeners grow their crops organically. The motivations vary. Some market gardeners think it is the socially and environmentally responsible thing to do. Some are motivated by economic benefits. Organically grown produce typically commands higher prices in the marketplace. Growers who sell through CSAs or use other forms of relationship marketing sometimes find that their customers expect and demand organic produce. There is a long history that equates organic farming with fresh, whole foods.

The production and marketing of organic foods is subject to federal regulation. Organic production is defined in legal terms and use of the term organic is controlled. You must be certified by the USDA to market your products as organic unless your annual sales of organic products are less than $5,000. ATTRA has numerous publications that address organic matters. See ATTRA’s Guide to Organic Publications for more information.

Grower profiles

To give you additional ideas and inspiration, several market gardeners from different parts of the United States agreed to share information about their operations. Alex and Betsy Hitt are featured in the Sustainable Agriculture Network publication Building Soils for Better Crops , 2nd Ed. and The New American Farmer . Richard DeWilde and Linda Halley are also featured in The New American Farmer.

It is interesting to note that although each operation is unique, all have a number of things in common. These include:

• Diversity of crops
• Diversity of marketing strategies
• Cover crops grown for soil building
• Detailed recordkeeping systems
• Willingness to share knowledge and ideas with others

Peregrine Farm , Alex and Betsy Hitt, Graham, N.C.

Alex and Betsy Hitt began market gardening on their 26-acre farm near Chapel Hill, N.C., almost 20 years ago. They grow organic vegetables and specialty cut flowers on 5 acres and have a quarter of an acre in highbush blueberries. The Hitts sell primarily to local farmers’ markets, but have also sold to restaurants and stores.

“Our original goals,” Alex Hitt said, “were to make a living on this piece of ground while taking the best care of it that we could.” For the Hitts, making a living doing work they enjoy and finding a scale that allows them to do most of it themselves are key aspects of sustainability. Their crop mix and markets have changed over the years, as they continue to evaluate the success of each operation and its place within the whole system.

When the horse stable down the road went out of business, it forced the Hitts to reevaluate their farm fertility program. Without this source of free manure, the Hitts created an elaborate rotation that includes both winter and summer cover crops to supply organic matter and nitrogen, prevent erosion and crowd out weeds.

“We designed a rotation so that cover crops play a clear role,” Hitt said. “Many times, where other growers might say, ‘I need to grow a cash crop,’ we’ll grow a cover crop anyway.”

The farm stays profitable thanks to a marketing plan that takes full advantage of their location near Chapel Hill, home to the University of North Carolina. More unusual produce like leafy greens, leeks and rapini find a home in restaurants, and sell well alongside their most profitable lettuce, tomato, pepper and flower crops at area farmers’ markets.

A year in the Hitts’ rotation may include a cool-season cash crop and a summer cover crop like soybeans and sudangrass followed by a fall cash crop and then a winter cover.

“We have made a conscious decision in our rotation design to always have cover crops,” Alex Hitt said. “We have to. It’s the primary source for all of our fertility. If we can, we’ll have two covers on the same piece of ground in the same year.”

While other farmers grow beans, corn or another profitable annual vegetable in the summer after a spring crop, the Hitts don’t hesitate to take the land out of production. Instead, Alex Hitt said, their commitment to building organic matter in the soil yields important payoffs. The farm remains essentially free of soilborne diseases, which they attribute to “so much competition and diversity” in the soil. And, despite farming on a 5-percent slope, they see little or no erosion.

Table 2, above, shows the Hitt’s 10-year rotation plan.

Beech Grove Farm, Ann and Eric Nordell, Trout Run, Pa.

Neither Ann nor Eric grew up on a farm, but both gained experiences on other farms during and after college before they bought Beech Grove Farm, their small farm near Trout Run, Pa. In this area with steep, rugged terrain and a relatively short growing season, they had three goals:

• Remain debt-free
• Keep the farm a two-person operation
• Depend on the internal resources of the farm as much as possible.

Of the 90 acres on the farm, 30 are wooded. Six are cultivated for the market garden. The remainder, excluding the homestead and house garden, is left in pasture. They use draft horses and low-cost implements for cultivation and tillage and have the 6-acre plot divided into half-acre strips of 20 yards by 120 yards, which the Nordells find to be a good size for working with horses and by hand.

Because the farm is distant from major markets, the Nordells first chose crops that can be sold wholesale, like flowers and medicinal herbs for drying and root vegetables. As the couple became known in the area, they were approached by restaurant buyers to supply cool-season and specialty items. By 1998, they were selling to 10 fine restaurants in the area and at the Williamsport farmers’ market. Income from wholesale markets is now only 10 percent of their total income.

For the Nordells, as for all market gardeners, weeds presented a major challenge. They adapted a traditional field crop rotation system of corn, oats, wheat, grass and legume sod used in the Midwest and Pennsylvania to a rotation that includes vegetables, cover crops and a summer fallow. The half-acre strips are managed so that 3 acres are in crops and 3 acres are in fallow or cover crops. Over the years, the Nordells reduced the fallow period to six weeks or less as the weed population has diminished.

The Nordells collected copies of the articles they’ve written about rotation, cultivation, growing onions, using pigs to turn compost, designing a barn for animals and for compost production and more. They have a weed management publication, Weed the Soil Not the Crop ( ordering information can be found here ).

Harmony Valley Farm , Richard DeWilde and Linda Halley, Viroqua, Wis.

Richard DeWilde has farmed for most of his life. He moved to Harmony Valley Farm in 1984 after his farm in Minnesota was paved over by urban sprawl. Linda joined him there in 1990. The DeWildes grow vegetables, fruits and herbs on 70 acres and have pasture, hay and a few Angus steers on 220 acres. They sell produce wholesale at the Dane County Farmers’ Market in Madison, and through a 500-member CSA. DeWilde handles this scale of operation by hiring labor, becoming highly mechanized and through careful management.

DeWilde notes that his wholesale markets have been the most profitable, and CSA the least. The time needed for management makes the difference. The wholesale market is the least diverse. The money-making crops are turnips and daikon radishes. A CSA market demands a tremendous diversity of crops and a complexity of management needed for market.

Soil building is done with cover crops, compost and additional micronutrients as needed. Favored cover crops are sweet clover, vetch, rye, oats and peas. Seeds for these are available locally and are reasonably priced. The residue is chopped into the top 1 or 2 inches of soil with a rotovator.

DeWilde and Halley have experimented with many ingredients for making compost and have been pleased with dairy manure and cornstalks, which are readily available and have a good carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. The compost is made in windrows, turned with an old wildcat turner pulled by an International tractor equipped with a hydrostatic drive so that it can move slowly. Finished compost is spread on fields at a rate of 10 to 15 tons per acre.

One strategy for insect pest management on Harmony Valley Farm is to provide permanent habitat for natural predators and parasites. Refuge strips in the fields are made up of plants that attract and harbor beneficial insects and birds. A number of these plants can also be cut and sold as flowers or woody ornamentals.

Richard says his goal is “to develop an organic farming curriculum, complete with slides. My time and focus could be put into a Harmony Valley Farm operating manual. It would deal with communication, employee training and recordkeeping. Who knows? Maybe I would retire and do training seminars.”

Halley adds, “We really do have clear family goals: to continue to learn new ways to do things on the farm and communicate those things.”

Thompson Farms, Larry Thompson, Boring, Ore.

Oregon farmer Larry Thompson has a long history of using innovative, sustainable practices to grow his array of berries and vegetables. He also works closely with the fast-growing community of Damascus to develop policies that help farmers hold onto their operations as urban boundaries grow around them. Thompson Farms has 140 acres in strawberries, raspberries, cauliflower, broccoli and other crops. Produce is sold at farmers’ markets and farm stands; one in a new location just outside a hospital where patients, nurses and staff benefit from his healthy fruits and vegetables.

Thompson’s parents, Victor and Betty, began raising raspberries, strawberries and broccoli in the rolling hills southeast of Portland in 1947. Thompson’s parents sold their produce to local processors, where agents for canneries always set the purchase price. In 1983, Thompson took over operating the farm and sought more profitable places to sell his produce.

After Thompson started working on the 140-acre farm, he quickly learned that selling to canneries failed to cover production expenses. The family opened their farm to the local suburban community. Thompson started offering pick-your-own berries and selling the fruit at a stand he built at the farm. Strawberry sales were so strong that Thompson decided to plant new varieties to extend the season.

The Thompsons soon attracted a loyal following, primarily from Portland, which is 20 miles away. The family started selling at area farmers’ markets, too. The family and 23 employees raise 43 crops and sell them at six markets and two farm stands and through on-farm activities. For Thompson, profitability means that each year he earns more money than he spends. “I reach that level consistently,” he said.

Thompson makes sure he earns a profit. He calculates the cost of planting, raising and harvesting each crop, and then charges his customers double that. His most profitable crop is strawberries. Retaining different marketing channels gives Thompson a chance to cross-promote.

Thompson is a dedicated advocate of crop rotations and planting a succession of flowering species to control pests without pesticides. He relies on cover crops to control weeds and provide habitat for beneficial insects. Thompson allows native grasses and dandelions to grow between his berry rows. The dandelion blossoms attract bees, which are efficient berry pollinators. The mixed vegetation provides an alluring habitat that, along with flowering fruit and vegetable plants, draws insects that prey on pests. Late in the year, Thompson doesn’t mow broccoli stubble. Instead, he lets side shoots bloom, creating a long-term nectar source for bees into early winter. Thompson Farms sits on erodible soils and runoff used to be a major problem. But thanks to the cover crops and other soil cover, now virtually no soil leaves the farm.

Thompson won the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education’s 2008 Patrick Madden Award for Sustainable Agriculture. Many call him a pro at relationship marketing, or forming bonds with customers who see a value in local produce raised with few chemicals. Thompson regularly offers tours to students, other farmers, researchers and visiting international delegations to show off his holistic pest-management strategies and bounty of colorful crops. As a result, the farm attracts people by the busload for educational seasonal events.

“Instead of seeing my farm as a secluded hideaway, I am getting the community involved, bringing them to see our principles in action,” Thompson said (USDA CSREES, 2008).

Cuellar, Sandra. 2001. Assuring produce safety: A key industry marketing strategy. Small Fruit News of Central New York. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County. November. p. 3-5.

Hardesty, Shermain. 2008. Case study compares marketing costs of farms selling wholesale, CSA, and farmers market. Small Farm News. p. 4.

Hendrickson, John. 2005. Grower to Grower: Creating a Livelihood on a Fresh Market Vegetable Farm. CIAS, University of Wisconsin-Madison. p. 7.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service website. 2008. Larry Thompson-Boring, Oregon. Accessed April 2009.

Washington State Department of Agriculture website. 2006. Insurance and Risk Management. Accessed April 2009.

Further resources

Corum, Vance et al. 2001. The New Farmer’s Market: Farm-Fresh Ideas for Producers, Managers and Communities . Covers the latest tips and trends from leading sellers, managers and market planners all over the country, including the hottest products to grow and sell as well as how best to display and merchandise your products, set prices and run a friendly, profitable business. The second half of the book, written for market managers and city planners, offers ideas about how to use farmers’ markets as a springboard to foster community support for sustainable and locally grown foods. List of additional resources.

Hamilton, Neil D. 1999. The Legal Guide to Direct Farm Marketing. Drake University. 235 p. Covers questions about liability, insurance coverage, labor laws, advertising claims, zoning, pesticide drift, inspections and food safely issues.

Green, Diane. 2005. Selling Produce to Restaurants: A Marketing Guide for Small Growers . 95 p. The author is a certified organic grower in Idaho who markets through restaurants, CSA subscriptions and a farmers’ market.

DiGiacomo, Gigi, Robert King, and Dale Nordquist. 2003. Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses . Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture. 280 p.

Byczynski, Lynn. 2006. Market Farming Success . Fairplain Publications, Lawrence, KS. 138 p.

Coleman, Eliot. 1995. The New Organic Growers: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener , 2nd ed.

Coleman, Eliot. 1998. The Winter Harvest Handbook . 63 p. A supplement to The New Organic Grower, this manual records recent experience in planning, carrying out and fine tuning a fresh vegetable production and marketing operation on the back side of the calendar.

Grubinger, Vernon. 1999. Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market . NRAES-104. 270 p.

Jeavons, John. 2002. How to Grow More Vegetables , 6th ed. Ten Speed Press. 276 p.

Magdoff, Fred and H. van Es. 2000. Building Soils for Better Crops 2nd ed. [PDF/4.03M] Available for $19.95 plus $3.95 shipping and

Valerie Berton, editor. 2005. The New American Farmer . 200 p.

Azuma, Andrea Misako and Andrew Fisher. 2001. Healthy Farms, Healthy Kids . CFS Coalition. 64 p. This report documents the barriers and opportunities for school food services to purchase food directly from local farmers. Case studies and policy recommendationsare included.

Klotz, Jennifer-Claire. 2002. How to Direct Market Farm Products on the Internet . USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. 50 p.

Newenhouse, Astrid et al. 1998-2001. Work Efficiency Tip Sheets . University of Wisconsin. A series of tip sheets on labor efficiency for vegetable and berry growers.

Periodicals

Growing for Market Growing for Market is published 10 times per year. It covers growing and direct marketing vegetables, fruits, herbs, cut flowers and plants, farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture, the local food movement, organic growing, cut flowers, and much more.

Small Farm News The 12-page Small Farm News is published four times per year. It features farmer and farm advisor profiles, research articles, farm-related print and web resources, news items, and a calendar of state, national, and international events. The newsletter is free. However, contributions to help defray expenses are encouraged. Many past newsletters contained articles on marketing produce and crafts. Other SFC publications of possible interest include Small Farm Handbook, a guide for people interested in operating a successful small farm; Production Practices and Sample Costs, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Lettuce, and Okra.

The Packer Target audience is primarily large-scale produce growers and wholesalers.

American Vegetable Grower Monthly publication featuring production and marketing information. Annual Sourcebook provides information on state vegetable grower organizations. Also information about equipment and supplies. Print or online. Free to qualified growers and consultants. Meister also publishes American Fruit Grower.

Agencies, associations and organizations

North American Direct Marketing Association NAFDMA is a 501(c)6 trade association whose members include farmers, farmers’ market managers, extension agents, industry suppliers, government officials and others involved with agritourism, on-farm retail, farmers’ markets, pick-your-own, consumer-supported agriculture and direct delivery. The organization hosts an annual conference and trade show.

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers Formed in 1988, the essential goal of ASCFG is to help growers of specialty cut flowers produce a better crop. The ASCFG hosts an annual conference and trade show, regional workshops, coordinates new variety trials and publishes the Cut Flower Quarterly. Its members share information based on their field and marketing experience through a Bulletin Board.

Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems Wisconsin School for Beginning Market Growers is an intensive three-day course held in January or February. The course demonstrates what it takes to set up and run a successful market garden or small farm, including capital, management, labor and other resources. Topics include soil fertility, crop production, plant health and pest management, cover crops, equipment needs and labor considerations at different scales of operation and marketing and economics. The course is taught primarily by three growers whose farms vary in scale, cropping mix, marketing strategies and growing methods. It includes presentations and hands-on labs by University of Wisconsin faculty and other specialists.

Michael Fields Institute Michael Fields Agricultural Institute offers courses of benefit to people who want to become farmers and those who have been farming for many years. They are also creating opportunities for consumers to enter into farm life through cooking, gardening and farm tours. These include interactive workshops and on-site field trainings.

These videos were produced by Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont Extension, and feature vegetable growers in the Northeast:

• Farmers and Their Diversified Horticultural Marketing Strategies
• Farmers and Their Innovative Cover Cropping Techniques
• Vegetable Farmers and Their Weed-Control Machines
• Farmers and Their Ecological Sweet Corn Production Practices

For more, check out the University of Vermont’s youtube channel .

Market Farming list serve A discussion group that covers tools and equipment, markets, production practices, labor, and more.

Business plans

Developing a Business Plan . 2004. Agriculture Alternatives. Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension.

Building a Plan for Your Farm: Important First Steps . 2003. Jones, Rodney. Presented at the 2003 Risk and Profit Summer Conference.

Market Gardening: A Start Up Guide By Janet Bachmann NCAT Agriculture Specialist IP195 Slot 201 Version 062409

This publication is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. ATTRA.NCAT.ORG .

Originally Published May 2009, IP195

Related Publications

• Direct Marketing
• Community-Supported Agriculture
• Farmers’ Markets: Marketing and Business Guide
• Entertainment Farming and Agri-Tourism
• Postharvest Handling of Fruits and Vegetables
• Resource Guide to Organic and Sustainable Vegetable Production
• Scheduling Vegetable Plantings for Continuous Harvest
• Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners
• Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing

Freshly Picked

• Case Studies Highlight Northern Plains Water Management
• USDA Announces Funding Focused on Organic Production
• Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Sustainable Agricultural Systems
• Agrivoltaics Help Keep the ‘Farm’ in ‘Solar Farm’
• Goat & Sheep Dairy Development Grant

NCAT Websites

NCAT.ORG ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture  Armed to Farm AgriSolar Clearinghouse Soil for Water Latino Farmer Conference LIHEAP Clearinghouse Montana Harvest of the Month Grow Montana Mississippi Food Justice Collaborative

Don’t Miss!

About NCAT Donate Privacy Policy Social Media Community Policy Media Contact

National Center for Appropriate Technology

Helping people build resilient communities through local and sustainable solutions that reduce poverty, strengthen self-reliance, and protect natural resources.  

We use cookies. We want to make our website more user-friendly and continuously improve it. If you continue to use the website, you agree to the use of cookies.

Cookie and Privacy Settings

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.

If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

• Publications
• Farm management

How to write a business plan and review farm performance

Publication details

Description

This publication shows how to build your own comprehensive business plan, step-by-step. Identify strengths and weaknesses. Choose key performance indicators. Lots of worksheets and examples.

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Before you start Why prepare a business plan Where does a business plan fit in with your management? What size and scope for your business plan? Who should develop a business plan? Where should a business plan be stored? Wha't in a farm business plan?
• Chapter 2: How to write a farm business plan Who will participate in the planning process? Where are we now? Where do we want to be? How do we get there?
• Chapter 3: Monitor and review farm business performance Performance indicators - what to measure Monitoring financial performance Indicators of financial performance Farm business records Compare and evaluate Review, revise and adjust plans
• Chapter 4: Resources, further information and support Books On-line resources Advice, support and training
• Appendix 1: Partial budget
• Appendix 2: Gross margin budgets
• Appendix 3: Development budget

Other ways to buy

Order by phone, order by fax, order by mail, related publications.

Managing climate risk on your farm

Climate is what you expect; weather is what you get. Climate is about long term records, trends and averages. Weather is our day to day experience.

AgTech: an introduction

This publication is a practical guide to all things digital in agriculture. Reading this publication will help producers—large and small—to navigate through the complicated world of technology and connectivity in agriculture and better understand the language, devices, use cases, installation techniques and communications and so much more.

Property Planning

Property planning is a key part of caring for your land. Learn how to plan your farm layout so you can manage soil types and land capabilities to achieve sustainable production. Plan nature conservation measures to improve biodiversity and farm viability. Property Planning takes a simple, step-by-step approach.

Marketing agricultural products and services

This publication provides an overview of how marketing can be done better. No matter what your enterprise or niche product, this guide will take you through the essential decision steps to developing a marketing plan. Contains a range of real life case-studies.

Working with people in agriculture

A comprehensive resource for those looking to lift their skills and understanding of the complexities of working with people. Examines successful farm businesses and provided ways to attract, retain and develop staff.

Organic Farming - crops, fruit and vegetables

Principles of organic cropping plus extensive case studies for a range of enterprises such as soybeans, wheat, citrus, nuts, coffee, strawberries, tropical fruit, sheep, cattle, vegetables and many other examples.

Tocal newsletter

Want to find out about news, events, courses and publications?

• Agriculture Farming
• Livestock Farming

Project Reports

• Hydroponics
• Best Fertilizers
• Vertical Farming
• Sheep Farming
• Goat Farming
• Poultry Farming
• Fish Farming
• Pig Farming
• Dairy Farming
• Rabbit Farming
• Success Stories of Farmers
• Boost Fruit Yield
• District Wise Crop Production
• Schemes & Subsidies
• Agriculture Colleges
• Farm Insurance
• Disease Control And Management

Agriculture

Aquaculture

Horticulture

Agri Business

Vegetable Farming Business Plan for High Yield and Profits

Table of contents, things to consider in starting a vegetable farming business, production factors and techniques for vegetable farming business, marketing strategies used in a small vegetable farming business plan , importance of vegetable production, factors that determine successful vegetable production, production techniques of quality vegetables, production plan of a vegetable farming business, some of the important high yield vegetable crops, the conclusion of a vegetable farming business plan.

Introduction to vegetable farming business plan

Vegetables are very important sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants providing human health benefits. Vegetable farming business is a profitable business and this not only for a big farmer. It is also profitable for small and marginal farmers. A small-scale vegetable farming has the earning potential throughout the year. If you are planning for commercial vegetable production for maximum profits, you must have a proper vegetable farming business plan.

A step by step guide to vegetable farming business plan

Growing vegetable crops is the perfect way to turn your gardening skills and knowledge into extra income. Business planning is the key to success when you’re ready to invest in starting a vegetable-production business . Poor management and lack of planning are, in many cases, the main causes of business failure. Vegetable farming is a type of crop production intended mainly for human consumption of the crop’s edible parts such as the shoot, leaves, fruits, and roots. According to the consuming part of the crop, vegetables are mainly divided into the following groups;

• Leafy vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, spinach)
• Fruit vegetables (pepper, cucumber, tomato)
• Root vegetables (carrot, radish, sweet potato)
• Bulb vegetables (garlic, onion, fennel)
• Flower vegetables (artichoke, cauliflower, broccoli)

Vegetable farming business demands proper planning, investment, adequate knowledge, and marketing. However, here we have discussed some of the main essentials;

• First of all, a solid vegetable farming business plan is very important.
• In starting, figure out how must land area you have for vegetable farming.
• According to the agro-climatic condition choose the vegetable for farming.
• You must consider the local market because vegetables are hugely perishable items.
• Also, cultivate the scope of export.
• Select the right species.
• Furthermore, you must arrange the proper irrigation for your vegetable farm.
• Plan for harvesting storage.
• Calculate the entire working capital cost.
• Finally, you must arrange the required finance.

Vegetable farming business requires attention to all production operations, including insect, disease, and weed control and efficient marketing. The kind of vegetable grown is determined by consumer demands, which can be defined in terms of vegetable variety, size, tenderness, flavor, and type of pack. Though, effective management involves the adoption of methods resulting in a steady flow of the desired amount of produce over the whole of the natural growing season of the vegetable crop. Many vegetable plants can be grown throughout the year in some climates, while yield per acre for a given kind of vegetable varies based on the growing season and region where the crop is produced.

Climate – Climate involves the temperature level, moisture, daylight, and wind conditions of a specific region. Climatic factors strongly affect all stages and processes of vegetable plant growth

Temperature – Temperature requirements are mainly based on the minimum, optimum, and maximum temperatures during both day and night throughout plant growth.

Moisture – The amount and annual distribution of rainfall in a region, particularly during certain periods of development, affects local crops.

Daylight – Light is the source of energy for vegetable plants. The response of plants to light is mainly dependent upon light intensity, quality, and daily duration.

Site – The choice of a site involves such factors as soil and climatic regions.

Soil preparation and management – Soil preparation and management for vegetable growing involves many of the usual operations required for other crops. Good drainage is important for early vegetables because of wet soil retards development.

Propagation – Propagation of vegetable plants, involving the formation and development of new individuals in the establishment of new plantings, is accomplished by the use of either seeds or the vegetative parts of plants.

Planting – Vegetable crops are planted in the field where they are to grow to maturity. A few kinds are commonly started in a seedbed, established in the greenhouse or the open, and transplanted as seedlings.

Cultivation – Vegetable cultivation refers to stirring the soil between rows of vegetable plants.

Irrigation – Vegetable farming requires irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions, and irrigation is frequently used as insurance against drought in more humid regions.

Disease and insect control – The vegetable production of satisfactory crops requires rigorous disease- and insect-control measures. Crop yield can be lowered by disease or insect attack, and when plants are attacked at an early stage of growth the entire crop may be lost. Reduction in the quality of crops may also be caused by diseases and insects.

Harvesting – The development stage of vegetables when harvested affects the quality of the product reaching the consumer.  

Marketing strategy to the small vegetable growing farmer can be;

• Collective approaches, no individual side marketing
• Growing quality vegetables.
• Collection through cooperative or committee.
• Standardization of the product.
• Sale in the outlet by cooperative or Malls.
• Welfare strategy for farmers in profit distribution.
• Government subsidy to the collective approach.

In case if you miss this: Growing Medicinal Plants Hydroponically .

Vegetables are vital to the general good health of human beings, and providing necessary vitamins and minerals, and reducing risk from dangerous diseases and other medical conditions. First, of course, you would need a piece of land to start vegetable farming and try at least an acre for commercial vegetable growing. Then you would require equipment, which you can buy, lease or borrow, such as a tractor, tiller, plow, disc, cultivator, and planter. Lower your production cost as much as possible by spending on equipment only when required. Unnecessary expenses on equipment can eat away potential profits.

Vegetable production provides a promising economic opportunity for reducing rural poverty and unemployment in developing countries and is the main component of farm diversification strategies. Vegetables are mankind’s most affordable source of vitamins and minerals required for good health.

Importance of vegetable production is;

• Importance in human nutrition
• Vegetables are a very important source of farm income
• Vegetables have aesthetic value
• Vegetable production for medicinal purpose
• Roll of vegetables in the national economy
• Flexibility in plant production program-unlike the fruits with vegetables the production program can be adjusted and changed for better profits according to needs. With fruits, it is a difficult time taking and expensive to change the production program if it turns out to be unprofitable.

Whether the growth of vegetables is intended for fresh consumption, processing, and seed production, it can be a profitable vegetable business . However, there are a few factors that can influence the profitability of vegetable production from its early beginnings;

• Seed quality; the sowing of quality, clean, labeled, graded to size, viable, and healthy seed can make all the difference between success and failure in vegetable farming.
• Optimal time of sowing and planting; depends on the climate and environmental conditions of the specific area, as well as requirements of each crop.
• Method of planting; the secret to successful vegetable farming lies in the managing of optimal plant requirements, by combining the production of transplants in the greenhouses with planting in the field.
• Finally, considering effective farm management is the first step in creating profitable vegetable production . In essence, farming of these colorful plants can be a profitable business.
• Some plants have high labor requirements to grow. Before selecting a vegetable to raise, know first the extent at which some plants need tending. Then, determine whether you have the time to invest to grow and market it. For example, if you expect to be unable to get your products sold immediately, avoid easily perishable crops such as asparagus, sweet corn, peas and grow potatoes and onions instead.
• Some plants are difficult to grow and need special attention from the farmer for optimum results. Your choice of the crop must consider whether you have the knowledge and experience in growing such crops and whether you are willing to learn from available resources. Also, some plants would need special equipment. Select those you won’t need to buy the equipment to grow.

You should not miss this: Chilli Seed Germination, Time, Temperature, Procedure .

The quality of vegetables mainly depends on the horticultural production systems, environmental factors, and management practices used. Climatic conditions such as temperature and light intensity have a strong influence on the nutritional quality of vegetables. Hydroponic cultivation technique ensures the production of quality vegetables, and in this culture system, both plant nutrition and environmental conditions are artificially managed according to the plant need. Growing quality vegetables is easier and safer in hydroponic compared to conventional soil culture. The advantages of this system are that plant roots are visible and the root zone environment can be easily monitored. In this system of cultivation, the yield of the vegetable crop can be maximized through the efficient use of all resources, and it is believed to be the intensive form of agricultural enterprises for commercial production of greenhouse vegetable plants .

Soilless culture of vegetables uses inert organic or inorganic substrate through the hydroponic nutrient application. This culture has been reported to practice in the greenhouse as an alternative to conventional filed cultivation of many high-value vegetable crops. Under these protected cultivation systems, weather factors, the amount and composition of nutrient solution, and the growing medium can be managed successfully. Therefore, the quality of vegetable crops grown through soilless culture improves significantly compared to conventional soil culture. Many researchers found better taste, uniformity, color, texture, and higher nutritional value in fruits grown in soilless culture than in soil cultivation methods.

Once you have a clear idea of what you want your vegetable farm business to look like, what you want to produce, and where you will sell your product, you need to establish a production plan. Some factors to consider are listed below;

Capital needs – Identify the investment and cash operating needs and how much you will need to borrow.

Infrastructure and equipment – Identify what equipment you need for the vegetable crops you will produce. Also, depending on the packaging and also handling requirements identify what type of infrastructure will be needed.

Management – Identify the production, management, and marketing skills essential to make your enterprise successful. If you do not have those skills, identify ways to acquire them, which can include hiring additional labor.

Planting and harvesting schedule – Plan the best timing for planting and harvesting your vegetable crops, based on plant varieties and availability of labor. Remember to plan planting dates based on your harvest schedule (e.g., customer demand).

Post-harvest and sanitation – Post-harvesting needs (sanitation, handling, and cooling) are very important aspects that need careful thought. Cooling is essential to delay produce spoilage and keep it fresh. When the product is not sold and delivered immediately after harvest, a cold storage option can be needed.

Enterprise analysis – Keep good plant production and financial records to help you make good decisions in the future. Use records to identify problems that need to be solved and to identify what practices and crops are profitable for your business.

List of high yield vegetable crops can be given below;

Cucumbers – In an acre area, around 12000 cucumber plants are planted (3 plants per square meter) and each plant yields an average of about 5 to 7 kg per cycle. This will yield about 8,400 to 10,500 plants per acre.

Squash – In general, each squash plant produces about 5 to 25 pounds of yellow squash during the growing season. A 10-foot row of yellow squash averages about 20 to 80 pounds of squash.

Beans – The average yield is about 100 to 120 quintals of green pods per hectare can be expected.

Tomatoes – The average tomato crop yield per acre in India is 10 tonnes although the yield varies from 15 to 20 tonnes per acre in case of irrigated crops.

Peanuts – Grown mainly through age-old farming techniques, peanut yield in India is about 700 to 900 kg per hectares.

Potatoes – During the first year of cultivating potatoes, a good yield can be about 10 tons per acre. Experienced farmers after years of practice can achieve yields 16 to 28 tons per acre.

Peppers – The yield per acre of pepper is about 0.39 tonnes per hectare. This indicates a plant population of 10,250 plants per acre, thus the average yield per plant is 3.6 pounds.

Beetroot – The beetroot crop yields about 20–25 tonnes/hectare in 120 days.

Radishes – It yields about 200 to 250 quintals fresh radish per hectare.

Lettuce – The average yield of lettuce is about 80 to 120 quintals per hectare.

The above information may also be used for Polyhouse vegetable farming, Greenhouse vegetable farming, and even vegetable farming at home. In case if you are interested in this: How to Make Money from a Vegetable Farming .

10 COMMENTS

Thanks for ur information it’s very useful to me..

insightful information for beginners like me. How can I get this information handy for referral purposes during my start up farming carrer

I would like to set a agriculture business in 100 Acre land in Gujarat. I need prepare a business plan which should include crop name, it production detail per year and estimed income. I also need to have deails of other related investmenet like equipments, storage facility, labour cost , water cost , fertiliser cost etc

I want to be a farming business man

The content is important for a small scale farmer who is not in a position to get extension services from agricultural officers. It help me acquire some knowledge in writing a proposal for my vegetable project.

Good information for me to start my vegetable project to feed my country I would like to receive more information through my email as a guide for my project Thank you

Thanks for the Info, I am planning to start the farming can I get more info about the farming with Advance Technology how we built the prototype model first.

This is a great insight into vegetable farming. I wanna develop a business plan for vegetable production on campus. How can I start and what kind of marketing strategy plan do I have to implement

Thank you for the information. Also I would like to receive more information.

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

How to Build a Low-budget Goat Shed: Cheap Ideas and...

Goat farming training programs in india: a beginner’s guide, types of pesticides used in agriculture: a beginner’s guide, economical aquaculture: a guide to low-budget fish farming, 15 common planting errors that can doom your fruit trees, how to make houseplants bushy: effective tips and ideas, innovative strategies for boosting coconut pollination and yield, pollination strategies for maximum pumpkin yield, the complete guide to chicken fattening: strategies for maximum growth, natural solutions for tulip problems: 100% effective remedies for leaf..., revolutionizing citrus preservation: towards a healthier, greener future, natural solutions for peony leaf and flower problems: 100% effective..., maximizing profits with avocado contract farming in india: a comprehensive..., natural solutions for hydrangea problems: 100% effective remedies for leaf..., the ultimate guide to choosing the perfect foliage friend: bringing..., from sunlight to sustainability: 15 ways to use solar technology..., the ultimate guide to dong tao chicken: exploring from history..., the eco-friendly makeover: how to convert your unused swimming pool..., mastering the art of delaware chicken farming: essentials for healthy..., 20 best homemade fertilizers for money plant: diy recipes and..., borewell drilling cost, pump price, and pipe cost, polyhouse subsidy, cost, profit, project report, tractor subsidy, bank loan, eligibility, schemes, process, malabar neem project report details guide, cold storage project report, cost and subsidy, mushroom farming project report, cost and profit analysis.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

VEGETABLE AND FRUITS PRODUCTION BUSSINES PLAN

2016, bussines plan

Related Papers

Thomas Lumpkin

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences

Vishal Johar

fOOD cROP pRODUCTION

Richard Gyimah

Sylvie Keafoon

Sisay Asefa

Scientific American

Francesca Bray

Isabel Teichmann

beatrice akinyi

Anika anika

Gaurav Bansal

RELATED PAPERS

Migration und Kulturtransfer ed. N. Nebes and I. Gerlach

Cornelia Wunsch

Work, Aging and Retirement

Donald M. Truxillo

Jose Kemuel Fosana

Nabeela Rahma Noor Aziz

Annals of Tourism Research

Philip Pearce

Holas Matouš

Acta Universitatis Sapientiae Legal Studies

Alessandra Miasato

Atiko OktaViani

Claire Reeler , Nabiel Al Shaikh نبيل الشيخ

Emergency Medicine Journal

Jonathan Wasserberg

Nursing & Health Sciences

Tracey McDonald , Frances Russell

International Education Studies

seri trần thị

Nelson Mestrinho

setyo untoro

Medico-Legal Update

Shycil Mathew

Octavio Mattasoglio Neto

Science Advances

Journal of Building Construction and Planning Research

amal shamseldin

Anales Cervantinos

JUAN MANUEL MONTERROSO MONTERO

hilloljyoti singha

Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi

Erdem Gültiken

Lutas Sociais

Lúcio Flávio Almeida

International Journal of Environment and Climate Change

Microsurgery

Edmund LeGrand

Review of Scientific Instruments

Piero Chiappina

Proceedings of the 11th EAI International Conference on Mobile Multimedia Communications

Ximena Andrade

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

Manufacturing Business Plan PDF Example

• May 7, 2024
• Business Plan

Creating a comprehensive business plan is crucial for launching and running a successful manufacturing business. This plan serves as your roadmap, detailing your vision, operational strategies, and financial plan. It helps establish your manufacturing business’s identity, navigate the competitive market, and secure funding for growth.

This article not only breaks down the critical components of a manufacturing business plan, but also provides an example of a business plan to help you craft your own.

Whether you’re an experienced entrepreneur or new to the manufacturing industry, this guide, complete with a business plan example, lays the groundwork for turning your manufacturing business concept into reality. Let’s dive in!

Our manufacturing business plan covers all essential aspects necessary for a comprehensive strategy. It details operations, marketing strategy , market environment, competitors, management team, and financial forecasts.

• Executive Summary : Provides an overview of the manufacturing company’s business concept, market analysis , management, and financial strategy.
• Facilities & Equipment: Describes the facility’s capabilities, machinery, and technological advancements.
• Operations & Supply: Outlines the production processes, supply chain logistics, and inventory management.
• Key Stats: Offers data on industry size , growth trends, and market positioning.
• Key Trends: Highlights significant trends impacting the industry, such as automation and localization.
• Key Competitors : Analyzes primary competitors and differentiates the company from these rivals.
• SWOT: Analyzes strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Marketing Plan : Outlines tactics for attracting new contracts and maintaining client relationships.
• Timeline : Sets out key milestones from inception through the first year of operations.
• Management: Information on the management team and their roles within the company.
• Financial Plan: Projects the company’s financial performance over the next five years, detailing revenue, profits, and anticipated expenses.

Manufacturing Business Plan

Fully editable 30+ slides Powerpoint presentation business plan template.

Download an expert-built 30+ slides Powerpoint business plan template

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary introduces your manufacturing business plan, offering a concise overview of your manufacturing facility and its products. It should detail your market positioning, the range of products manufactured, the production process, its location, size, and an outline of day-to-day operations.

This section should also explore how your manufacturing business will integrate into the local and broader markets, including the number of direct competitors within the area, identifying who they are, along with your business’s unique selling points that differentiate it from these competitors.

Furthermore, you should include information about the management and co-founding team, detailing their roles and contributions to the business’s success. Additionally, a summary of your financial projections, including revenue and profits over the next five years, should be presented here to provide a clear picture of your business’s financial plan.

Make sure to cover here _ Business Overview _ Market Overview _ Management Team _ Financial Plan

Dive deeper into Executive Summary

Business Overview

Facilities & equipment.

Describe your manufacturing facility. Highlight its design, capacity, and technology. Mention the location, emphasizing accessibility to transport routes. Discuss advantages for efficiency and cost management. Detail essential equipment and its capabilities.

Operations & Supply Chain

Detail product range. Outline your operations strategy for efficiency and scalability. Discuss supply chain management. Highlight sourcing of materials, inventory control, and logistics. Emphasize strong partnerships with suppliers and distributors.

Make sure to cover here _ Facilities & Equipment _ Operations & Supplies

Market Overview

Industry size & growth.

Start by examining the size of the manufacturing industry relevant to your products and its growth potential. This analysis is crucial for understanding the market’s scope and identifying expansion opportunities.

Key Market Trends

Proceed to discuss recent market trends , such as the increasing demand for sustainable manufacturing processes, automation, and advanced materials. For example, highlight the demand for products that utilize eco-friendly materials or energy-efficient production techniques, alongside the rising popularity of smart manufacturing.

Key Competitors

Then, consider the competitive landscape, which includes a range of manufacturers from large-scale enterprises to niche firms. For example, emphasize what makes your business distinctive, whether it’s through advanced technology, superior product quality, or specialization in certain manufacturing niches. This section will help articulate the demand for your products, the competitive environment, and how your business is positioned to thrive within this dynamic market.

Make sure to cover here _ Industry size & growth _ Key competitors _ Key market trends

Dive deeper into Key competitors

First, conduct a SWOT analysis for your manufacturing business. Highlight Strengths such as advanced production technology and a skilled workforce. Address Weaknesses, including potential supply chain vulnerabilities or high production costs. Identify Opportunities like emerging markets for your products or potential for innovation in production processes. Consider Threats such as global competition or economic downturns that may impact demand for your products.

Marketing Plan

Next, develop a marketing strategy that outlines how to attract and retain customers through targeted advertising, trade shows, digital marketing, and strategic partnerships. Emphasize the importance of showcasing product quality and technological advantages to differentiate your business in the market.

Finally, create a detailed timeline that outlines critical milestones for your manufacturing business’s launch, marketing initiatives, customer acquisition, and expansion goals. Ensure the business progresses with clear direction and purpose, setting specific dates for achieving key operational and sales targets.

Make sure to cover here _ SWOT _ Marketing Plan _ Timeline

Dive deeper into SWOT

Dive deeper into Marketing Plan

The Management section focuses on the manufacturing business’s management and their direct roles in daily operations and strategic direction. This part is crucial for understanding who is responsible for making key decisions and driving the manufacturing business toward its financial and operational goals.

For your manufacturing business plan, list the core team members, their specific responsibilities, and how their expertise supports the business.

Financial Plan

The Financial Plan section is a comprehensive analysis of your financial projections for revenue, expenses, and profitability. It lays out your manufacturing business’s approach to securing funding, managing cash flow, and achieving breakeven.

This section typically includes detailed forecasts for the first 5 years of operation, highlighting expected revenue, operating costs and capital expenditures.

For your manufacturing business plan, provide a snapshot of your financial statement (profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow statement), as well as your key assumptions (e.g. number of customers and prices, expenses, etc.).

Make sure to cover here _ Profit and Loss _ Cash Flow Statement _ Balance Sheet _ Use of Funds

Privacy Overview

This article is free to read if you register or sign in.

Simply register at no cost.

Questions or problems? Email [email protected] or call 0711 046 000 .

Kenya to gain from COMESA post-harvest loss plan

It targets the horticulture sector with focus on onions, avocado and potatoes..

•While overall post-harvest losses in Kenya’s agriculture sector are estimated at between 20% and 30%, horticulture sub-sector losses are up to 60%.

•Kenya is among he five-year programme targeted at Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia is keen to cut the losses in horticulture to at least 40 per cent, or lower.

Kenya is among five countries in the region that have the backing of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to cut post-harvest losses in the horticulture sector.

This is under the COMESA- EAC Horticultural Accelerator (CEHA) programme targets to improve production and distribution, access to quality seeds, training, establish standards and traceability, and strengthen post-harvest management while improving gains in the value chain.

While overall post-harvest losses in Kenya’s agriculture sector are estimated at between 20 per cent and 30 per cent, the horticulture sub-sector records losses of up to 60 per cent, according to the regional body.

The five-year programme targeted at Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia is keen to cut the losses in horticulture to 40 per cent, or lower.

COMESA Assistant Secretary General (Programmes) Mohamed Kadah said CEHA has a bottom-up structure where strategic priorities are identified by national-level stakeholders, mainly the horticulture private sector, to drive the priorities at a regional level.

“It facilitates the modernisation of regional horticulture value chains across East Africa, leveraging the comparative advantage, infrastructure, and technology in each country,” Kadah said.

It targets potatoes, avocados and onion farming with Kenya being the first country COMESA has launched the drive, with a goal of achieving a trade value of $25 million (Sh3.3 billion) for fruits and vegetables within the Comesa-EAC region by 2031.

Estimates indicate avocados; onions and Irish potatoes can generate a combined $230 million (Sh29.9 billion) annually for approximately 450,000 smallholder farmers of a minimum farm size of 0.4 hectare with 60 avocado trees, or 1 hectare for onion farmers.

The COMESA initiative aims to propel global exports from $416 million (Sh54.1 billion) to an impressive $ 950 million (Sh123.5 billion) over the next seven years.

“We need to address elements of post-harvest losses through technologies that are there. Be it storage, transport and other stages to ensure that we curb losses and gain more,” said Apollo Owuor, CEHA regional coordinator, Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa ( ACTESA ). 

The region also needs to bring onions and potatoes on board traceability, which is a key component in the market, he added.

“We have a huge opportunity to tap a bigger market locally, regionally and globally but we need to improve production for example potatoes by 20 per cent annually, and onions production,” Owuor said during the launch of the CEHA programme in Nairobi.

According to Kenya’s Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), the country produces a paltry 26 per cent of the onions consumed in the market, with 74 per cent of imported mainly from Tanzania.

The little that is locally produced is also of low quality according to the authority, amid post-harvest losses, poor management and storage, low quality seeds and onion diseases.

The country on the other hand export 80 per cent of avocado produces to the global market, thanks to improved quality and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, one of the key factors dictating safety considerations and market access for agricultural commodities.

The government is also keen to enhance traceability in Irish potatoes with plans to expand production to 26 counties from the current 13, a move that is expected to help cut imports where 50 per cent of potatoes in the processing sector are imported.

“We are addressing conformity of these commodities, improving quality if seeds and expanding export markets and linkages,” Deputy Director Technical Advisory Services at AFA, Anthony Rutto, said.

The government targets to grow agricultural exports as part of plans to increase foreign exchange earnings and cut the country’s import bill, according to Trade PS Alfred K’Ombudo.

They account for 35 per cent of the country’s total exports led by tea, coffee, avocados, and cut flowers among others.

Time for lenders to step up Agribusiness financing

State releases sh1.3 billion for county industrial parks, most popular, iconic hilton hotel to shut down after 53 years operation, latest videos, cane workers threaten to protest on madaraka day over arrears, karua inspects venue ahead of friday limuru iii meeting, sign up for the free star email newsletter and receive the latest kenya news daily..

Don't bother with copy and paste.

Get this complete sample business plan as a free text document.

Agriculture Farm Business Plan

Start your own agriculture farm business plan

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.

Brought to you by

Create a professional business plan

Using ai and step-by-step instructions.

Secure funding

Validate ideas

Build a strategy

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, 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

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

Projected balance sheet, projected cash flow statement.

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

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

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

Discover the world’s #1 plan building software