Writing a farm business plan can be a tool for you to plan your farming business. Sometimes it’s also a requirement of securing grants and loans for your farm business. The process of writing a farm business plan may seem overwhelming and intimidating at first, but if you break it down into its component steps, it becomes much more manageable.

What Is a Business Plan?

A business planis a roadmap for your small farm. It is both process and product. During the writing of a farm business plan, you’ll develop an overall vision and mission for your business. You will think about your short- and long-term goals. You’ll define the steps needed to achieve those goals. And you’ll set the direction for your business to develop over the next five years. If you’re already an established business, your new business plan will show where you’re going next. A good business plan should be:

• Realistic
• Simple
• Specific
• Complete