Researching a Potential Small Acreage Enterprise

1. Researching a Potential Small Acreage Enterprise Sustainable Small Acreage Farming and Ranching Cinda Williams, UI Extension 2005

2. What type of information do you need? • Production information about your crop or livestock enterprise • Marketing information about your product • Income and expenses projections

3. Passive vs ActiveInformation Gathering • Not all of the information you need will be available without asking, phoning, visiting • Secondary information • Primary is developed by your experience

4. Sources of Information • Books, publications (library, bookstore) • Journal articles (library, bookstore, subscribe) • Other farmers • Universities (Extension) • Agencies (NRCS, SBDC, FSA) • Non-profit organizations, farmer networks • Internet

5. Universities/Extension Service • Idaho Small Farms http://www.SmallFarms.ag.uidaho.edu • WSU Small Farms http://smallfarms.wsu.edu/ • Missourihttp://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/ • Penn Statehttp://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/ • UC Davishttp://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/ • Texas A&Mhttp://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/alternatives/alternativelinks.html

6. Federal (USDA) sites - general • CSREES http://www.reeusda.gov/ • SARE http://www.sare.org/ • Small Farm http://www.reeusda.gov/smallfarm/ • Natural Resources Conservation Service http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ • National Ag Library http://www.nal.usda.gov

7. State Agency sites • Idaho Department of Ag http://www.agri.state.id.us/ • Marketing http://www.agri.idaho.gov/marketing/ • Organic http://www.agri.idaho.gov/plants/organic/gen_info.htm • Idaho Small Business Development Center http://www.idahosbdc.org/ • Idaho Natural Resources Conservation Service http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/

8. Agencies - Prices and statistical data • Economic Research Service http://www.ers.usda.gov/ • National Ag Statistical Service http://www.usda.gov/nass/ • Ag Marketing Service (AMS) http://www.ams.usda.gov/

9. Farmer sites • The New Farm http://www.newfarm.org/ • Cedar Meadow Farm http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/ • Greentree Naturals http://www.greentreenaturals.com/

10. Organizations • Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas http://www.attra.org • Rural Roots http://www.ruralroots.org/ • North American Farm Direct Marketing Association http://www.nafdma.com/ • The Food Alliance http://www.thefoodalliance.org/

11. Periodicals/Journal publications • Growing for Market http://www.growingformarket.com/ • Small Farm Today http://www.smallfarmtoday.com/

12. Summary • Read • Attend conferences • Network