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| Pathway to Organic: Producers // Processors |  |
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Organic Trade Association (OTA) is a membership-based business association that focuses on the organic business community in North America.
PO Box 547
Greenfield, MA 01302
413-774-7511
Starting an organic farming operation is like starting a new business, even if you're an experienced farmer. That's why we've included a range of articles on whole farm management, developing business and marketing plans, negotiating contracts, handling labor issues, learning about legal issues related to direct marketing, doing financial planning, risk management, and more. The information gathered here will be even more essential to new farmers. For more great business planning advice, you may also want to check out the Value-Added Enterprises section of the Marketing area.
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Resource Listing
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Crop Insurance for Organic Systems Basic information on how to get crop insurance, who administers the program, and how to sign up for the new AGR-Lite crop insurance program--an... |  |
| Farm Viability Enhancement Program The Farm Viability Enhancement Program from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources helps farmers keep their families on the land... | |
| How Do You Reduce Risk and Improve Farm Income on Your Organic Farm? 100 ideas for improving yield and income through crop diversity, weed control, equipment repair, input avoidance, financial planning and... | |
| Risk Management Agency Fact Sheet on the Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite Crop Insurance Program Details of the AGR-Lite crop insurance plan via a fact sheet produced by the USDA Risk Management Agency. Covers eligibility requirements,... | |
| Risky Business? An Online Tool to Help Beginning Massachusetts Farmers Address Risk This guide from the New England Small Farm Institute helps new farmers address concerns about the risky aspects of farming. It offers resources... | |
Expanding Your Offerings: Organic wine, beer, and liquors--An All Things Organic Conference Session Organic wine, beer, and spirits are among the fastest growing sectors in the organic market, but they are often misunderstood. Although alcoholic... | |
| OTA's 2007 Manufacturer Survey The Organic Trade Association's 2007 Manufacturer Survey, conducted by Packaged Facts, is now available for purchase. This survey is the most... | |
| 2007 Insurance Fact Sheet: Organic Farming Practices This USDA Risk Management Agency fact sheet lays out the guidelines and availability for crop insurance for organic farming operations. | |
| Ag Help Wanted: Guidelines for Managing Agricultural Labor Ag Help Wanted is an educational guidebook designed to assist every person who currently manages or expects to manage human resources on farms,... | |
| Agricultural Marketing Resource Center The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center is an electronic, national resource for producers interested in value-added agriculture. You can search... | |
| Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses "Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses" brings the business planning process alive... | |
| Business Management for Farmers Book Series from Iowa State University The series includes seven publications, starting with developing a long range strategic farm business plan. Includes books on getting established... | |
| Center for Rural Affairs The Center for Rural Affairs, in Nebraska, is a private nonprofit, is working to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural... | |
| Drake University's Agricultural Law Center Drake's Agricultural Law Center, founded in 1983, is an internationally recognized center that provides opportunities to study how the legal system... | |
| National Ag Risk Education Library The National Ag Risk Education Library is a major component of USDA's Risk Management Education (RME) program. The Library organizes thousands of... | |
| NY FarmLink Provides free business consultation, lists farms available for sale or rent, farm management jobs available, and also features several guides and... | |
| Organic Laws, Regulations, Legal Resources This website features a series of links to legal and regulatory resources on the National Organic Program. Resources include legal statutes,... | |
| Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for Farm Workers It is obvious that farming involves a considerable amount of physical work. Though many farmers and ranchers enjoy doing this type of work, it can... | |
| Small Farm Funding Resources, from the Rural Information Center This great resource page includes resources not just on funding sources, but also on developing a farm business plan, on resources to help you with... | |
| The Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota The Center for Farm Financial Management (CFFM) provides educational programs and software tools that are practical, timely, and applicable to... | |
| The National Ag Law Center at the University of Arkansas In the publications section of this web site you'll find a huge variety of in depth articles and publications covering a wide range of legal topics... | |
| U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and... | |
| USDA Risk Management Agency The Risk Management Agency (RMA) has been a leader in funding organic risk management initiatives, including the Rodale Institute's Organic Price... | |
| 12 Steps to Cash Flow Budgeting How much financing will your farm business require this year? When will money be needed and from where will it come? A little advance planning can... | |
| Adapting Crop Share Agreements for Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Questions to consider in finding the best crop share lease to provide equitable returns for the landowner and tenant when the farming system... | |
| Ag Decision Maker, a Suite of Farm Business Planning Tools for Iowa Farmers Iowa State University Extension's Ag Decision Maker (AgDM) is a web site feature a suite information and online tools for analyzing your farm... | |
| Before You Sign on the Dotted Line. . . Questions for Farmers to Ask Before Entering Into a Direct Marketing Agreement Many farmers who have shifted to direct marketing their products pride themselves on their personal relationships with their buyers. These... | |
| Business Development Advice from the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center This very rich collection of educational information, activities and tools are designed to help you in creating a successful agriculturally based... | |
| California Farmlink Workshops Throughout the year, California FarmLink hosts worskhops that will assist new farmers, and those interested in transitioning their farm to a new... | |
| Considering Sustainable Agriculture on Your Rented Land, Publication from Iowa State University Extension Several Iowa examples are given of different business arrangements for rented land, using sustainable practices. Communication between owner and... | |
| Crop Insurance and Asian Soybean Rust, with Information for Organic Growers This power point presentation, based on workshop, addresses the critical farm-risk management issues impacting US soybean producers threatened by... | |
| Developing a Business Plan for Value-Added Agricultural Products A structured approach, from Oklahoma State University Extension, to developing a business plan for a value-added enterprise. | |
| Developing your Farm's Marketing Plan One of the challenges faced by farmers who direct market their products is determining the target market. What do your customers look like? Where... | |
| Evaluating the Potential of Value-Added Agricultural Ideas: A Series of Worksheets to Assess Feasibility This series of worksheets from the University of Tennessee Extension Service provides some structure for thinking about a value-added idea by... | |
| Family Farm Series from UC-Davis Small Farm Center: Farm Management This series from the Small Farm Center at University of California, Davis, includes articles on: * Considerations in Enterprise Selection * How... | |
| Farm Business Management for Organic Producers in Minnesota The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is offering tuition cost share to Minnesota organic producers who enroll in the statewide Farm... | |
| Farm Management Resources from Rutgers Extension in New Jersey A collection of resources on budgeting, farm management and marketing. | |
| Farmers' Guide to Disaster Assistance Farmers' Guide to Disaster Assistance, developed by Farmer's Legal Action Group, describes federal disaster assistance programs that are available... | |
| Farmers' Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) Farmers' Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) is a nonprofit law center dedicated to providing legal services to family farmers and their rural... | |
| Farmstead Planning Handbook: Guidelines for Planning and Expanding Agricultural Facilities and Operations The Farmstead Planning Handbook CD-ROM explains and shows how to locate, plan, and build or expand an agricultural site, from a small acreage to a... | |
| Financial Troubleshooting for a Farm in Trouble. This publication describes a simple framework that can be used to identify the type of financial problems that a farm business is experiencing,... | |
| IFARM -- Integrated Farm and Resource Management Plan A farm tool full of information, forms, and materials for setting goals, assessing all types of resources, and establishing objectives to meet... | |
| Insuring Success For Wyoming Agriculture Insuring Success For Wyoming Agriculture is an educational effort designed to provide agricultural producers in Wyoming with cutting-edge risk... | |
| Iowa State University Extension's Organizing the Farm Business Organizing the Farm Business is designed to acquaint readers with the various forms of farm business organization and their advantages and... | |
| Iowa State's Farm Financial Planning Program Farm Financial Planning is Iowa State University Extension's farm financial analysis program. It consists of one-on-one financial counseling, a... | |
| Legal Guide to the National Organic Program This 2004 guide features legal research on the NOP rule, detailing production and handling standards, labeling requirements, certification... | |
| Managing Debt to Prepare for a Farm Transfer For most family farmers, passing a successful farming operation on to the next generation is an important concern. This can ensure children and... | |
| Market Planning for Value-Added Agricultural Products A 3-ring binder with information and worksheets on several topic areas. See below for ordering information. | |
| Northeast Center for Food Entrepreneurship The NECFE provides information and resources on business development, entrepreneurship training, marketing strategies and tools, product process... | |
| Oregon Institute Builds Business Capacity of Organic Growers & Handlers This program works with organic and natural food producers, wholesalers, distributors, and purveyors to build the capacity of the organic and... | |
| Organic Farming 101 Course for Beginning & Conventional Farmers, in North Dakota This is a new educational course for beginning and conventional farmers considering transitioning into organic production. Participants will learn... | |
| Partial Budgeting for Agricultural Businesses An online publication from the Ag Alternatives Program at Penn State on partial budgeting for a farm business. Partial budgeting is a planning and... | |
| Resources on Farm Management, from the University of Missouri Extension | |
| Risk Management Workshop Series: Estate Planning Tools The online documents in this series provide basic information on retirement planning and farm/ranch transfer to explain processes that have grown... | |
| Should you have Crop Insurance? This Small Farm Does. A profile of a small grower in New York who sought out and found the right crop insurance for their operation. From Cornell University's Small... | |
| Small Farm Decision-Making & Enterprise Planning Workbook from North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension This workbook was originally developed for Ways to Grow, another award-winning program designed to expose small farmers to alternative agriculture.... | |
| Starting a Value-Added Farm-Food Business, from University of Wisconsin This page lays out the basic steps required to start an ag-related business, highlights the keys to success, and identifies cooperative strategies... | |
| Starting and Growing a Food Business: Information from Washington State University This collection of resources for farms and businesses interested in starting a food business is organized into the following categories: *... | |
| Starting or Diversifying an Agricultural Business This publication from Penn State University outlines a step-by-step process of starting a new farm enterprise, including developing a business... | |
| Starting Up Your Agricultural Business This online resource from Iowa State University Extension walks you through the process of asking questions about your business, your values, your... | |
| The Business of Agriculture: Agri-Entrepreneurship Resources from the University of Hawaii A great collection of resources on marketing, farm to school, business skills, farmers' markets, restaurant sales, marketing cooperatives,... | |
| The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing by Neil Hamilton If you direct market any agricultural product to the public, whether just some extra sweet corn by the curb or a full-fledged farmers market stall,... | |
| The Northeast Center for Risk Management Education The Northeast Center for Risk Management Education at the University of Delaware was established in 2001 with funding from the USDA Cooperative... | |
| Two Generation Farming Series, from Iowa State University Extension This link takes you to the first in a 3-part series. You'll find links to the other parts of the series below. The three 16 page booklets takes you... | |
| Utah Agribusiness Management Specialist Ruby Ward Agricultural Economist ‡ Agribusiness Management, Operations Research, and Decision Making at the Firm Level ‡ She is in... | |
| Whole Farm Planning Advice from Georgia Organics, Including Organic Planning Templates Whole Farm Planning is a process that enables a farm to balance farm profitability, community stability, and environmental vitality. It is an... | |
| Whole Farm Planning Resources from the University of Massachusetts The web page starts by saying: "Everyone plans. Some of us plan as we go and others sit down with pencil and paper and use a more systematic... | |
| Women in Agriculture, from Agriculture Online This robust section features a discussion forum for women farmers, profiles of women in farming, financial advice, risk management resources and... | |
| Your Net Worth Statement Would you like to know more about the current financial situation of your farming operation? A simple listing of the property you own and the debts... | |
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| Pathway to Organic: Producers // Processors | |
Regional Guide: United States | |
North American Directory | |
Key Resources |
Disclaimer: Organic Trade Association (OTA) is providing this information solely as a resource to the public. Although the information contained on this site is believed to be correct at the time of posting, OTA disclaims all responsibility for any damages or liability that may result from use or reliance on this web site or information contained herein
© 2010 the Organic Trade Association