Many landowners are increasingly interested in deriving some
income from their forest or farm property to offset the costs
of ownership. Income expectations may range from a modest objective
of paying the property taxes to a higher objective that would
require an enterprise to provide a substantial source of income.
Unfortunately, many landowners initiate enterprises without understanding
what they are getting involved in or whether the enterprise will
even make money. The following topics below link to online publications
that help to explain some of the considerations you should explore.
Elements of a Successful Business
Plan - A Maryland Cooperative Extension paper about important
items to consider when developing a business plan. Rural Business
Planner (Version 2.0) - CD-rom software package developed
by Canadian Farm Business Management Council helps you put together
a business plan. Also includes many resources, samples, and more.
$49. Call toll free: 888-232-3262. Free trial download available. Sell What You Grow - A Maryland
Cooperative Extension paper about various ways to sell your farm-grown
crops. Natural Resource Income Opportunity Video
- A video produced by the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension
on using your land and natural resources for a profitable business.
Portions of this video are available for online viewing.
Informational Websites on Alternative Income Enterprises:
Agricultural Cost and Return Studies
- developed by UC Davis to offer informational cost and return studies for fruit,
vegetable, field, tree and vine crops, and animal commodities, including business cost analyses. ATTRA - Appropriate Technology Transfer
for Rural Areas - is the national sustainable farming information
center operated by the private nonprofit National Center for Appropriate
Technology. Prepare packets of information focused on alternative
agriculture (sustainable agriculture) for landowners and professionals. Enterprise Budgets for Agriculture
- developed by Iowa State University
to provide estimates of production costs and returns for field crops, forestry, livestock, and others. Enterprise Budget Excel Sheets
- workable Excel worksheets developed by University of Wisconsin-Madison
to provide estimates of production costs and returns for poultry, dairy, and specialty foods. Forest Landowner's
Guide to Internet Resources - developed by the USDA Forest Service
to help landowners better understand the extent and type of information
available on line. Many publications on alternative income enterprises,
growing timber, forest and wildlife management in general. Great
resource! Marketing
Special Forest Products in New York State - forest owners in
New York are seeking new ways to offset the costs of woodland ownership
or combine recreation with unique rural enterprises. This website
illustrates the handling, storage, and marketing facets of special
forest products in New York but has application across the east.
Missouri Alternatives Center
- serves as a communications center for anyone who wants to begin
farming, diversify their current operation, or find ways to profit
from small amounts of acreage. The alphabetical listing provides
links to a diversity of publications from across the country. Excellent
source of information for the entire range of agricultural and natural
resource income opportunities. Operating
a Profitable Small Farm - series of 21 fact sheets developed
by Maryland Cooperative Extension that focus mostly on agricultural-related
opportunities. Penn State Agriculture
Alternatives Website - sponsored by Penn State, this website
has many publications to meet the needs of small-scale and part-time
farmers. The fact sheets are developed for those unfamiliar with
the enterprise and include information on marketing, production,
enterprise budgeting, and resource requirements to provide a balanced
evaluation of the enterprise. Each publication has a list of references
and trade and marketing associations where more detailed information
can be found. Small Farm Center - sponsored
by University of California, Davis, this website contains many useful
resources, newsletter and more. Special
Forest Products Website - developed by Virginia Cooperative
Extension to offer product and marketing information on non-timber
or special forest products. University of
Missouri Center for Agroforestry - an interdisciplinary research,
teaching and technology transfer program. Publication and video
resources available on agroforestry practices. USDA National Agroforestry Center
- agroforestry combines agriculture and forestry technologies to
create more integrated, diverse, productive, profitable, healthy
and sustainable land-use systems. The Center delivers technology
to natural resource professionals, land owners and communities.
Broad range of educational resources available for landowners and
professionals.
Proceedings/Publications With Useful Information on Natural Resource-Based
Income Opportunities:
Natural
Resource Income Opportunities for Private Lands Conference -
April 5-7, 1998 Hagerstown, MD. This 288-page proceedings provides
practical information in the areas of legal liability, business
planning, consumptive and non-consumptive recreation, forest farming
and utilization-related opportunities, aquaculture, and growing
and marketing ginseng and goldenseal. 1998
Specialty Forest Products/Forest Farming Conference - proceedings
are from nationally known experts in various aspects of forest farming
and/or specialty forest products from the US and Canada. Specific
topics addressed in the proceedings include growing ginseng and
other medicinal products under natural shade, growing and marketing
hazelnuts and walnuts, and many other topics. Forest
Landowner's Guide to Evaluating and Choosing a Natural Resource-Based
Enterprise - Worksheets provide a framework for assessing personal
goals, family goals, forest resources, financial resources, and
labor needs. Provides guidance on developing a marketing plan. Includes
descriptions and detailed enterprise budgets for 13 forest-based
enterprises. Income Opportunities
in Special Forest Products: Self-help Suggestions for Rural Entrepreneurs
- 1993 publication by USDA Forest Service and Midwest Research Institute.
Sixteen chapters cover a range of special forest products. Online
publication with lots of good information. Rural Income Opportunity Information - Maryland
Cooperative Extension fact sheets offer information
about running rural enterprises such as fee fishing, a vacation cabin, and hunting leases. Downloadable Excel worksheets
allow you to alter values and automatically figures costs and earnings. The Landowner's Survival
Guide: Resources for Agricultural Landowners in Maryland, Virginia,
and West Virginia. - 2002 publication is a user-friendly guide
with 62-pages that highlights resources on a variety of production,
marketing, stewardship and conservation topics. Chapters include
general information, grants and financial assistance, publications,
people who can help, and web/internet resources. Available from
Future Harvest-CASA, (410) 604-2681. $5 for non-members.
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