Need Some Help Writing A Business Plan For Agriculture
02-23-2008, 01:00 AM
#1
DTR's Cow Boss
Thread Starter
Need Some Help Writing A Business Plan For Agriculture
Hey guys I am needing some help on how too even begin to write a business plan and I am needing some kind of guidance on this please 
02-23-2008, 02:04 AM
#3
DTR's Night Watchman & Poet Laureate
DC, i had to write one for the horses, IRS requirement, and had no clue where to start.. tehre is an organization of retired bussinessmen taht helps follks get started, adn I got help thru them...
I can tremember the name or website tho... I'll search for it adn get back to ya
I can tremember the name or website tho... I'll search for it adn get back to ya
02-23-2008, 05:55 AM
#5
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Location: In the middle of Weather Dry Creek Farm in Avilla, Arkansas
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Try http://www.attra.ncar.org
It has some really good info and plenty of links to even more info.
waitingonthesunshinetoseeifIwanttodoanythingtodayS hprtround out
It has some really good info and plenty of links to even more info.
waitingonthesunshinetoseeifIwanttodoanythingtodayS hprtround out
02-23-2008, 10:15 AM
#7
DTR's Cow Boss
Thread Starter
Mine is for my cattle I need to write up a business plan and a budget and all the ratios and present it to the farm credit services co op board why I am requesting x amount of dollars too grow my cattle numbers.
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02-23-2008, 11:45 AM
#11
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I did one for my MBA thesis. Lets just say that it helped the old GPA in the end 
If you want to you can PM me your email address and I'll forward a copy of it to you as well as the resources I used to help me write it. They are all websites and gave a pretty good framework. One was the Small Business Association.
If you want to you can PM me your email address and I'll forward a copy of it to you as well as the resources I used to help me write it. They are all websites and gave a pretty good framework. One was the Small Business Association.
02-24-2008, 02:07 AM
#12
DTR's Night Watchman & Poet Laureate
Hey DC... This is copied from " The Cattleman", its their recommendations on a BP for cattle ops
Basic Business Plan Components
1. Company Name, Location, and Business Type
Start off by noting simply on the front page the name and location of your company, including complete physical address, phone, fax, and e-mail as well as the owner’s names. It’s like a title page. You’ll also include here the type of business you have decided to organize such as a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, or Limited Liability Company (LLC).
2. Mission Statement
The mission statement is a series of sentences akin to a résumé's Career Objective statement. It’s difficult to summarize who you are and what you do in a few short words, but it’s worth the effort.
Ask yourself these questions as you create a mission statement:
· Am I an innovator and building a completely new product offering?
· Am I selling an existing branded product or creating my own farm brand?
· What's my niche?
3. Business Vision/Executive Summary
The business vision is a bit like an expanded, more detailed version of your initial mission statement. Here you’ll clearly define who’s involved and why, what you’ll be selling, and who you’ll be selling to. This is like an opening statement in a speech or the chance to make a first impression.
4. Product Description
You must clearly define what products you’ll sell and how they will look. In the branded beef business, for example, you’ll need to include information on packaging and labeling and any specialty claims such as ‘pasture-raised,’ ‘natural’ or ‘organic.’ Define known competitors and point out how your brand will be different. As you describe your farm’s product, note also how and where you will sell it and the prices for every single, including if there are different wholesale and retail prices.
5. Market Segments and Target Customers
Creating market segments is vitally important for small beef ventures and branded beef products because it’s paramount that you understand what your brand is and why the buyer identifies with it. This is a broad subject; we’ll cover more in an additional column. Start by gathering basic demographics such as:
Age
Gender
Geographic location
Education and income
Buying habits
Goals
It’s effective and motivating to divide sales and marketing goals into both short and long term goals. Short term can be up to the first six months to one year in business. For long term goals, think broadly and forecast out three to five years. This area of the plan is highly changeable, especially during a year-end review.
6. Start-Up Capital
Every business no matter how small needs some start-up capital. Estimating initial dollars is a forecast, however, so while it’s changeable, it still needs to be as accurate as possible to avoid the pitfalls of over spending or growing too fast without the dollars allocated to meet demand. Consider the costs associated with acquiring the following items:
Equipment
Raw materials (such as fat cattle)
Marketing and sales materials
Licensing and regulatory fees
Professional services (such as processing and packaging)
Insurance
Transportation
Lease or property costs
Subcontracted labor and employee costs
First Year Budget
I’ve learned from experience you’ll be on sounder financial footing if you build a budget that you can stick with. One way to help stick with a business budget, just like the one for your family’s household, is to build in extra dollars for unexpected items and additional purchases. This may require trial and error and changes, but work hard to keep the budget accurate and manageable for your operation. Budget for the costs of each item needed in the start up capital section.
7. Company Management
Here you’ll detail who’s who in your operation. For livestock families, this exercise is serious because misunderstandings can lead to discontent. Decide who actually owns the company and what type of profits they’ll take from it. Look at items such as land and equipment use. For example, if you’re living on your mother-in-law’s ground, does she get a cut and is she an owner? When you use your brother’s livestock trailer, are you paying him in cash or a favor?
Summing It All Up
To serve its purpose, a business plan must be a living document. Living means change. There are two times when it’s necessary and okay to alter your initial plan. The first is during your start up phase, the second is during a year-end review. Commit to the plan, use it every month and review it with everyone involved at least annually. Referring to your plan regularly helps gage financial targets for sales and for spending and provides a road map for staying on the right track.
Basic Business Plan Components
1. Company Name, Location, and Business Type
Start off by noting simply on the front page the name and location of your company, including complete physical address, phone, fax, and e-mail as well as the owner’s names. It’s like a title page. You’ll also include here the type of business you have decided to organize such as a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, or Limited Liability Company (LLC).
2. Mission Statement
The mission statement is a series of sentences akin to a résumé's Career Objective statement. It’s difficult to summarize who you are and what you do in a few short words, but it’s worth the effort.
Ask yourself these questions as you create a mission statement:
· Am I an innovator and building a completely new product offering?
· Am I selling an existing branded product or creating my own farm brand?
· What's my niche?
3. Business Vision/Executive Summary
The business vision is a bit like an expanded, more detailed version of your initial mission statement. Here you’ll clearly define who’s involved and why, what you’ll be selling, and who you’ll be selling to. This is like an opening statement in a speech or the chance to make a first impression.
4. Product Description
You must clearly define what products you’ll sell and how they will look. In the branded beef business, for example, you’ll need to include information on packaging and labeling and any specialty claims such as ‘pasture-raised,’ ‘natural’ or ‘organic.’ Define known competitors and point out how your brand will be different. As you describe your farm’s product, note also how and where you will sell it and the prices for every single, including if there are different wholesale and retail prices.
5. Market Segments and Target Customers
Creating market segments is vitally important for small beef ventures and branded beef products because it’s paramount that you understand what your brand is and why the buyer identifies with it. This is a broad subject; we’ll cover more in an additional column. Start by gathering basic demographics such as:
Age
Gender
Geographic location
Education and income
Buying habits
Goals
It’s effective and motivating to divide sales and marketing goals into both short and long term goals. Short term can be up to the first six months to one year in business. For long term goals, think broadly and forecast out three to five years. This area of the plan is highly changeable, especially during a year-end review.
6. Start-Up Capital
Every business no matter how small needs some start-up capital. Estimating initial dollars is a forecast, however, so while it’s changeable, it still needs to be as accurate as possible to avoid the pitfalls of over spending or growing too fast without the dollars allocated to meet demand. Consider the costs associated with acquiring the following items:
Equipment
Raw materials (such as fat cattle)
Marketing and sales materials
Licensing and regulatory fees
Professional services (such as processing and packaging)
Insurance
Transportation
Lease or property costs
Subcontracted labor and employee costs
First Year Budget
I’ve learned from experience you’ll be on sounder financial footing if you build a budget that you can stick with. One way to help stick with a business budget, just like the one for your family’s household, is to build in extra dollars for unexpected items and additional purchases. This may require trial and error and changes, but work hard to keep the budget accurate and manageable for your operation. Budget for the costs of each item needed in the start up capital section.
7. Company Management
Here you’ll detail who’s who in your operation. For livestock families, this exercise is serious because misunderstandings can lead to discontent. Decide who actually owns the company and what type of profits they’ll take from it. Look at items such as land and equipment use. For example, if you’re living on your mother-in-law’s ground, does she get a cut and is she an owner? When you use your brother’s livestock trailer, are you paying him in cash or a favor?
Summing It All Up
To serve its purpose, a business plan must be a living document. Living means change. There are two times when it’s necessary and okay to alter your initial plan. The first is during your start up phase, the second is during a year-end review. Commit to the plan, use it every month and review it with everyone involved at least annually. Referring to your plan regularly helps gage financial targets for sales and for spending and provides a road map for staying on the right track.
02-24-2008, 10:16 AM
#14
DTR's Cow Boss
Thread Starter
I got one half of that figured out. Its nice having 10,000 acres too run on in one fence and only a horse back ride away from checking on my cows only time I will burn fuel is when I haul too the auction. Our operation is a buckaroo show here less stress on the critter equals less weight loss equal more money in the end
02-24-2008, 10:48 AM
#15
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We are about the same size operation but I bet you run quite a few more cow/calf pair on that fertile OR land! We get killed with hay, corn and fuel deliveries (so far off the beaten path) and when we ship those fuel prices really get us...
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