{"id":21941,"date":"2023-11-02T17:35:20","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T17:35:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/?post_type=start-a-business&#038;p=21941"},"modified":"2025-09-25T17:28:23","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T17:28:23","slug":"farming-business","status":"publish","type":"start-a-business","link":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/start-a-business\/farming-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Farming business"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"21941\" class=\"elementor elementor-21941\" data-elementor-post-type=\"start-a-business\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-67e369c2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"67e369c2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1d6348ef\" data-id=\"1d6348ef\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b3bb6e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7b3bb6e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Is it your dream to run your own farm? If so, you\u2019ll need to have the relevant experience and be prepared to put in the work to boost the chances of your farm being profitable. This guide takes you through the necessary steps to help you understand how to start a farm.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55b9509 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"55b9509\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/us.swoopfunding.ca\/stage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Apply now<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-674a3245 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"674a3245\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4ce089dc\" data-id=\"4ce089dc\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cbc3a0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3cbc3a0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6c10bd3 question elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6c10bd3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Is farming profitable?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f68225d answer elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f68225d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Farming can be profitable, but you need to plan carefully. The COVID-19 pandemic hit farming incomes hard and they have struggled to recover. That said, figures from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fb.org\/market-intel\/2023-usda-farm-income-forecast-erases-2022-gains#:~:text=U.S.%20net%20farm%20income%2C%20a,15.9%25%20from%202022&#039;s%20%24162.7%20billion.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">American Farm Bureau Federation<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> show that total income from Farming (TIFF)\u00a0 for 2022 was $162.7 billion.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As well as the pandemic, the farming industry has also been affected by extreme weather, such as heavy rain. Farming can be unpredictable so you need to ensure your farm is resilient, that you\u2019re producing maximum yield and that you\u2019re selling your crops for the highest price possible. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ced913d question elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ced913d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What skills are required to be a farmer?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40472f2 answer elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"40472f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to be a farmer, there are a number of skills that can help set you up for success. These include:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>People skills:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> During your time as a farmer, you\u2019ll need to network and build good relationships with a wide range of people.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Organization skills:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> As part of your role, you\u2019ll need to carry out a range of tasks including working on the land, completing paperwork and managing staff. That means you need to be organized and know how to prioritize tasks.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Management skills:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Even if you\u2019re starting a small farm, it\u2019s likely you\u2019ll need to employ one or two members of staff. You might need to hire more staff as your business grows. You\u2019ll need to be able to manage your team members and be able to motivate them.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fitness:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Farming is a physically demanding job so you\u2019ll need to be fit and healthy.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a driving license will also be useful and it pays to have some technical knowledge so that you know how to handle machinery. You could even consider completing a diploma or degree in an agricultural subject.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2732a05 question elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2732a05\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What are the steps to starting a farm?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10cdfcf answer elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"10cdfcf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><strong>Step 1: Start small and expand<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Farming can be hard work, so it\u2019s best to start out small and then expand once things are going the way you hoped. If you\u2019re growing vegetables, for example, start by only growing something simple like tomato plants or a variety of salad of leaves, before expanding and starting a farm as your primary source of income.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re having animals on your farm, start with a few chickens or one goat and then increase the number of animals you have over time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting small means that any mistakes you make will be on a smaller scale, and learning from these mistakes means you\u2019re more likely to have success as your farm grows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Step 2: Learn by doing<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you start running your own farm, it\u2019s worth gaining some real-life experience on a working farm so you know what you\u2019re getting into and how the business work. Ask around to see whether you could volunteer on a local farm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reading books and taking courses will also help you to learn more about the industry and, if you can, look for a good mentor who can teach you more about the job and give you valuable feedback.<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Step 3: Decide on and research your niche<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decide on the type of farming you want to do and then spend time researching it in detail. If you\u2019re only growing food for you and your family, you won\u2019t need to spend quite as long researching. All you\u2019ll need to think about is the fruit and vegetables you and your family eat that would be easy to grow in your climate.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if you want to sell the produce you grow to earn an income, you\u2019ll need to do a lot more research. Think about how many different goods you want to produce and whether there is sufficient demand. Who are you planning to sell your produce to \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/start-a-business\/restaurant\/\">restaurants<\/a>, shops or consumers? Make sure you also consider which items sell for high prices and which might not be so profitable. You need to have a good idea of who your customers are and how much they will buy.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re raising animals, again you\u2019ll need to consider whether you want to rear cows and goats to produce milk for sale, or whether you\u2019d prefer to raise pigs for pork products and so on. Consider which has the highest demand and which is likely to earn you the most profit. To help you, check out farmers\u2019 markets, meet other local producers and speak to customers as you shop.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Step 4: Secure your land<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve worked out what you\u2019re going to farm, you need to decide whether you want to buy land or lease it. Buying land gives you complete control over how you use it, but it also comes with higher financial risk. It\u2019s also likely to be more costly.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some farmers (or other landowners) will have extra land that they are not using and might be willing to lease to you. This can be a low-cost way to get things up and running and it will be lower risk.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When looking for land, you\u2019ll need to consider a range of factors, including whether you will have access to a steady supply of water and the quality of the soil. It\u2019s sensible to carry out a soil test so that you can assess whether it\u2019s chalky or sandy, or full of clay, for instance. This can help you work out whether you need to invest in certain fertilizers or other supplements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also look at whether there are already any structures on the land, such as processing facilities or barns or chicken coops. Different crops and animal products will need different processing and storage facilities.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, you\u2019ll need to consider how close you are to where you\u2019ll be selling your goods. After all, you don\u2019t want to be driving for hours just to reach the nearest town.<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Step 5: Get finance for equipment and product<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of us won\u2019t have the cash readily available to help get a farm up and running, so you\u2019ll usually need to turn to finance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One option is to apply for a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/business-loans\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">business loan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with a high-street bank or online lender. This will enable you to borrow a lump sum of cash that you then repay in monthly instalments, with interest, over a set term.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also worth finding out if you\u2019re eligible for a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/business-grants\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">business grant<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is a sum of money awarded to a business to help it grow and develop and, unlike a loan, it does not need to be repaid. Business grants are usually awarded by the government or other companies and there are hundreds of different grants you can apply for across the US. These will often be targeted to specific industries, community groups or types of business, so check carefully.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/business-loans\/asset-finance\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asset finance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can also be used to help you acquire farm equipment. The two main options are hire purchase and leasing. Hire purchase means you hire the equipment from the lender and then make the agreed monthly payments. At the end of the term, the equipment is yours.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternatively, leasing lets you rent the equipment from a finance provider and then pay a regular fixed fee over a set term, with interest added. At the end of the term you might be able to pay a lump sum to buy the equipment, continue to lease it, or cancel the agreement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Step 6: Sell and distribute your product<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve completed the above steps, you\u2019re ready to start growing and selling your products. Provided you\u2019ve carried out your research, you\u2019ll know where you\u2019re going to sell your goods and the amount you want to sell them for.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Farmers\u2019 markets can be a good option, but you could also set up a farm shop or partner with local businesses. You could even partner with other producers to sell your products under one brand. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc5c737 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"bc5c737\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-daad523 question elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"daad523\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How to continue growing your business<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5f7e16 answer elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d5f7e16\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve got your business off the ground, now is not the time to take a backseat. Instead, you need to start thinking about how your business will grow and what you need to do to achieve this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media can be a great way to get the word out about your business and attract new customers. Instagram and Pinterest can work well as they are visual and let people see what\u2019s happening on your farm. But you could also consider using Twitter and LinkedIn to share articles about the farming industry and encourage discussion. Facebook Messenger is also great for responding to customer queries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, it\u2019s worth creating a website for your farm so that people can easily find out more about it. Using website builders such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wix.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wix<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squarespace.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Squarespace<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can make your life a lot easier initially, but you might want to hire a web developer as your farm grows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also think about attending industry events to network with other farming industry professionals, as well as advertising through radio, brochures and newspapers. You might even want to expand into new areas \u2013 you could set up a camping ground on your farm, for example, or you could start growing \u2018pick your own\u2019 flowers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be64ab0 question elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"be64ab0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Get started with Swoop's business funding platform<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71b77e22 answer elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"71b77e22\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding the right type of finance for your new business won\u2019t always be an easy decision. So if you need help, the team of experts at Swoop will be happy to talk through your options and work out the best solution. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/contact-us\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get in touch today<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-39dc8861 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"39dc8861\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/us.swoopfunding.ca\/stage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Apply now<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","start-a-business-sectors":[347],"class_list":["post-21941","start-a-business","type-start-a-business","status-publish","hentry","start-a-business-sectors-business-ideas"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","image_blog":"","image_blog_full":"","image_podcast":"","image_banking":"","image_blog_internal":"","image_blog_medium":"","image_single_banking":""},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"<p>Is it your dream to run your own farm? If so, you\u2019ll need to have the relevant experience and be prepared to put in the work to boost the chances of your farm being profitable. This guide takes you through the necessary steps to help you understand how to start a farm.\u00a0 Apply now Is farming profitable? Farming can be profitable, but you need to plan carefully. The COVID-19 pandemic hit farming incomes hard and they have struggled to recover. That said, figures from the American Farm Bureau Federation show that total income from Farming (TIFF)\u00a0 for 2022 was $162.7&hellip;<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"","author_info_v2":{"name":"Rachel Wait","url":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/author\/rachel-wait\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business\/21941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/start-a-business"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business\/21941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43268,"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business\/21941\/revisions\/43268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"start-a-business-sectors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business-sectors?post=21941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}