A comprehensive collection of resources for beginning farmers as they embark on their information searching journey to start a farm business in Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties of New York State. Information and resources compiled by Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Farm Business Management Specialist and Team Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension's Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program. Funding for this project provided by the State of New York and American Farmland Trust. Updated April 2021. For more information or further questions and inquiries, call 716-640-0522.

The SWNY Dairy, Livestock & Fields Crops Program offers educational programming and research based information to agricultural producers, growers, and agribusinesses. Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and education recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individual with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Link to our Agribusiness Directory of Technical Service Providers: Veterinarians   Feed Mills and Suppliers   Lime/Fertilizer Suppliers   Sheep Shearers   Meat Processing Facilities   Tax Preparer/Accountants

Link to our Micro Videos on Farmland Topics: Considerations When Buying a Farm    Starting a Farm in NYS   NYS Farm Business Structure Options   

­­­­Welcome!

Starting a farm can be a wonderful and inspiring process. However, it comes with its fair share of overwhelming feelings, struggles with where to begin, and moments of "why did I think this was a good idea?". If you've ever tried "Googling" how to start a farm, the results can be completely overwhelming and hard to sift through!

This guide was developed to help those who are interested in starting a farm narrow down what information they need to know. This is not designed to be a one-stop-shop, but rather a helpful starting point in the journey!

What you'll find are carefully selected resources that were developed by various agriculturally oriented service agencies, rather than anonymous internet blogs. While those can be helpful tools, starting with research-based resources can help cut out some of the clutter.

This should be a living, breathing document. Write in the margins. Sticky note things to come back to. Revisit often. Ask questions to the people and organizations referenced. Add note pages for ideas, pictures for inspiration, and a pack of wipes for the inevitable coffee spills. Keep it on the kitchen table to glance at while you take a break from the afternoon sun.

Over the past six years of my career with Cornell Cooperative Extension, I have answered countless calls that started with "I want to start a farm, now what do I do?". I've seen people succeed, be wildly successful, and grow tremendously. I've also seen people struggle, take longer than they had hoped, and stumble often. There's also those that the pieces just don't quite fit, things just don't quite work out. And all of those are okay. Getting through this binder with a "Not for me" finale is a success, too.

Having been through the process of starting a farm myself, I can tell you that there is no right answer. No quick answer. No easy answer. BUT - take a moment to write down your "Why Bother?". Why do you want to start a farm? Is it because you want to know where your food comes from? Do you want to carry on a family tradition? Do you want a lifestyle that is tough, but rewarding? Do you want to raise a family on a rural homestead?

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Keep your "Why Bother?" close. Revisit it often, and remember that this is a journey, not a moment.

Best of Luck and I hope to talk with you soon!

Katelyn Walley-Stoll

Cornell Cooperative Extension's SWNY Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program

Link to the Resource Binder in its entirety (opens in a new tab).

Getting Started

• Guide to Farming in New York State (Cornell Small Farms Program): The most comprehensive guide for beginning and established farmers alike. This guide is comprised of a series of individual fact sheets addressing topics pertinent to planning and operating a farm business. It addresses topics common to operating a farm business in New York State in a brief and to the point manner.
• The Basics of Farmland Access (American Farmland Trust): A quick overview of accessing farmland - one of the biggest barriers to beginning a farm.
• Securing Farmland (National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service): This publication highlights some common ways to lease of own land. It outlines important considerations about leasing options and paths to land ownership.
• Farm Access Methods (Land for Good): A decision making guide addressing the challenges that beginning farmers face when accessing land to farm. The purpose of this guide is to provide an organized framework of farm access methods to help farmers make informed decisions.
• Business Planning for the Agriculture Sector (Cornell University): Developing a Farm Business Plan is an important step to assist agricultural producers in developing a basic plan used to secure funding for start-up, expansion, and operating loans in an agricultural business. This document provides basic items which should be covered in a business plan. 

Self-Assessments

• Racial Equity Tool Kit (Young Farmers Coalition): This toolkit is a starting point to help farmers organize around transformative learning and action. This provide basic background information about racism, guidance and tools for convening conversations about race and equity, and how to engage in direct action based movement building.
• DACUM Occupational Profile for NE Farmer (New England Farm Institute):This DACUM LDevelop A CurriculUM Occupational Profile is a systematic listing of duties and tasks performed by small scale, sustainable farmers located in the northeast US.
• Farmland Assessment Checklist (Penn State Extension): This checklist is meant to be used as a guide as you examine prospective farm properties for lease. 
• Checklist for New Farms (United States Department of Agriculture): This brief summary is intended to acquaint you with some of the common first considerations of starting a farm.
• Northeast Small Scale Sustainable Farmer Skill Assessment Tool (New England Small Farm Institute): A comprehensive self-assessment that addresses task statements and your current ability to perform them with your skill set. 

Next Steps

• Guide to Marketing Channel Selection (CCE Tompkins County): This publication is a decision-making aid for new farmers and those considering marketing through a new channel. The guide focuses on describing the marketing of fresh-market produce, however, many of the principles apply to the marketing of other agricultural products.
• Introduction to Risk Management (Extension Risk Management Education and Risk Management Agency):This is a comprehensive overview of risk management considerations for farms in the five main concern areas (production, marketing, financial, legal, and human).
• Publication 225, Farmer's Tax Guide (Internal Revenue Service): This publication explains how the federal tax laws apply to farming. You are in the business of farming if you cultivate, operate, or manage a farm for profit.
• Choosing a Business Entity: Flowchart (Farm Commons): Through a series of Yes/No questions, this flowchart leads you to select the business structure that best fits your farm's needs. Good for visual learners and farmers who are on the fence about which entity to form.  

Organization/Agency Support

• Cornell Cooperative Extension
• Soil and Water Conservation District
• Farm Bureau
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• United States Department of Agriculture
• Small Business Development Center 
• Farm Service Agency 
• NY Farm Net
• Farmland for a New Generation New York