In this Guide to Finding, Assessing, and Securing Farmland in Massachusetts, written in Plain Language, you will learn about:
•Determining the right kind of farmland for you
•Deciding what type of land tenure situation is right for you
•Starting the networking process
•Conducting farmland site visits
•Understanding your land by using the Web Soil Survey and other online information tools
•Negotiating with landowners and signing an agreement to use the land
•Beginning to farm your land!
Esta guía es un recurso diseñado para acompañar a agricultores actuales y futuros en cada paso del desarrollo y gestión de sus negocios agrícolas. Desde la educación inicial hasta el acceso a mercados, la guía ofrece herramientas prácticas y conocimientos esenciales para establecer y mantener operaciones agrícolas exitosas, sostenibles y resilientes.
La guía inicia con una exploración de recursos educativos diseñados para ayudar a los agricultores a desarrollar habilidades esenciales, seguida de estrategias prácticas para identificar terrenos adecuados y construir la infraestructura nece
saria. También aborda temas fundamentales como el acceso a financiamiento, la gestión de riesgos y la contratación de seguros, proporcionando una base sólida para el desarrollo de negocios agrícolas. Además, se destacan las normativas ambientales, la sostenibilidad y el cumplimiento legal, ofreciendo información detallada sobre el manejo responsable de pesticidas, la regulación de vehículos agrícolas y la mitigación del impacto ambiental, promoviendo prácticas agrícolas responsables y sostenibles.
En el área empresarial, se abordan la planificación estratégica, la gestión financiera y el manejo de registros, así como temas fiscales, fijación de precios y desarrollo de mercados especializados para aumentar la rentabilidad de
los productos agrícolas.
Finalmente, el material ofrece recursos valiosos sobre oportunidades de subvenciones, el papel de la mujer en la agricultura, y estrategias para enfrentar el cambio climático. Con esta guía, los agricultores estarán mejor preparados para maximizar sus oportunidades y adaptarse a los desafíos del sector.
Este material se basa en el trabajo respaldado por el USDA/NIFA con número de adjudicación A0212501X443G006, subrayando el compromiso de brindar apoyo a la comunidad agrícola y fortalecer los sistemas alimentarios.
Organized into a series of independent Fact Sheets, this guide allows you to explore topics as needed or follow along as a complete resource, content Includes:
Each section is designed to provide actionable information and guidance, helping you cultivate success in your farming endeavors.
To a beginning farmer, the project of establishing a working farm at a new site can feel overwhelming. Depending on what resources already exist at the property, the task of identifying, prioritizing, and paying for needed improvements can be a difficult road to cultivate productive farmland.
This tool is designed to help a farmer who is considering establishing a farm at a new site to examine the scope of improvements the site may require, to prioritize which upgrades should be made, and to identify various organizations and funding sources that might offer advice and/or financing for farm-related improvements. Beginning with a section about selecting a farm enterprise, this resource then addresses Land Access, Utilities and Energy, Structures, and Equipment.
This tool is designed with farmers in Massachusetts specifically in mind, but many of the elements considered are applicable to farmers in other states, as many of the MA-based organizations and resources have parallels in other states as well. Each section below will include 1) Key Considerations and Questions, 2) Resources, and 3) Contacts related to that section, and some sections will also have 4) Financing information as well.
This is not an exhaustive list of key considerations and resources associated with starting or improving a farm on a new site. Hopefully the information provided will prove valuable to farmers as they undertake the important and demanding work of creating the conditions by which a property can generate value for the community and provide a sustainable income for the producer.
This guide describes the most important challenges for profitable niche poultry enterprises in New England and some ways that producers have overcome those challenges. Through interviews and direct farm research, New Entry worked with several small-scale poultry growers to track best practices and build enterprise budgets for alternative poultry enterprises in New England. For purposes of this guide, the focus is primarily on two chicken enterprises: laying hens, with fresh eggs as the primary product; and broilers, with whole roasting birds as the primary product.
Developed by the Ag Apprenticeship Learning Network, this toolkit is a comprehensive guide to establishing or improving an agricultural apprenticeship on your farm or ranch. This resouces includes tools, suggestions, and external links to supplementary resources.
A handbook developed by NOFA_NY for farmers interested in sustainable farming internships. The toolkit discusses the role of a farmer as a teacher and whether or not they are a good fit. Chapters detail designing an internship program and the selection process and provide overviews of living arrangements, how to provide a high-quality learning experience, and applicable labor regulations.
This brief, prepated by Drummond and Wilson, reviews current trends in Wage and Hour enforcement and reviews differences in types of labor performed on a farm, and what qualifies as agricultural work.
This multi-level survey tool is designed to assist IFPs in identifying and evaluating core non-production skills by focusing on outcomes necessary for farmers to run their own farm businesses after graduating from the IFP. NIFTI’s hope is that this specific tool can support your project in providing the best opportunities for success possible for your participants during the time you have with them, and gently guide your project towards measuring a set of core skills that have been determined to be of particular importance to successful commercial farmers. Our vision is that IFP’s can focus their training on core skills that are realistically achievable given time and resource constraints, and work to connect participants with the mentors and communities that will supplement learning on the IFP and support them as they grow.
The calculator tool, also available below, can be used by program staff to aggregate individual farmer responses in order to complete the Incubator Farm Project Report.
Background Information on New Americans’ is a compilation of resources about refugees and special immigrants actively participating in refugee agriculture programs at the International Rescue Committee in Charlottesville, VA. The information originates from a variety of sources including the IRC itself and the Department of Health and Human Services. It provides abbreviated information about the cultural practices and context from which resettled people hail, with an emphasis on diet, food traditions and agricultural
background.
