• Beginning Farmers

Guide to Farming in NYS:
What Every Ag Entrepreneur Needs to Know

Download the entire Guide (PDF) or as individual fact sheets (below)

This Guide, originally written in 2004 by Monika Roth and Jacob Schuelke, has been thoroughly expanded and reformatted into a compilation of fact sheets. It is an essential resource for new and existing farmers alike, providing answers to questions about taxes, business planning, labor law, zoning, regulations, marketing and many other topics that farmers need to know. Hard copies are being distributed to every county CCE office; contact your local office to request one.

You can download the entire Guide to Farming in NYS, or download only those fact sheets that are of interest. All documents are in PDF format and require free Adobe Acrobat for viewing.

Please share your feedback with us - this Guide will be periodically updated and will keep becoming a better resource with your contributions.

Start by reading How to Use this Guide

I - Considerations for Getting Started

1 - Finding a Farm
2 - Climate and Soil Considerations
3 - Infrastructure Considerations
4 - Financing a Farm Operation - revised 12/21/07
5 - Farm Risk Management
6 - Farm Insurance - revised 9/24/07
7 - Farm Vehicles
8 - Zoning Regulations & Farming
9 - Legal Aspects of Rural Living
10 - Environmental Regulations
11 - Forest Land Resources

II - Business Considerations

12 - Business Plans
13 - Business Structures
14 - Making Money
15 - Record Keeping
16 - Income Taxes
17 - Sales Tax Exemptions/Refunds
18 - Labor Laws - revised 10/19/07
19 - Payroll and Worker Documentation
20 - Agricultural District Law Provisions
21 - Property Tax Exemption for Farmland
22 - Property Tax Exemptions for Farm Buildings

III - Marketing Considerations

23 - Assessing your Market Potential
24 - Pricing Farm Products
25 - Finding Price Information
26 - Direct Marketing Options
27 - Marketing Regulations
28 - Becoming a Small Scale Food Processor
29 - Collecting Sales Tax on Farm Product Sales
30 - Organic Certification

IV - Helpful Resources

31 - Grant Opportunities for Farmers
32 - Agricultural Agencies and Organizations
33 - Information Sources for Getting Started

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