Evaluating New Markets

 

Arizona Resources

Colorado Resources

New Mexico Resources

Utah Resources

Evaluating Market Potential

Feasibility Study Resources

Funding Resources

 

*Each resource within the Four Corners region will be marked with an asterisk

 

See also:

 

 

Arizona Resources

 

*Assessing Risks and Financing Requirements

This section gives some tips and tools that can help assess understanding your market and the associated risks and finances required. The section of Business Planning has related discussion on risk and finance requirements.

http://cals.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/dmkt/AssessingRisks.pdf

 

*Business Plans are More Important Now than Ever

This article from the University of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension stresses the importance of developing a business plan to help ensure success of a new business.

http://cals.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/dmkt/BusinessPlans.pdf

 

Colorado Resources

 

*Colorado Business Resource Guide

This is a guide produced by the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Division of Markets. It provides general information to assist you in starting and maintaining a business in Colorado. This Guide references most city, state and federal forms needed to establish a business in Colorado.

http://www.state.co.us/oed/business-resource-guide/index.cfm

 

*Colorado Department of Agriculture: Business Development Tools

There are numerous publications on this page to help with small business development. Resources include information on getting started, developing marketing plans, and financing information.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Agriculture-Main%2FCDAGLayout&cid=1167928163382&p=1167928163382&pagename=CDAGWrapper#Business%20Development%20Tools

 

New Mexico Resources

 

*New Mexico Department of Agriculture: Marketing and Economic Development

This department of the NMDA helps with marketing resources as well as licenses necessary for small food business in Mew Mexico.

http://nmdaweb.nmsu.edu/marketing-and-economic-development

 

Utah Resources

 

*State of Utah Department of Agriculture and Food: Marketing & Development

The mission of the Division of Marketing and Development is to raise the awareness of Utah agriculture and food products and enhance local, domestic and international marketing opportunities.

http://ag.utah.gov/marketing/promotion.html

 

Evaluating Market Potential

 

Agricultural Business Planning Templates and Resources

This resource list contains sources of business planning templates and further resources for agricultural enterprises. These resources include Internet and print resources as well as training courses and workshops.

http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/agriculture_planning.html

 

Agricultural Marketing Resource Center: Business Development Information

This resource website has information to help with business development and operation.

http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/business/

 

Alternative Marketing and Business Practices

This is a resources guide that has been compiled by the National Agricultural Library’s Alternative Farming Systems Information Center. Included are resources for developing business plans.

http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=2&tax_level=1&tax_subject=299

 

Evaluating a Rural Enterprise

This publication is for people who already live in rural areas and want to add new enterprises to their operations. Its sections guide the reader in evaluating resources, assessing finances, gathering information, and marketing. It also discusses choosing an "alternative" enterprise and offers further resources.

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/evalrural.html

 

External Scanning- Industry Analysis

This is a resource of the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. This is a very comprehensive guide for conducting an analysis of the agricultural industry being considered for business expansion.

http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/business/strategyandanalysis/indprofileoutline.htm

 

Market Research Workbook

This workbook is designed as a guide to finding the information/data a firm needs in developing a marketing plan or program.

http://www.mobdn.net/docs/market_research_workbook.asp

 

Starting or Diversifying an Agricultural Business

An existing farming operation considering diversification must carefully evaluate how adopting a new enterprise will impact existing land, labor, capital, and management resources. This guide will help walk you through the business planning process.

http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/farmmanagement/startbusiness/StartingAgBusiness%20PM7.pdf

 

Starting an Ag-Business? A Pre-Planning Guide

This book is intended to help agricultural business operators (and future business operators) decide which enterprise is best for them to pursue with a full fledged business plan.

http://agviability.cornell.edu/pdf/Pre-businessPlanWorkbook.pdf

 

Feasibility Study Resources

 

Developing a New Co-Owned Agricultural Business: How Do We Start a Value-Added Firm?

This is a guide that helps you explore market potential through developing a business plan and conducting a feasibility study.

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/agecon/market/ec1137w.htm

 

Feasibility Analysis: Agricultural Marketing Resource Center

This guide helps explain what a feasibility study is and when they are necessary. The guide also explains how to use the results of a feasibility study for evaluating market potential.

http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/business/startingbusiness/feasibilityanalysis.htm

 

Getting From Idea to Implementation: A Checklist for Producers Starting A New Value-Added Agriculture Business

This resource guide helps walk you through the various steps of planning a value-added business. The information includes how to put a steering committee together, how to choose the right value-added business idea and how to implement a business plan.

http://www.mda.mo.gov/AgBusiness/resources/pdf/IdeatoImplementation.pdf

 

Idea Assessment

This article from the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center walks you through the process of narrowing the focus for a new business idea.

http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/business/startingbusiness/ideaassessment.htm

 

Starting a Small Business: The Feasibility Analysis

Whether you plan to expand an existing business, acquire an existing business or start your own new business, this guide will show you how to perform a basic economic feasibility analysis: a preliminary evaluation of your business idea to see if it’s worth pursuing.

http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/pubs/mt9510.pdf

 

Funding Resources

 

Small Farm Funding Resources

Find tools to develop a business plan, write a grant proposal, and locate funding.

http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/small_farm_funding.htm

 

See also:

  • Financing for general resources to help fund agricultural marketing ventures.