Small-Scale Intensive Farming Andy Pressman Urban Farmer Workshop Baltimore, MD June 14, 2012 THE NCAT MISSION Helping People by championing small-scale, local, and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities, and protect natural resources. http://www.ncat.org ATTRA provides technical support on sustainable agriculture and farm energy. • http://www.attra.org • Toll Free 800-346-9140 • > 350 Publications • Workshops/Conferences United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency The role of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is to help producers manage their business risks through effective, market-based risk management solutions. www.rma.usda.gov This presentation is sponsored in part by the USDA Risk Management Agency Nomadic Farms NH What is a Small Farm? • USDA defines as farms with $250,000 or less in sales. • Accounted for 91% of all farms in 2007 (only 56% of US food production). Source: The Winter Harvest • 60% had less than $10,000 Handbook by Eliot Coleman in sales (noncommercial). • Over half were direct sales to customers • Avg. age 57.1 years old *Information from USDA 2007 Census of Agriculture Beginning Farmer’s (10 years or less) • 78% of farmers ranked “lack of capital” as a top challenge for beginners. • 68% of farmers ranked land access as the biggest challenge faced by beginners. • 70% of farmers under 30 rented land, as compared to 37% of farmers over 30. • 74% of farmers ranked apprenticeships as among the most valuable programs for beginners. • 49% ranked Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a top program. Source: National Young Farmer’s Coalition Removing Barriers • High cost of land. • High cost of farm infrastructure. Needs for Various Sizes of Vegetable Farms. Power Source Direct Production Postharvest Scale Seed Starting and Tillage Seeding Equipment Cultivation Harvesting Handling Delivery small hoop Back-pack Wheel hoe, rototiller or Earthway Field knives, 1-3 house, grow sprayer, hand hoes, Bulk tank, canopy, Pickup with walking tractor, seeder, hand boxes, acres lights, irrigation, digging packing containers topper or van custom work Cyclone seeder buckets, carts planting trays tools forks, spades 1000 sq. ft. 35-40 hp tractor, 1-row Cultivating Potato digger, Roller track greenhouse, with creeper 4-6 Planet Jr. plate transplanter, tractor (IH bed lifter, conveyor, hand cold frames, gear, power Cargo van acres seeder irrigation, Super A or wagon, more carts, walk-in field tunnels, steering, high more tools IH 140) boxes, buckets cooler planting trays clearance Tool bar Stanhay Additional 40-60 hp tractor, 2-row implements: 7-10 preceision belt More field Barrel washer, 1 ton truck with cold frames, chisel plow, transplanter, beet knives, acres seeder with crates spinner, pallet jack refrigeration planting trays spader sprayer, basket belts weeder Sweeps (Besserides), Buddingh 80 hp tractor finger Wash line, larger with loader Nibex or Irrigation, weeders, Asa lift, 20 + 2,000 sq. ft. cooler, packing Refrigerated bucket and Monosem bed shaper, flame harvest acres greenhouse shed and loading truck forks, compost seeder mulch layer weeder, wagon dock spreader potatoe hiller, 2nd cultivating tractor Adapted from table distributed at Michael Fields Institute Advanced Organic Vegetable Production Workshop, 2/2001, Jefferson City, MO. Risk Management • Production Risk – “2012 expectations are managing, diversification, that risk exposures will sustainability increase in the form of high crop values, increased • Marketing Risk price volatility, higher • Financial Risk input costs, tighter credit • Human Risk – requirements, the need to personal/family, recover from 2011 losses, employees, pesticides higher family living costs, • Legal Risk – business and aging farm operators.” organization, rent vs. leasing, taxes, succession – Pam Smith, UVM Extension planning http://farm-risk-plans.rma.usda.gov Farm for Profit, Not Production ( Profit = Income –Expenses) • In 2010, 64% of farms had negative operating profits. • It pays to plan! • Guide in decision making, decreasing risks, and monitors progress • Write it down ATTRA Resources: • Planning for Profit in Sustainable Farming • Evaluating a Farming Enterprise Photo: Dennis Chamberlin • Financing Your Farm