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Here are resources on key topics for starting a farm or food business from the Essential Skills workshops that CISA and Healthy Hampshire ran together in 2023-2024.
If you are looking for support with starting your food business, CISA may be able to help. If you are starting a farm or a food business that sources locally-grown ingredients in Franklin, Hampshire, or Hampden counties of Massachusetts, CISA can help promote your business through our Local Hero membership program. We also offer business assistance for any farm in our region and Local Hero member food businesses.
Resources for beginning farmers, including training programs and more, from the MA Department of Agricultural Resources.
Toolkits from New Entry Sustainable Farming Project: Starting a Farm from Scratch Decision Tool and the Entrepreneur’s Guide to Farming in MA.
For new farmers seeking land, check out New England Farmland Finder, CISA’s classifieds for land available, or Land for Good’s resources for farmland seekers.
Commercial kitchens in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties list from CISA.
Food safety:
For farmers starting a value-added business:
MA Department of Public Health’s Guidance for Farms and Agricultural Businesses on Cottage Food and Other Food Sales.
FAQ on Massachusetts cottage food production regulations, with information about what foods you can make at home and how to get a residential kitchen permit.
Slides from the workshop “Residential Kitchens and Cottage Foods Operations” by Bri Dupras from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), with guidance about how to prepare your home kitchen to be certified.
Goal Setting worksheet from independent farm/food business consultant Stevie Schafenacker.
One page business plan template from Farm Credit East.
Business planning toolkit from the Franklin County Community Development Corporation.
Farm-specific business planning courses:
The PVGrows Investment Fund provides financing and technical assistance to farm and food businesses through community investments.
The Mass Food Trust Program provides loans and grants to retail businesses increasing access to healthy, affordable food in low-income, underserved areas.
For more farm-specific financing options, see CISA’s farm financing tipsheet.
CISA’s list of grants for farmers and our workshop handout with application tips. If you are new to grants, here are three common MA food system grants to start with:
Choosing a business entity:
The Healthy Business Checklist from Lawyers for Civil Rights has more information about entity formation steps, insurance, and other business set up steps. You may need support from a lawyer (for entity formation), an accountant (for tax prep), and other professionals as you take these steps.
Tipsheet on insurance options for farmers from CISA.
Marketing resources for starting a new business from Good Egg Marketing.
Marketing tipsheets from CISA.
Resources on how to sign up to accept SNAP payments for your business, and more information about how to accept payments from the Health Incentives Program (HIP) from CISA.
This project was supported by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture through grant AM22SCBPMA1163. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.