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Farm & Ranch Diversification References

This is an initial list of on-line business start-up and management references relevant to farm and ranch enterprises. We will add to the list weekly. We welcome recommendations of other on-line business resources that you think would be helpful for diversified farms and ranches. Please email your recommendations to us at rirc@msu.edu.


Please click on a specific topic
  • Agencies & Organizations
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  • Associations
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  • Business Planning
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  • Business Start-Up
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  • Business Start-up Model
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  • Customer Service
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  • Finance
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  • Loan Packaging
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  • Management
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  • Marketing and Promotion
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  • Recreation(al) Liability & Insurance
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  • Small Business
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  • Other References


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    Agencies & Organizations
  • Arkansas Small Business Development Center
  • Michigan Technical Assistance Centers (Directory)
  • Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP)
  • Small Business Coalition (Australia)
  • United States Small Business Administration
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    Associations
  • Alberta Country Vacations Association
  • Alberta White-tail and Mule Deer Association
  • American Goat Dairy Association
  • American Guernsey Association
  • American Jersey Cattle Association
  • Apple Journal
  • Business Continuity Planners Association
  • California Certified Organic Farmers
  • Canadian Organic Growers
  • Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia
  • Christmas Tree Farm Network
  • Dairy Farmers of Ontario
  • Dude Ranch Vacations
  • Family Ranches
  • Farm At Home
  • Florida Angus Association
  • Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association
  • Florida Grape Growers Association
  • Florida Gulf Citrus Growers Association
  • Georgia Peanut Producers Association
  • Goat Farm Links
  • Guest Ranches of North America
  • Hawaii Organic Farmers Association
  • Holstein Canada
  • Michigan Apples
  • Michigan Blueberry Growers Association
  • National Christmass Tree Association
  • National Herb and Spice Coalition
  • National Venture Capital Association
  • North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association
  • Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut
  • Northeast Organic Farming Association of Massachusetts
  • Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey
  • Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York
  • Northeast Organic Farming Association of Rhode Island
  • Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont
  • Ontario Berry Growers Association
  • Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture
  • Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association
  • Saskatchewan Elk & Deer Breeders
  • Saskatchewan Herb & Spice Association
  • West Sound Farms
  • Wisconsin Ag Tourism Association
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    Business Planning
  • A Business Plan
  • ABT Sample Business Plan
  • A Short Course in Business Plan Writing
  • Attracting Equity Investors
  • Best Business Planning Practices
  • Build a Strong Business Plan, Section by Section
  • Business Continuity Planning for Small Businesses
  • Business Plans
  • Business Plan Basics
  • Business Plan Outline
  • Business Plans and Planning
  • Business Plans: Planning Guide
  • Business Plan Software, Samples, and Strategy
  • Business Plan Outline and Learning How To Write Business Plan
  • Business and Marketing Plans
  • Creating an Effective Business Plan
  • Creating Your Business Plan
  • Developing a Business Plan
  • Frequently Asked Business Plan Questions
  • Getting a Bank Loan
  • Getting New Business Ideas
  • How to Plan Your Business?
  • How to Write a Business Plan
  • How To Write Business Plans
  • How to Write a Business Plan
  • How To Write A Business Plan - Business Description
  • How To Write A Business Plan - Executive Summary
  • Integrating Planning Into Your Organization
  • Miller Consulting's Business Plan Guide
  • Need Help With Your Business Plan?
  • Outline of a Complete Business Plan
  • Planning and Goal Setting for Small Business
  • Planning For Profits
  • Protecting Your Assets
  • Running a Planning Meeting
  • Sample Business Plan
  • Structuring Your Business Plan
  • Suggested Outline of a Business Plan
  • The Business Plan for Home-Based Business
  • The Business Plan Workbook
  • Using the Plan
  • Venture Associates Business Plans and Planning
  • Writing a business plan to obtain business finance
  • Why Plan Your Business?
  • Writing the Plan
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    Business Start-Up
  • 5 Businesses to Start This Weekend
  • Are You Ready?
  • Bed & Breakfast Establishment
  • Business Assistance Feasibility Study
  • Business Feasibility I: Overview
  • Business Feasibility II: Personal Factors
  • Business Feasibility III: Market
  • Business Feasibility IV: Managament
  • Business Feasibility V: Money
  • Business Feasibility VI: Money/Worksheets
  • Business Feasibility VII: Making the Decision
  • Business Startup Checklist
  • Buying a Business
  • Finding a Niche
  • Establishing A Banking Relationship
  • Opening Your Doors: A Guide to Opening and Operating a Bed & Breakfast
  • Protecting Your Ideas
  • Starting a Business Based on Customers' Needs
  • Starting a Business Based on Customers' Wants
  • Starting a Business in Michigan
  • Starting a Sports or Recreation Business
  • Startup Basics
  • Turning Your House into a Bed & Breakfast
  • Ways To Legally Structure A Business And Registering A Business Name
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    Business Start-Up Model
  • Go / No Go Decision 1
  • Go / No Go Decision 2
  • Go / No Go Decision 3
  • Step 1: Define Your Idea
  • Step 2: Assess Yourself
  • Step 3: Assess Financial Situation
  • Step 4: Conduct Market Research
  • Step 5: Set Marketing Strategy
  • Step 6: Identify Technology Uses
  • Step 7: Define Personnel Needs
  • Step 8: Choose Equipment
  • Step 9: Establish Quality Control
  • Step 10: Determine Inventory
  • Step 11: Choose Advisors & Services
  • Step 12: Consider a Legal Entity
  • Step 13: Identified Required Licenses
  • Step 14: Seek Proprietary Approvals
  • Step 15: Review Tax Issues
  • Step 16: Choose Accounting Systems
  • Step 17: Research Regulatory Climate
  • Step 18: Consider Your Location
  • Step 19: Identify Insurance Issues
  • Step 20: Determine Initial Costs
  • Step 21: Compile Business Budgets
  • Step 22: Calculate Breakeven Point
  • Step 23: Write a Business Plan
  • Step 24: Seek Financing
  • Step 25: Finalize Location
  • Step 26: Set Personnel Policies
  • Step 27: Set Openning Date
  • Step 28: Begin Marketing Efforts
  • Step 29: Place Inventory Orders
  • Step 30: Set Management Systems
  • Step 31: Train Personnel
  • Step 32: Open for Business
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    Customer Service
  • 9 Tools for Building Customer Loyalty
  • Build strong relationships and long-term sales by winning repeat business
  • Customer Service & Retention
  • Customer Service Guide-Getting Started
  • Customer Service: Your Best Shot at Standing Out
  • Complaint Handling
  • Complaint handling system
  • Customer Request And Complaint Handling Guidelines
  • Complaint handling process
  • Effective Complaint Handling
  • Effective Complaint Management
  • Full Service
  • Get Better Customer Imput
  • Hold On to Existing Customers
  • How to Build a Lasting Customer Relationship
  • Improving Customer Relationships
  • Internal Customer Service: Getting Your Organization to Work Together
  • More Tips for Internal Customer Service
  • Providing Superior Customer Service
  • Sales contracts and warranties
  • Simple Things to do Every Day for Great Customer Service
  • The Business Guide to Customer Relationship Management
  • The Customer Service Guide: How Happier Customers Lead to Healthier Business
  • The Price of Loyalty
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    Finance
  • ABC's of Borrowing
  • Basics
  • Basics of Financial Management
  • Breakeven Analysis
  • Budgeting for the Small Business
  • Business Financial Analysis
  • Capital Alternatives
  • Capital for Growth
  • Cash Flow Analysis
  • Cash Management
  • Credit and collection methods
  • Equity Financing
  • Estimating Costs
  • Evaluating Financial Performance
  • Financing a Business
  • Finding Capital
  • Financial Controls
  • Financial management planning
  • Financial Planning and Forecasting
  • Financial Statements
  • Financial Statements as a Management Tool
  • Financial ratio analysis
  • Forecasting profits
  • Financing for The Small Business
  • Financing Your Home Business:Where To Look For Help
  • Getting Financing for Your Business
  • Getting Money to Grow
  • Government Loans & Grants For Small Businesses!
  • How To Make a Go Of Your Business
  • How to reduce costs
  • Introduction to financial management
  • Improving Decision Making with Simple Break-Even Analysis
  • Personal vs. Business
  • Pricing Your Products
  • Processing of Loan Proposals
  • Quick Cost Savers
  • Small Business:Financing
  • Startup Costs
  • The Financial Planning Process
  • The Importance of Good Record-Keeping
  • The necessity of financial planning
  • Three Questions that Net Present Value Analysis can Help You Answer
  • Understanding and Controlling Cash Flow
  • Understanding Financial Statements
  • Understanding money sources
  • Understanding financial statements
  • What Should Go into a Financial Plan
  • Watching your Profit (checklist)
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    Loan Packaging
  • 60-Second Guide to Getting A Loan
  • Applying for a Loan
  • Basic 7(a) Loan Program
  • Borrowing Money
  • Business Loan Tool Kit
  • Establishing a Banking Relationship
  • Government Loan to Start a Small Business
  • How Do I Qualify for A Loan?
  • How To Get A Small Business Loan:Part 1: Documents Needed For A Small Business Loan
  • How To Get A Small Business Loan:Part 2: Preparing Yourself To Get A Small Business Loan
  • Loan Guide
  • Loan Packaging
  • Loan Packaging Assistance
  • SBA Loan Programs
  • Small Business Lenders: SBA Microloan Lenders by State
  • Small Business Loans
  • The Basic Steps For Getting A Small Business Loan
  • The Loan Proposal: Suggested Contents
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    Management
  • Asset Management
  • Being Self-Employed
  • Business Entertaining Do's and Don'ts
  • Challenges in Managing a Family Owned Business
  • Credit and Collections
  • Developing New Accounts
  • Employees: How to Find and Pay Them
  • Hiring Employees
  • Is the Internet Secure?
  • Keeping Yourself Organized
  • Learning to Delegate
  • Managing a Business
  • Outwitting Bad Check Passers
  • People Who Work for You
  • Preventing Embezzlement
  • Preventing Employee Fraud
  • Recruiting and Training Employees in the Service Industries
  • Recruiting and Retention: Competing for Employees in a Tight Market
  • Recruiting Employees for Small Businesses: A Little Planning Goes a Long Way
  • Reducing Shoplifting Losses
  • Running a Successful Meeting
  • Securing Your Inventory and Property
  • Setting Goals for Your Business
  • Transferring Management in the Family Owned Business
  • Winning Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Quality Employees
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    Marketing and Promotion
  • 8 Tips for Customer-Focused Marketing Promotions
  • 10 Tips for Marketing Success
  • Ads and PR
  • Are you struggling to attract enough clients?
  • Building a Solid Merchandising Strategy
  • Business Promotion Ideas List
  • Business Promotion
  • Competitive Strategy: How to Develop Winning Marketing Plans and Breakthrough Strategies
  • Competing with Retailing Giants
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Competitive Analysis Overview
  • Consumer Promotion Overview
  • Creating a Marketing Plan
  • Creative Marketing Solutions
  • Creating Selling: The Competitive Edge
  • Developing An Effective Media Campaign
  • Developing Media Plan
  • Developing an Effective Media Plan
  • Developing an Internet Marketing Plan
  • Developing Your Own Campaign
  • Direct Marketing Ideas, Tips, Tutorials, Case Studies and Articles
  • Effective Competitive Analysis
  • Effective Use of Premiums and Incentives
  • eMarketing
  • Finding public relations and advertising agencies to make your business shine
  • Grassroots Marketing
  • Grow Your Practice Revenue With The Patients And Cases You Want
  • How To Develop A Marketing Plan
  • How to Generate Free Publicity for Your Business
  • How to Price your Products and Services
  • How to Write a Marketing Plan
  • How Your Marketing Mix Can Improve Profit
  • Internet Marketing Solutions
  • Is There a Market for my Product or Service?
  • Marketing Basics
  • Market Designs; Researching Markets for your Service Business
  • Market Driven Pricing Strategies
  • Marketing Do's and Dont's
  • Marketing For Small Business: An Overview
  • Marketing Plan
  • Marketing Research
  • Marketing Strategy Overview
  • Maximizing Effectiveness of your Yellow Pages Ads
  • Media Plans
  • Nine New Screen-Shaking Online Advertising Technologies
  • Online Marketing Strategies
  • Planning Marketing Ideas
  • Principles of Effective Print Adverstising
  • Publicity Do's and Do Not's
  • Researching Your Market
  • Roadside Farm Markets
  • Sample Marketing Plans
  • Tactics for Low Cost Marketing
  • Tactics for Low Cost Promotions
  • Taking Advantage of Viral Marketing
  • The Strategy Pyramid
  • The Marketing Plan
  • Trade Shows
  • Why your Businees Must Make Use of the Internet
  • What You Need To Know Before Choosing Advertising Agencies
  • Writing a Marketing Plan, Sample Marketing Plans, Strategy
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    Recreation(al) Liability and Insurance
  • A Mountain Bike Liability Primer
  • A Review of the "Recreational Use Statute"
  • Agricultural Protection Acts
  • Recreational Use Statues
  • American Whitewater
  • An Act Concerning Municipal Liability for Recreational Land Use
  • Arizona Revised Statutes: Relating to Liabilities on Property Used fro Education and Recreation
  • Bill 208: Occupiers' Liability (Recreational Users) Amendment Act, 2003 (Danyluk)
  • Colorado grants new Civil Liability Protection for Recreational Activities in Agricultural settings
  • Consumer's Guide to Commercial Liability Insurance
  • Consumer's Guide to Insurance for Small Business Owners
  • CSU Long Beach Risk Management
  • CSUSB Recreational Sports Liabiltiy Release Procedure
  • Disaster Assistance Program
  • Determining Your Insurance Needs
  • Employer Sponsorship Decides Liability for Recreational Activity
  • Farm Insurance - Liability
  • Farm Liability and Farm Inland Marine
  • Farm Liability Coverage Insurance
  • Farm Umbrella
  • IMBA Affiliated Club Insurance Program
  • IMBA Patrol Insurance FAQ's
  • Insurance
  • Insurance
  • Insurance
  • Insurance
  • Insurance Information for Ranch Based tourism
  • Insuring Sports and Recreation Vehicles
  • Landowner Liability
  • Landowner Liability Law
  • Landowner Liability to Recreational Users
  • Liability and Forest Recreation
  • Liability and Insurance Protection-Rural Recreation Enterprises
  • Liability Limited for Owner of Recreation Lands
  • Liability Limited Under the Recreational Use Statute
  • Limitation of Liability for Recreational Boats II
  • Limited Liability for Recreational or Harvesting Activities
  • Maine Landowner Liability Explained
  • Managing the Risk in Public Liability
  • Mobilehome/RV Park Owners
  • National Club Association
  • Occupiers' Liability: Recreational Use of Land
  • Outline to Creating A Risk Management Plan
  • Pennsylvania Landowner Liability Act
  • Public liability Insurance
  • Public Liability Insurance information
  • Public Recreation On Private Land
  • Recreation Insurance Form
  • Recreational Products: 2002 Year in Review
  • Recreational Use Statutes for All 50 States
  • Recreational Vehicle Insurance Comparison Chart
  • Reduce the Liability of Your Recreational Facilities
  • Rep. Purcy Walker Files Bill to Protect Landowners of Recreational Use Property
  • Risk Management
  • Risk Management for Climbing
  • Rural Landowner Liability for Recreational Injuries: Myths, Perceptions and Realities
  • Small Business Insurance Needs
  • Small Business Insurance & Risk Management Guide
  • Special Events Liability Insurance
  • Special Event Accidental Insurance
  • Starting a Business in Michigan Insurance
  • Table of State Liability Laws
  • Travel Trailer Insurance
  • Understanding Liability Risks in Sports & Recreation Programs
  • Understanding the Types of Insurance
  • Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk and Indemnity Agreement
  • Watercraft Insurance
  • What are Recreational Use Statutes and How Do They Work?
  • What are the Key Liability Issues Involved in Downhill Skiing, Fitness Centers and Golf?
  • What You Need to Know about Recreational Boat Insurance
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    Small Business
  • Budgeting for the Small Business
  • Buying a Computer for a Small Business
  • Compiting with the Mass Merchandisers
  • Insurance Checklist for Small Business
  • Recordkeeping in Small Business
  • Signs... and Small Businesses
  • Small Business Insurance Primer
  • Starting a small business
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    Other References
  • INC
  • Fast Company
  • CFO
  • BusinessWeek
  • Fortune
  • Forbes
  • Newsweek
  • Entrepreneur.com
  • Bizjournals
  • Startup Journal
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    The website was developed in cooperation with USDA-NRCS Grazing Lands Technology Institute.