There are plenty of advantages when it comes to starting a business in agriculture or Agribusiness. If you already own a farm or live on one, you’ve already got a possible source of income. As long as you’re willing to put in the effort to taking care of your agribusiness, you will benefit from it. When it comes to agribusiness, the effort you put into it will reflect how much you earn. As the saying goes, you reap what you sow.
Another advantage would be living on the farm itself. Since you grow your own produce, you don’t spend too much income on yourself. Because you can use your product to provide yourself with food. Agribusiness is also a necessity. People will always need your product, so you will always find a customer. If you’re fine doing manual labor, the only real downside to it is that you’ll have to deal with external forces such as the weather, insects, pests, or wild animals. If you’re set on the idea of starting an agribusiness, here are eight profitable agribusiness ideas you can try:
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Start beekeeping.
Beekeeping is a great source of additional income. Not to mention essential to our environment. Bees are one of the Earth’s greatest pollinators. They’re responsible for pollinating over 400 different plant species. Bee’s alone are responsible for pollinating over $15 billion worth of crops in the United States. Some nuts, fruits, and vegetables, such as almonds, apples, watermelons, and broccoli (to name a few), wouldn’t exist without bees. Sadly, the bee population has been decreasing by the billions over recent years. So, not only will beekeeping give you profit, but you’ll also help the environment.
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Sell fresh produce.
One of the most obvious ways to earn money from your harvests is to sell them as they are. You could sell it during a farmer’s market, have a stand-alone store, or even sell it at groceries.
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Sell the by-products of your produce.
If you want to make the most out of your produce, you can also sell the by-products of your harvests. These could be jams, juices, preserved foods, dairy products (if you have a source of milk), candles from beeswax, and lotions. Any by-product that you can make out of your harvests can be sold as well. What you make will depend on what kind of harvests you have.
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Rent your farm or barn for events.
If your property is big enough to hold events, you can always clean it up a bit and rent it out for other people to use during special occasions. Plenty of people love to do rustic and outdoor weddings and will usually find a farm to do it on.
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Put up a farm-to-table restaurant.
If you have a knack for cooking, why not put up an alfresco farm-to-table restaurant? If you’ve got the space on your property, you could set it up right there. If not, you can always set up a restaurant in town and drive your supplies to your restaurant.
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Start a brewery.
Maybe you’d rather brew drinks than cook meals, and that’s possible. You can turn your farm into a brewery, and now is the right time to do it. In recent years, the number of craft beer breweries has been growing by the hundreds. There are now over 7,000 craft breweries in the United States alone. The great thing about brewing craft beer is that it’s become a trend. Craft beer enthusiasts will try every craft beer they can get their hands on. Meaning you have a large market to sell to, but also quite a big competition. But competition is always good as long as you always try to be better.
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Start a pick-your-own farm.
Pick-your-own farms are a great business to have. Plenty of families love to go picking in farms during the holidays. Take pumpkin picking, for example. People love to do pumpkin picking during fall. But you can do pretty much any vegetable or fruit pick-your-own farms.
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Become a YouTuber.
If you’re not afraid to speak in front of a camera, you can always try becoming a Youtuber. There is plenty of agriculture-related YouTube channels, and they tend to get a lot of views. You’d be surprised by the number of people who would love to learn more about agriculture. If you think this could be the job for you, why not? It’s an unconventional business, but it’s still a business.
How to start your business
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Get financing.
It would be best if you had the proper financing to start your business. If you don’t have enough savings to put into your business, you can always try getting a USDA loan or grant. These loans can be used to support your business, help you buy necessary equipment, and anything else related to your farm.
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Get your business licensed.
A business needs the appropriate licenses to sell. To rent out your property for events, you’ll need to check your state’s zoning laws. You can apply for a conditional permit, which are permits that allow you to host special events. But the number of events you host a year is limited. Conditional permits are usually easier to apply for. But it’s better to get your property rezoned. Besides, you don’t need to get your entire property rezoned, just the area you plan to rent out.
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Create a marketing campaign.
A strong marketing campaign is what determines your business’ success. In marketing, social media is your best friend. The fastest and cheapest way to get your business known is by spreading it all over social media. Make sure to create a Facebook page and an Instagram account. That’s where you’ll place pictures of your products or your venue. There are plenty of free tips online on how you can market your business for free.
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Create a business plan.
Creating a business plan is important. This shows potential investors how committed you are to your business. If you have a solid business plan, investors are more likely to put money into your business to help it grow.
Putting up an agribusiness is a great opportunity. If you own farmland and don’t take advantage of that property, that is a big loss on your part. Put your farm to good use and start your agribusiness. Make sure to consider these ideas when you do.
