1. Researching a Potential Small Acreage Enterprise Sustainable Small Acreage Farming and Ranching Cinda Williams, UI Extension 2005

2. What type of information do you need? Production information about your crop or livestock enterprise Marketing information about your product Income and expenses projections

3. Passive vs Active Information Gathering Not all of the information you need will be available without asking, phoning, visiting Secondary information Primary is developed by your experience

4. Sources of Information Books, publications (library, bookstore) Journal articles (library, bookstore, subscribe) Other farmers Universities (Extension) Agencies (NRCS, SBDC, FSA) Non-profit organizations, farmer networks Internet

5. Universities/Extension Service Idaho Small Farms http://www.SmallFarms.ag.uidaho.edu WSU Small Farms http://smallfarms.wsu.edu/ http://smallfarms.wsu.edu/ Missouri http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/ Penn State http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/ UC Davis http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/ Texas A&M http://aggie- horticulture.tamu.edu/alternatives/alternativelinks.htmlhttp://aggie- horticulture.tamu.edu/alternatives/alternativelinks.html

6. Federal (USDA) sites - general ● CSREES http://www.reeusda.gov/http://www.reeusda.gov/ ● SARE http://www.sare.org/http://www.sare.org/ ● Small Farm http://www.reeusda.gov/smallfarm/ http://www.reeusda.gov/smallfarm/ ● Natural Resources Conservation Service http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ ● National Ag Library http://www.nal.usda.gov

7. State Agency sites – Idaho Department of Ag http://www.agri.state.id.us/http://www.agri.state.id.us/ Marketing http://www.agri.idaho.gov/marketing/http://www.agri.idaho.gov/marketing/ Organic http://www.agri.idaho.gov/plants/organic/gen_info.htm http://www.agri.idaho.gov/plants/organic/gen_info.htm – Idaho Small Business Development Center http://www.idahosbdc.org/ http://www.idahosbdc.org/ – Idaho Natural Resources Conservation Service http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/ http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/

8. Agencies - Prices and statistical data Economic Research Service http://www.ers.usda.gov/ http://www.ers.usda.gov/ National Ag Statistical Service http://www.usda.gov/nass/ http://www.usda.gov/nass/ Ag Marketing Service (AMS) http://www.ams.usda.gov/ http://www.ams.usda.gov/

9. Farmer sites The New Farm http://www.newfarm.org/http://www.newfarm.org/ Cedar Meadow Farm http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/ http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/ Greentree Naturals http://www.greentreenaturals.com/ http://www.greentreenaturals.com/

10. Organizations Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas http://www.attra.orghttp://www.attra.org Rural Roots http://www.ruralroots.org/http://www.ruralroots.org/ North American Farm Direct Marketing Association http://www.nafdma.com/http://www.nafdma.com/ The Food Alliance http://www.thefoodalliance.org/ http://www.thefoodalliance.org/

11. Periodicals/Journal publications Growing for Market http://www.growingformarket.com/ http://www.growingformarket.com/ Small Farm Today http://www.smallfarmtoday.com/ http://www.smallfarmtoday.com/

12. Summary Read Attend conferences Network