How much would it cost to start an organic farm?

Question

How much would it cost to start an organic farm?

Answer 1

How big a farm do you have? A lot here depends on scale. While mostly this is a matter of applying for registration for certification, reading up all the regulations, and of course being sure that you can sustain the crops you plan to grow on your soil with no soil amendments (fertilizers).

Before you go to organic, you will want to be fairly weed free.

But the big cost can be reduced farm output for 3 or more years.  There will be reduced input costs, but outputs will fall more, and you will not be able to sell at elevated organic prices.

An organic farm often has more hand labour to control pests, and this is true in the first 3 years. If this has to be labour you hire, this is part of your capital cost... well, you can expense it, but it is capital cost if you are honest.

You may be unable to sell some of your wormy produce because buyers of conventional farm produce expect  perfection. (Organic buyers insist on a few worms).

Answer 2

Like others have said it depends on the size of farm you want.

Do you want to raise animals, produce, grains or a mix?

You will have to have land and barns at the very lease. Land will cost at least $5k an acre for good land (you can get much cheaper land but it will usually be marginal at best and will take years to transform it into good farmland). Soil quality is very important when looking for land. bad soil means you will have bad yields until you improve the soil which can take up to 20 years to do if the land is really bad.

You will also need equipment for tilling, seedling, weeding, fertilizing and harvesting. if you raise animals you will need fencing, feed storage, housing for the livestock, transportation to get them to slaughter/market as well as freezers to store the meat until it is sold.

If you raise grain you will need silos for storage

If you raise produce you will need refrigeration for storage

Certification runs between $300 and $10K per year depending on who does it and what kind of operation you have.

Expect to pay a minimum of $300K to get started from scratch for a farm under 20 acres. Bigger farms will cost more

Answer 3

I think you're asking that question far too early. First you need to ask yourself "What sort of organic farm do I want to start?" and then work out how much that will cost to set up.

Answer 4

How big?

What country or state?

What is your crop?

Was the land ever farmed before?

Will you have run off, or face ecoli contamination from things like wild pigs?

W orking it with family, or paid workers?

Do you own any equipment?

Do you have any farming experience?

Are you going to be certified by the Government (about $10K), or by your peers (about $500)?

So much more information you need to provide, before anyone can answer this question!

~Garnet

Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years