Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Program  | Virginia Small Farms Resource Center

General Information
This is an initial survey that is being used to gather benchmark information about your new or current farm operation
Name*
First Last
Farm Name*
Address*
Street Address City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code
Email*
Phone*
Farming Experience
1. What is your farm related background?*
- I do not come from a farm background, and I have little or no knowledge or hands-on experience.
- I do not come from a farm background, but I have farming experience and knowledge.
- I grew up on a farm.
2. Please choose the statement that most closely matches your beginning farmer or rancher status.*
- Prospective or explorer farmer: Individuals interested in starting a farm or ranch. This includes next-generation farm family members as well as those who do not come from a farming background.
- Startup Farmer: Individuals who are in the early stages of their agricultural operation.
- Re-strategizing farmer: Farmers who are making changes to their operations after an initial period of farming. These individuals usually have increased decision-making responsibility and commitment to farming.
- Establishing Farmer: Farmers who are expanding, diversifying, and stabilizing their farming operations.
- Transitioning Farmer: Individuals who are family farm members who have decision-making roles on the farm without having primary farm operator status. Also referred to as heritage farmers.
- Urban Grower
3. Please indicate how many years you have farmed or have been farming (Please select one)*
- 0 years
- 1-5 years
- 6-10 years
4. What type(s) of agricultural enterprise are you currently interested in/involved with? (Check all that apply)
- Dairy
- Beef
- Sheep/Goats
- Swine
- Equine
- Poultry
- Other Livestock
- Fiber
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Feed Grains
- Nursery
- Flowers
- Grains, Dry Beans, Oil Seeds for Human Consumption
- Forages, Hay Seed Production Ethic Crops
- Greenhouse
- Aquaculture
- Other
(Check all that apply)
Other: What type(s) of agricultural enterprise are you currently interested in/involved with?*
Farm Business Planning and Management
For the following questions, please indicate your level of disagreement or agreement with each statement.
I know the pieces necessary for developing a farm business plan*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strong Disagree
I know how to plan and keep good business records*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strong Disagree
I feel confident in my ability to apply for FSA or other loans*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strong Disagree
Have you developed a business plan for your farm business?*
- Yes
- No
What is your business structure?
- Family Farm
- Sole Proprietorship
- Partnership
- Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- Corporation
- S-Corporation
- Nonprofit Corporation
- Other
Other: What is your business structure?*
Have you applied for FSA or other loans?*
- Yes
- No
If yes, list type*
Do you participate in any USDA (FSA, NRCS, RD, ETC.) programs and VDACS programs?*
- Yes
- No
If yes, list which ones*
Including yourself, how many people will provide labor for your farming operation?*
Please enter a number
How many hours per week is this labor available?*
Please enter a number
Is this labor available daily or only on weekends?*
- Daily
- Weekends Only
Do you have any knowledge of your farming equipment needs?*
- Yes
- No
If yes, explain.*
What is your net profit goal each year from farming?*
- $0 - $999
- $1,000 - $4,999
- $5,000 – $9,999
- $10,000 or more
What are your financial plans to begin your farming operation?
- Use Personal Funds
- Secure a startup loan
(Check both if applicable)
Production Practices
I know my options for alternative, environmentally friendly production practices*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strong Disagree
I feel confident in my ability to operate small farm tools and equipment*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strong Disagree
Marketing
Please indicate the market outlets you currently utilize or plan to utilize. (Check all that apply)*
- Commodity markets
- Community supported agriculture (CSA)
- Home delivery
- Wholesale
- Farmers markets
- Marketing coop/food hub
- U-Pick
- Restaurants
- Institutional sales (e.g. farm to school, farm to hospital, farm to prison)
- Roadside stand
- Retail store
- Retail store on-farm
- Produce auction/broker program
- Livestock auction
- Agritourism
- Internet sales
- Other (List)
- None
Other (List)*
Approximately how many miles away is your primary market or intended market? (Please select one)*
- I sell/intend to sell my products at my farm
- 0-15 miles
- 16-25 miles
- 26-49 miles
- 50-100 miles
- 101-150 miles
- 151-200 miles
- 200+ miles
- Do not know/Have not decided
Do you sell or intend to sell your farm products directly to consumers (i.e. not through a third party)?*
- Yes
- No
I know about markets in my area that I can/do utilize to sell my farm products
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strong Disagree
For the following questions, please indicate your level of disagreement or agreement.
I know how to find new markets to sell my farm products
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strong Disagree
For the following questions, please indicate your level of disagreement or agreement.
I know about value added farm products and which products I can utilize in my farm business
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strong Disagree
For the following questions, please indicate your level of disagreement or agreement.
I know about food safety techniques and government rules and regulations regarding food safety
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strong Disagree
For the following questions, please indicate your level of disagreement or agreement.
Land Access
Select type of land you have or plan to acquire
- Farmland
- Forrest
(Check both if applicable)
Do you currently own, rent or plan to have farmland transferred to you?
- Own
- Rent
- Plan to acquire land
If yes, how many acres do you currently have/manage or plan to acquire?
- None (planning to farm)
- Less than 2
- 2-5
- 6-10
- 11-20
- 21-50
- 51-100
- 101-200
- Over 200
Is there a pond, lake or any other water source on the property?
- Yes
- No
How many acres of forestry land do you own?
Demographic Information
Please check all that applies to you:
Demographic Information
Please check all that applies to you
- Limited resource: A limited resource person is a person with direct or indirect gross farm sales not more than $180,300 (for FY2020) in each of the previous two years. A person with a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four or less than 50 percent of county median household income in each of the previous two years.
- Small Farmer: An operation with gross cash farm income under $250,000
- Farm worker: An individual who contributes to the labor of the farm but does not owner/operator status.
- Male farmer: A farmer who identifies self as a male operator
- Female farmer: A farmer who identifies self as a female operator.
- Urban Grower
Please check the category or categories that best describe(s) you.
Check all that apply
- American Indian or Alaska Native
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
- Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino Origin
- White
- Other race(s)
Other race(s)*
What is your age range?*
- 18-19
- 20-24
- 25-29
- 30-34
- 35-39
- 40-44
- 45-49
- 50-54
- 55-59
- 60 +
What is your gender?
- Male
- Female
- Prefer not to say
U.S. Military Veteran Status: Have you ever served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserves, or National Guard?*
- Yes
- No
Which branch of military did you serve?*
- Army
- Air Force
- Navy
- Marine Corps
- Coast Guard
Personal Goals
(check all that apply)
What are your goals for participation in this program?*
- Increase knowledge of farming and successful farming practices
- Improve my time efficiency
- Reduce labor costs
- Improve knowledge of pests, disease and/or weed management
- Improve knowledge of soil health
- Improve financial business management practices/net profit
- Increase knowledge of government funding programs/sources
- Increase access to market
- Increase profit
- Start-up and manage a farm efficiently
Additional Information
Please provide any additional information that you would like to share with us
Acknowledgement*
The information I have provided in this New, Re-strategizing Farmers / Rancher benchmark evaluation Program entry evaluation document is true and accurate. By signing this document, I hereby acknowledge that I will participate in the agricultural education programs provided by Virginia State University (VSU) Small Farm Outreach Program (SFOP) and work with the Small Farm Program Assistants in my area. I grant VSU SFOP permission to assist me with the outreach, training, technical assistance that is needed to develop, implement and improve my farming operation.

Small – Financially Distressed – Veteran Beginning Farmers – Ranchers Program – Application

General Information

Farming Experience

Farm Business Planning and Management

Production Practices

Marketing

Land Access

Demographic Information

Personal Goals

Additional Information

Small – Financially Distressed – Veteran Beginning Farmers – Ranchers Program  – Application