Farm business planning

From day-to-day operations to preparing for drought, managing risk, or applying for finance, the Farm Business Planning guide offers a step-by-step approach to building a whole-of-business plan that reflects the unique goals and circumstances of every unique farm business. As farmers work through the guide, they’re supported to complete a comprehensive Farm Business Plan—an essential document that can inform decision-making, support financial applications, and strengthen communication with family members, staff, and advisers.

WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS

• Setting business goals, values and direction
• Assessing the current financial and business position
• Identifying risks, opportunities and constraints
• Developing strategies, action plans and budgets
• Monitoring performance and reviewing progress

The guide includes real-life case studies, a downloadable business plan template, and links to financial spreadsheets such as cash flow templates, profit and loss statements, and gross margin budgets. It also supports producers to align their planning with national competency standards in business management.

WHO THIS GUIDE IS FOR

Farmers, farm managers, advisors and students seeking a structured, practical approach to farm business planning. Suitable for both new and established businesses across a range of farming systems.

This publication has been designed with flexibility in mind—it’s suitable for producers starting out, expanding, planning succession, or simply looking to take stock and make better-informed decisions.

Table of contents

• CHAPTER 1 Getting started
• CHAPTER 2 Business description
• CHAPTER 3 Planning for the future
• CHAPTER 4 Production plan
• CHAPTER 5 Marketing plan
• CHAPTER 6 Sustainability and resources
• CHAPTER 7 Risk management
• CHAPTER 8 Drought and adverse events
• CHAPTER 9 Finance plan
• CHAPTER 10 Pulling it all together
• APPENDIX 1 Drought plan template
• APPENDIX 2 Flood plan template
• APPENDIX 3 Gross margin samples
• APPENDIX 4 Gross margin samples
• APPENDIX 5 Practice exercises
• APPENDIX 6 Answers to practice exercises

Specific agribusiness templates have been developed to support you in documenting your own business plan and financial statements. You can download electronic versions and adapt them for your own purposes. 

The planning template is available as a Microsoft Word document to use in printed or digital format: Farm business plan template DOCX, 3389.5 KB.

The financial templates used in the book are available to download as an Excel spreadsheet: Farm business financial templates XLSX, 19.77 KB.

You can see the financial information for the Case studies in this Excel spreadsheet: Case study financials XLSX, 1574.53 KB.

Financial statements, templates and examples prepared by Ellie Hays, Agrista Pty Ltd, on behalf of the NSW Farm Business Resilience Program, for the Farm Business Planning AgGuide.