Other ag enterprises

[John Walter]

A good majority of farmers have a second ag-related enterprise, and there’s little limit on the imagination people bring to these enterprises, according to a recent Agriculture Online poll. Only 21% of the nearly 300 farmers taking the survey said they don’t have another enterprise besides the farm.

The most popular selections were seed production and sales (15%) and custom farming (12%). Other enterprises on the list included trucking, machinery repair, land contracting, and farm management.

In farmer comments in the poll, the options are even more diverse, ranging from parting out combines to selling crop insurance.

Many of these second jobs are highly entrepreneurial. A Michigan farmer has set up home-based, USDA inspected meat processing business (http://www.johnhenrys.net/). A Nebraskan has used his past experience in the financial management industry to develop a successful business specializing in agricultural software for farmers (http://www.agmis.com). A Maryland farmer is an hunting outfitter. “Pays better than crops per acre, but you have to deal with the public,” he writes.

Probably my favorite enterprise that turned up in the survey: Operating a mini donut trailer. "Feeding the world in more ways than one,” says the Minnesota farmer.

Anybody have one to add to the list?

[K2]

Ask the other way.... How many have chosen farming as a second job. :)

[Ray Hewitt]

Me and my father have a few things going on besides a 2000 acre farm. We sell Gold Digger tile plows along with laser and Intellislope GPS control for the plow I am a Channel Bio Corp. Seed Salesman, and I do some trucking and some custom farming so i guess you could say all of the above for us.

[scott]

most of the farms in my area are dairy farmers and don't have time to have off farm enterprises, however, most have spouses that work in town to provide insurance and extra income. as i start my farm i work as a crop consultant

[Adam]

Well since nobody replied last time John, I will. We aren't "enterprised" other than rental properties. Do mineral rights count?... I do know quite a few operations in our area run quite a few trucks on the road, also some run quite a few cattle. Most of the bigger operations do quite a bit of custom-farming (custom hay operations, custom harvesting, custom planting, etc. etc. One in particular did own a John Deere dealership, but he recently got bought out. Hunting outfits are big here too. These are just a few examples that I have seen. I'm sure there are many other business ventures out there.