Small Farm Start-up School 2026
Starts Apr 7, 2026
Sorry! The enrollment period is currently closed. Please check back soon.
Full course description
WELCOME
Thank you for your interest in the Small Farm Start-up School, hosted by Florida Cooperative Extension. We’re excited to help you make informed decisions and turn your vision into reality as you begin the journey of starting a small farm or alternative enterprise.
Our program combines virtual classroom instruction, expert guest presentations, and farmer panels with hands-on experiences, including local farm tours and networking events. Together, these activities provide practical training and real-world insights into the principles and techniques needed to run a successful small farm or alternative enterprise.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The 9-week Small Farm Start-up School is designed to be interactive and practical, giving participants direct access to experienced farmers and industry experts. You’ll gain valuable insights into crop and livestock production, enterprise evaluation, business planning, marketing, regulatory compliance, and more.
This hybrid course combines:
- In-person learning and networking at a location near you
- Online instruction and discussion via Zoom, held most Tuesdays from 6:00–8:00 PM EST
KEY DATES
- Farm Tours: Week 1 – April 14, 2026 (participants provide transportation)
- Networking & Learning Session: Week 9 – June 23, 2026
- Online Sessions: April 21 – June 16, 2026 (breaks for UF/IFAS Extension Summit and Florida State Horticultural Society Annual Meetings)
Course materials and activities are hosted on Canvas, where you’ll find:
- A wealth of resources
- Interactive discussions with instructors and peers statewide
- Quizzes and assessments
- A portal to upload your business plan for review
Starting in 2026, the Start-up School has expanded to multiple locations (previously offered only in Sarasota County). After you register, you will have the option to choose the site nearest you and sites with enrollment below the minimum threshold will have the option to enroll in an online only session!
Graduates of the Start-up School meet the education requirements for production and/or financial management training for Farm Service Agency borrowers (FSA-2375).
FSA BORROWER TRAINING REQUIREMENT
To pass the FSA borrower training requirements, participants must:
Participate in weekly discussions (via Zoom and/or Canvas)
Attend at least 4 of 7 live Zoom sessions
Complete at least 40% of a business plan
PAST FEEDBACK
“I feel like I could ask just about any question and get an answer, and if someone didn't know they would help me find a resource. I appreciated that a lot about the instructors. I still have unanswered questions related to financials/taxes but I'm working thru the materials and getting a lot of knowledge.”
--- SFSS Graduate, Class of 2025
“My first farm course. I learned a ton.”
--- SFSS Graduate, Class of 2025
COURSE COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
Florida Cooperative Extension Certificate
To earn this certificate, participants must:
- Complete all quizzes measuring knowledge gain
- Participate in weekly discussions (via Zoom and/or Canvas)
- Attend at least 3 of 7 live Zoom sessions (watching recordings does not count)
- Submit a complete business plan via Canvas
FSA Financial Management Training Badge
(for Farm Service Agency borrowers)
To earn this certificate, participants must:
- Complete all quizzes measuring knowledge gain
- Participate in weekly discussions (via Zoom and/or Canvas)
- Attend at least 4 of 7 live Zoom sessions
- Complete at least 40% of a business plan and earn at least 40% of the total possible points when graded using the course rubric*
*Important Notes
- You will have two opportunities to submit your business plan for review.
- Previous participants who submitted plans twice improved their scores by 83% (from 12.8 ± 5.6 to 23.4 ± 3.7 out of 30 points; mean ± SD).
- Those who submitted only once averaged 14.0 ± 6.8, suggesting that instructor feedback significantly improves outcomes.
- All participants receive line-by-line feedback and conceptual suggestions to strengthen their plans.
CLASS SIZE
- Limited to 20 participants per location
- Minimum enrollment required at each site
- Students will have the option to enroll in an online only section if minimum enrollment threshold is not reached
TOPICS COVERED IN THE PAST (Subject to change based on instructor expertise)
General
· Taking Stock: What do I have, what do I want to do, and what do I need to learn or get to be successful?
Business
· How to start and run a farming business
· The 5 W's of Business (Who, What, Where, When, and Why)
· Components of business plan
o Executive summary
o Marketing plans
o Operations plans
o Human resource plans
o Financial plans
· Land use/zoning and regulations
· Legal best practices
Production
· Agritourism
· Aquaculture
· Beef production
· Forages
· Fruit production
· Hydroponics
· Rabbits and poultry
· Vegetable production
$299 REGISGTRATION FEE INCLUDES
· Business, marketing, and/or production textbooks
· Registration for one or two people (per farm)
· Online access to resources and course material
· Business plan guidance from instructors
· Farm tours and farmer panels
· Networking with peers and experts
· Evidence-based, unbiased information
ABOUT US
The Florida Cooperative Extension Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Program is a collaborative effort between FAMU and UF/IFAS state and county faculty. Our team conducts applied research, on-farm demonstrations, and innovative extension programming in partnership with farmers, policy-makers, entrepreneurs, and government agencies at local, state, and national levels.
We are committed to promoting best practices that support:
- The long-term economic viability of small and medium-sized diversified farms
- The growth of local food systems
- The conservation of natural resources
More information will be available in 2026 including course local sites, certificates, and course registration.