Marketing

Agribusiness Development

Recommended links:

NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services:

Starting a Pet Food/Treat Business (http://ncagr.gov/fooddrug/feed/petbiz.htm)
Pet food and pet treats are regulated similar to human food, and come under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.  This guide assists you with becoming familiar with the regulations and assistance available through the Department’s Commercial Animal Feed and Pet Food Program.

Starting an Aquaculture Business (http://ncagr.gov/markets/aquaculture/pubs.htm)
Links to 20-page booklets on both warm water and cold water species.  Each booklet gives general statistics and information on the species production cycle and estimates on investment costs and operating costs and returns. The series is designed to aid individuals just looking into the possibility of starting an aquaculture operation, and for lenders.

Starting an Agritourism Farm (http://ncagr.gov/markets/agritourism/index.htm)
Includes a comprehensive guide to assist you in developing a business plan for an agritourism enterprise.

NC Department of Commerce:

BLiNC to read – Resources on starting a business in North Carolina can be found here: (http://www.dornc.com/business/startingbusiness.html)
The Business ServiCenter is your gateway to business information, programs, and resources.  There are numerous steps a prospective business owner must take before starting a business.  We're here to make it easier for you to meet the many challenges and requirements when starting a business in the State of North Carolina.

NC State University:

Product testing and acquiring a Process Authority letter: https://foodprocessing.ncsu.edu/entrepreneurs.html

Farm-to-Fork Direct-to-the-Consumer Beef Marketing Handbook (http://www.agmrc.org/media/cms/NCSUBeefHandbook_0510_ECD46F82E2D00.pdf)
This handbook is designed to be a self-directed guide to developing a business plan for marketing beef directly to the consumer. It contains basic explanatory material related to each part of a business plan, with a corresponding worksheet.

NC Small Business Center Network: (https://www.ncsbc.net/)
The SBCN offers a very wide range of programs and services for existing and prospective business owners.

NC Department of Revenue:

Understanding Sales Tax on Agricultural Products (http://www.dornc.com/aboutus/education/ag_sales.pdf)
This quick reference guide is designed to help farmers, merchants and other retailers understand the sales tax obligations for specific kinds of sales of agricultural products. The types of sales are listed with their tax obligations, followed in some instances by the applicable tax law.

Sales & Use Tax Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.dornc.com/faq/sales.html)
Information on how to register for a sales & use tax number and general reporting requirements.

Non-Governmental Resources:

NC Agribusiness Council (http://www.ciclt.net/sn/adm/editpage.aspx?ClientCode=ncagbc&FileName=HOME.txt)
Information on policies and legislation of specific interest to agricultural enterprises.

Resource Documents:

USDA Rural Development Business Plan for a New Small USDA Inspected Meat Processing Plant to Serve Local Livestock Producers

Iowa State Universtiy Extensions Guide to Designing a Small Red Meat Plant