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New to farming? Start here. These are the trusted, official starting points for becoming a producer, from learning the basics to registering your operation with the USDA. Every link goes straight to the source.
First Steps to Becoming a Producer
The official USDA starting point for new farmers: how to begin, what to expect, and the programs available in your first ten years.
Center for Arkansas Farms and Food (UADA) · Beginning Farmer Classes:
Self-paced University of Arkansas courses: farming as a profession, soil health, recordkeeping, markets, and planning your farm business.
What It Is and How to Get One:
A Farm ID number (also called FSA Farm Serial Number) is a unique government identifier for your farm property that stays with the land, not the farmer. You need a Farm ID to apply for most USDA loans, grants, disaster assistance, crop insurance, and conservation programs. Registration is free and farms as small as 1/10 acre qualify.
Educational resource explaining what a farm number is and the registration process:
USDA Farm Service Agency · Get a Farm Number:
Your first official step. Registering for a farm number at your local Service Center is what makes you eligible for most USDA programs.
Official USDA FSA "4 Easy Steps to Get Started" guide covering farm registration:
Looking to Purchase Land and Start a Farm
FSA Farm Ownership Loans and Microloans help beginning farmers purchase land with favorable terms. Free SCORE mentoring covers business planning and financing. State Extension provides training and resources. Beginning farmer programs serve those with ten years or less farming experience.
FSA Farm Ownership and Operating Loans: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/beginning-farmers-and-ranchers-loans
FSA Loan Assistance Tool (Check Eligibility): https://www.farmers.gov/loans
USDA Beginning Farmer Mentorship (Free SCORE Mentors): https://newfarmers.usda.gov/mentorship
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP Training): https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/beginning-farmer-rancher-development-program-bfrdp
Contact Your County State Extension Service Contact : https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/land-grant-university-website-directory
Farm Loans for Beginning Farmers:
Microloans and farm ownership and operating loans designed specifically for new producers who need capital to start.
Records, Documentation & Transparency
Research-based guidance on running your operation and keeping good records, with an Extension office in all 75 counties to answer questions directly.
From Home Kitchen to Commercial Facility: The Arkansas Pathway
Local Foods Program:
Once a product moves beyond what the Food Freedom Act allows, it must be made in an ADH-permitted Manufactured/Wholesale Food Establishment. This guide walks producers through recipe scaling, facility approval, processing verification for products like salsa and barbecue sauce, labeling, and product liability insurance, step by step.
How do I actually farm this land?
Understanding Your Soil · Soil Testing Basics:
Soil testing tells you your soil's pH and nutrient levels, the foundation for anything you grow. This guide explains how to take a sample and read your results. (Many states, including Arkansas, offer testing through their Extension service. Check your state's land-grant university for local testing.)
Planning Your Growing Space · Site Selection:
How to evaluate sunlight, drainage, and layout, and choose crops suited to your conditions, before you plant.
Pest, Weed & Water Management · Integrated Pest Management:
The principles of IPM, weed control, and watering that apply to growing anywhere, with practices you can adapt to your own climate.
Find Your Local Extension Office:
Every state has a Cooperative Extension service through its land-grant university, offering free, research-based guidance specific to your region's soil, climate, and growing season. Find yours here.
