In 2019, California received over $50 billion in revenues from agricultural output alone, according to the CA Department of Food and Agriculture. Even after the effects of the fires, the fertility of this state is still substantial. However, the new normal presents challenges in both manpower and goods transportation. If you want to take it upon yourself to contribute to the food supply chain, here are the first few things you need to know when starting a farming business in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Seek Out Farmland

Historically, Ventura County has always been the best place to establish your farm near Santa Clarita but feel free to browse in other areas that may have available properties. Since real estate prices are going to fall sharply due to the fires, there will be a larger catalog to select from. Choose the property that has the best quality of soil, access to water, proximity to local markets, facilities, and important infrastructure.

Neighbors are also something you need to take into account. Friendly neighbors who also farm can be a major benefit to those just starting. You also have to decide whether to buy or lease the property. Leasing offers less financial risk, so it’s probably best to lease if somewhere down the line you decide farming is not for you.

If you decide to lease, try to look for landowners who don’t use their arable land for farming and can stand to benefit from you doing it for them. That benefit usually means the tax credits or property value increase that agricultural use gives. This can help you convince them to lease the property to you at a lower price.

Planning Your Business

Once you’ve picked out a good patch of farmable land, it’s time to figure out what to plant. California soil is hospitable to most crops, but you also have to identify which ones are in demand in the area. This is where market research comes in. Looking into the market also tells you if any uncommon crops are in demand, and how to keep up with competitors.

Next, write a business plan. This will give structure to your endeavors. Having a roadmap with goals to attain will give you a continuous stream of progress that will build up your farming business into an agricultural powerhouse. Your business plan is also where you account for the feasibility of loans and upgrades, such as rubber tracks for Bobcat tractors that you’ve been looking at.

You should also check out the agricultural memberships at the Ventura County Farm Bureau. They offer several benefits, the least of which is the opportunity to make new connections. They also offer discounted programs for young farmers between the ages of 18 to 35.

Marketing And Selling

Finally, it’s time to market your business. In this new normal we’re living in, fresh produce is more sought-after than ever. The USDA reports some downtime between store restocking, thanks to transportation constraints. As such, many farmers, such as Jim Churchill of Churchill Orchard, have opted to take their merchandise to the internet, with innovations such as doorstep delivery and online stores. Note that you also have to register for a license to grow crops on your property and sell it independently or as part of a farmer’s market, under state law.

Once you have all these solved and sorted, all that’s left between you and your first crop is to get planting and tend to the land until harvest.

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