Goat Farming Business Plan Template
Written by Dave Lavinsky
Goat Farming Business Plan
You’ve come to the right place to create your Goat Farming business plan.
We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Goat Farms.
Below is a template to help you create each section of your Goat Farming business plan.
Executive Summary
Business overview.
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm, located outside of Des Moines, Iowa, is a registered and licensed goat farming company. The company operates a 50 acre farm that is home to over 100 goats. The goats are raised in an all-natural environment- no antibiotics, hormones, steroids – and all animals are grass-fed. Pleasant Hill Goat Farm is also fully equipped with the latest technology and equipment used in the goat farming industry.
The farm produces quality goat meats and milk products that we sell to local residents, wholesalers, and retailers. Local residents who want to visit the farm and meet the goats can schedule a tour with us. We also allow residents to reserve the farm for their wedding or other special occasion for a fee.
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm is founded and run byTerry Jones. Terry has been a goat farm operations manager for the past ten years, so he has in-depth knowledge and experience running a business in this industry. Terry will run the general operations and administrative functions of the company and hire other employees to manage the sales and day-to-day operations.
Product Offering
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will be involved in the commercial breeding of goats to provide milk, cheese, and meat.
In addition to the sale of these products, the company will also offer tours of the farm for a small fee. This allows local residents to learn more about the goat farming industry and meet our goats in person. Anyone who is interested in making this serene farm the setting to their special event can reserve the farm for a fee.
Customer Focus
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will target all residents living in Des Moines, Iowa and the surrounding areas. We will also target supermarkets, restaurants, and other retailers who are interested in selling our products to the public.
Management Team
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm’s most valuable asset is the expertise and experience of its founder, Terry Jones. Terry has been a goat farm operations manager for the past ten years, so he has in-depth knowledge and experience running a business in this industry. Terry will run the general operations and administrative functions of the company and hire other employees to manage the sales and day-to-day operations.
Success Factors
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:
- Management: The company’s management team has years of business and marketing experience that allows them to market and serve customers in an improved and sophisticated manner than the competitors.
- Relationships: Having lived in the community for ten years, Terry Jones knows all of the local leaders, media, and other influencers. As such, it will be relatively easy for Pleasant Hill Goat Farm to build brand awareness and an initial customer base.
- Quality products at affordable pricing Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will provide quality products at affordable pricing, as it has high-quality equipment and uses the latest techniques.
- Good Packaging: Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will utilize product-oriented packaging materials that can reduce the damage in the products at the time of supply.
- Attractive Farm Setting: Pleasant Hill Goat Farm offers a uniquely attractive setting that will encourage residents to visit for a tour or schedule a special event at the farm.
Financial Highlights
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm is currently seeking $750,000 to start the company. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the farm land and purchasing the necessary equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff and marketing costs for the farm. The breakout of the funding is below:
- Land and Equipment: $250,000
- Goat Care Supplies: $100,000
- Overhead Costs: $100,000
- Three Months of Overhead Expenses (Payroll, Rent, Utilities): $150,000
- Marketing Costs: $50,000
- Working Capital: $100,000
The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Pleasant Hill Goat Farm.
Company Overview
Who is pleasant hill goat farm.
The farm produces quality goat meats and milk products that we sell to local residents, wholesalers, and retailers. Local residents who want to visit the farm and meet the goats can schedule a tour with us. We also allow residents to reserve the farm for their wedding or other special occasion for a fee.
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm History
Terry Jones is an entrepreneur with a passion for goat farming. He has worked in the industry for ten years and is eager to start a farm of his own. Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will become a recognized goat farming company, ensuring a continuous supply of goat milk, meat, and cheese Des Moines, Iowa and beyond.
Terry incorporated Pleasant Hill Goat Farm on March 1st, 2023. Terry has selected a farm location and is currently undergoing due diligence to ensure it is up to code to raise goats.
Since incorporation, the company has achieved the following milestones:
- Found a farm location
- Developed the company’s name, logo, and website
- Determined supply requirements
- Began recruiting key employees
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm Services
Industry analysis.
Demand for goat meat and goat milk products has increased in recent years. The general public has been looking for alternatives to cow milk, and for many, goat milk makes the best substitution. With an increase in demand, there will be a greater need for goat farms across the U.S. in the near future.
This demand is not expected to slow down anytime soon. For example, the goat milk industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.7% over the next 10 years. This substantial growth shows that goat farms are needed more than ever to keep up with demand. Therefore, this is a great time to establish a new goat farm to provide residents with all their goat meat and dairy needs.
Customer Analysis
Demographic profile of target market.
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will primarily serve local residents and retailers of goat dairy products and meat within a 30-mile radius of the farm. These businesses typically gross from $5 million to $10 million in annual revenues and source their supplies from within a 30-mile radius of their facilities.
The precise demographics for Des Moines, Iowa are:
Customer Segmentation
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will primarily target the following customer profiles:
- Grocery Stores
- Local Residents
Competitive Analysis
Direct and indirect competitors.
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.
Oak Tree Farms
Oak Tree Farms is one of the large-scale goat farms in the US, owning an 8,000 ha area. It has well-established relationships with local retailers and has been in business for 32 years. Oak Tree Farms offers good quality goat dairy products and meat. It also has automated equipment and machines, which helps in improving its operations. Moreover, it is also known for delivering large orders at the right time without delay. However, Oak Tree Farms does not care properly for its goats, which has tarnished its reputation in recent years.
Farmer Joe’s Goats
Farmer Joe’s Goats has been operating since 1995 and is a well-known company that provides good quality goat meat with affordable pricing. It primarily targets local companies and retailers and has a large distribution network that can serve customers up to a 500-mile radius. Farmer Joe’s Goats also has a very effective distribution and supply chain network. However, Farmer Joe’s Goats offerings are only limited to goat meat.
Goats USA has been in business for the past ten years and enjoys great success. It is one of the largest goat meat and dairy producers in the region. It easily caters to local residents primarily due to its prime location. It provides multiple goat meat and dairy products, including milk and cheese.
Competitive Advantage
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:
- Quality products at affordable pricing: Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will provide quality products at affordable pricing, as it has high-quality equipment and uses the latest techniques.
Marketing Plan
Brand & value proposition.
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:
- Ethically sourced goat meat and dairy products
- Good packaging
- Quality products at affordable pricing
- Providing excellent customer service
- Offering a serene and beautiful rural setting for tours and special events
Promotions Strategy
The promotions strategy for Pleasant Hill Goat Farm is as follows:
Social Media Marketing
Social media is one of the most cost-effective and practical marketing methods for improving brand visibility. The company will use social media to develop engaging content, such as sharing pictures of the goats and creating educational content about the goat farm industry.
Website/SEO
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will develop a professional website that showcases pictures of the farm and the goats. It will also invest in SEO so that the company’s website will appear at the top of search engine results.
Word of Mouth/Referrals
Terry Jones has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by living and working in the midwestern farming industry. Since a number of local goat farms have ceased operations, they have committed to Terry that Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will be their goat supplier. They trust his work ethic and commitment to the local community.
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will highlight our location, goats, and products on a major billboard facing the busiest highway in town. The billboard will provide the location of Pleasant Hill Goat Farm and the website URL.
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm’s pricing will be moderate, so customers feel they receive great value when availing of the products. Pricing will be about 50% lower than retail prices to allow wholesalers and retailers to earn their margins.
Operations Plan
The following will be the operations plan for Pleasant Hill Goat Farm.
Operation Functions:
- Terry Jones will be the Owner and President of the company. He will oversee all staff and manage client relations. Terry, along with Sue, has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
- Sue Smith – will oversee all administrative aspects of running the goat farm. This will include bookkeeping, tax payments, and payroll of the staff.
- George Baird – Head Farmhand who will oversee the farming staff and day to day operations.
- Ben Brown – Assistant Farmhand who will assist George.
- Frank White – Distribution Manager who will oversee the packaging and distribution of all goat products.
Milestones:
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.
- 6/202X – Finalize purchase of farm land
- 7/202X – Purchase farm equipment, supplies and materials
- 8/202X – Finalize contracts for grocery store, chain, and restaurant clients
- 9/202X – Purchase initial set of goats
- 10/202X – Hire and train farm staff
- 11/202X – Pleasant Hill Goat Farm begins farm operations
Financial Plan
Key revenue & costs.
Pleasant Hill Goat Farm’s revenues will come from the sales of goat meat and dairy products to its customers. The major costs for the company will be the cost of land and equipment. The staff will earn competitive salaries allowing Pleasant Hill Goat Farm to hire experienced workers. In the initial years, the company’s marketing spend will be high, as it establishes itself in the market.
Funding Requirements and Use of Funds
Key assumptions.
The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and pay off the startup business loan.
- Number of Goats: 100
- Average Revenue per Animal: $200
- Number of Products Sold Per Year: 100,000
Financial Projections
Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, goat farming business plan faqs, what is a goat farming business plan.
A goat farming business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your goat farming business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.
You can easily complete your Goat Farming business plan using our Goat Farming Business Plan Template here .
What are the Main Types of Goat Farming Businesses?
There are a number of different kinds of goat farming businesses , some examples include: Milk and dairy production, Meat production, Fleece farm, and Miniature goat farm.
How Do You Get Funding for Your Goat Farming Business Plan?
Goat Farming businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.
What are the Steps To Start a Goat Farming Business?
Starting a goat farming business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.
1. Develop A Goat Farming Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed goat farming business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.
2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your goat farming business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your goat farming business is in compliance with local laws.
3. Register Your Goat Farming Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your goat farming business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.
4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your goat farming business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.
5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.
6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.
7. Acquire Necessary Goat Farming Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your goat farming business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.
8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your goat farming business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.
Goat Farming Business Plan Template
Written by Dave Lavinsky
Goat Farming Business Plan
Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and goat farmers create business plans to start and grow their goat farms. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.
In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a goat farming business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.
Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >
What is a Goat Farming Business Plan?
A business plan provides a snapshot of your commercial goat farming business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.
Why You Need a Business Plan for a Goat Farm
If you’re looking to start a goat busienss or grow your existing goat farm, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your goat business to improve your chances of success. Your goat farming business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.
Sources of Funding for Goat Farms
With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a goat farming business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for goat farms.
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How to Write a Business Plan for a Commercial Goat Farm
If you want to start a goat farming business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your goat farming business plan.
Executive Summary
Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.
The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of commercial goat farming business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a goat farming business that you would like to grow, or are you operating an established goat farming business that you would like to sell?
Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.
- Give a brief overview of the goat farming industry.
- Discuss the type of goat farming business you are operating.
- Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
- Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
- Offer an overview of your financial plan.
Company Overview
In your company overview, you will detail the type of goat business you are operating.
For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of commercial goat farming businesses:
- Milk and dairy production: Involves raising dairy goats for their goat milk and other dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.
- Meat production: Involves raising and selling goats for their goat meat.
- Fleece farm: Involves raising goats for their fur to be spun into yarn.
- Miniature goat farm: Involves raising goats to be sold as pets.
In addition to explaining the type of goat farming business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.
Include answers to questions such as:
- When and why did you start the business?
- What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of customers served, the number of goats sold, and reaching $X amount in revenue, etc.
- Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.
Industry Analysis
In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the goat farming industry. While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.
First, researching the goat farming industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.
Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.
The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.
The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your goat farm business plan:
- How big is the commercial goat farming industry (in dollars)?
- Is the market declining or increasing?
- Who are the key competitors in the market?
- Who are the key suppliers in the market?
- What trends are affecting the industry?
- What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
- What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your goat farm? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.
Customer Analysis
The customer analysis section of your goat farm business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.
The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, schools, families, and corporations.
As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of goat farm you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than corporations, for example.
Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.
Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.
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Competitive Analysis
Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.
Direct competitors are other goat farms.
Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This may include other types of meat farms, meat and dairy alternatives, pet stores, or other types of fibers depending on which type of goat farm you decide to operate. You need to mention such competition as well.
For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as
- What types of customers do they serve?
- What type of goat farm are they?
- What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
- What are they good at?
- What are their weaknesses?
With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.
The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:
- Will you make it easier for your customers to acquire your products?
- Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
- Will you provide better customer service?
- Will you offer better pricing?
Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.
Marketing Plan
Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a commercial goat farming business, your marketing strategy should include the following:
Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of goat farm that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you sell milk, cheese, meat, fibers, or goats?
Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.
Place : Place refers to the site of your goat farm. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your goat farm business located in a rural area with access to a highway, in a suburb near your target customer base, or in your backyard? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.
Promotions : The final part of your goat farming marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:
- Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
- Reach out to websites
- Distribute flyers
- Engage in email marketing
- Advertise on social media platforms
- Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords
Operations Plan
While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.
Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your goat farm, including answering calls, caring for your goats, meeting with customers, billing and collecting payments, etc.
Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to acquire your Xth customer, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your commercial goat farming business to a new region.
Management Team
To demonstrate your goat farm’s potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.
Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing goat farms. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.
If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a goat farm or successfully running a farm.
Financial Plan
Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.
Income Statement
An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.
In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you have 30 goats on your farm, and will each goat produce an average of 3 quarts of milk per day? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.
Balance Sheets
Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your goat farm, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.
Cash Flow Statement
Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and goat farmers don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.
When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a goat farming business:
- Cost of farming equipment and supplies
- Payroll or salaries paid to staff
- Business insurance
- Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment
Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your farm location lease or photos of your farm and goats.
Goat Farming Business Plan Template PDF
You can download our goat farming business plan PDF to help you get started on your own business plan.
Writing a business plan for your goat farm is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the goat farming industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful goat farming business.
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