Goat or sheep milk creamery on a small farm

Farm-gate and farmers' market customers, delis, restaurants, specialty grocers and food tourists visiting the region.

Selling premium-priced goat or sheep dairy products direct and wholesale, sometimes adding farm tours, tastings or a cellar-door style shop.

• Animal care and milking
• Cheesemaking
• Food safety and hygiene
• Marketing and direct selling

• Both the dairy farm and the processing facility usually need approval from your state's dairy regulator, so check requirements early
• Council planning approval for a creamery, shop or farm visitors on your land
• Animal welfare, biosecurity and livestock identification rules in your state
• Rules on selling raw milk for human consumption are strict, so check what is allowed before selling any milk products
• Daily milking means little flexibility, and costs build before sales do, so plan your cash flow
• Public liability, product liability and farm insurance, plus workers compensation if you hire

Startup costs are typically around $60,000 to $250,000, depending on your herd, creamery fit-out and equipment. Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on your products and how you sell them.

Check approvals from your state's dairy regulator for both the dairy farm and processing facility, plus council planning approval. Also check animal welfare, biosecurity and livestock identification rules, strict raw milk selling rules, and insurance.

Estimates suggest at least around 40 hours a week, and daily milking leaves little flexibility. Useful skills include animal care and milking, cheesemaking, food safety and hygiene, and marketing and direct selling.