Agriculture business ideas with startup costs over $20,000
67 ideas
These 69 agriculture ideas need real capital, usually for equipment, vehicles, animals, land access or cold storage. They suit people who can fund a larger start through savings, a loan or a partner, and who are comfortable with seasonal work and physical effort.
Choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm
Plant a few acres of Christmas trees and sell them to families each December.
- $5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Landscape tree grower for local landscapers
Grow shade and ornamental trees on a small plot and sell them to landscapers and garden centers.
- $5k-30k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Regional produce wholesaler with cold storage
Buy from growers, store in a small cooler space and deliver weekly to restaurants, grocers and institutions.
- $80k-250k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Local irrigation supply store
Run a small counter-and-yard supply shop stocking pipe, sprinklers and pumps for local landscapers, farmers and homeowners.
- $30k-150k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Micro-dairy with your own goats, sheep or cows
Keep a small herd and make milk, cheese or yogurt on your own land to sell directly to local customers.
- $40k-200k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Retail and wholesale plant nursery
Run a nursery on leased or owned land selling trees and shrubs to gardeners and landscapers.
- $15k-75k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Hay and bedding yard with storage barn
Stock hay, straw and shavings in a barn or yard for walk-in sales and local delivery.
- $10k-50k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Local feed and supply store
Open a small store selling feed, bedding and supplies to horse owners, hobby farmers and pet owners nearby.
- $25k-100k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Feed and bedding delivery service
Deliver feed, hay and shavings to farms, stables and homes in your area, with no storefront.
- $5k-25k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Forestry mulching and land clearing
Clear brush and small trees for landowners with a skid steer or tracked machine and a mulching head, leaving the wood as mulch.
- $60k-250k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Local hydroponics and indoor growing shop
Open a small store where local growers get lights, nutrients, systems and hands-on advice.
- $30k-120k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Hydroponic supplies for small commercial growers
Supply systems, lights and nutrients to local farms and market growers, with delivery and setup advice.
- $5k-25k
- Part-time
- From home
Local vegetable wholesale delivery route
Buy vegetables in bulk from farms or terminal markets and deliver to restaurants, caterers and small grocers.
- $8k-40k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Feeder calf and stocker trader
Buy calves at local sales or from farms and resell them to ranchers and feedlots for a margin.
- $40k-200k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Mobile farrier for local horse owners
Drive to barns and backyards to trim and shoe horses on a regular schedule.
- $12k-50k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Full-scale container plant nursery
Run a nursery with greenhouses or shade houses and supply trees, shrubs and perennials to landscapers and retailers.
- $25k-120k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small oyster farm selling direct to buyers
Grow oysters in a leased or licensed water site and sell them live to local restaurants and fishmongers.
- $15k-60k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Full-care boarding barn with stalls and an arena
Lease a small existing barn and offer stalls, daily feeding and turnout, and riding facilities for owners who want everything looked after.
- $20k-90k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small estate olive grove and oil label
Take over or grow a small olive grove, have the fruit pressed into oil and sell it under your own estate label.
- $15k-75k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Mobile farm parts and supply delivery
Deliver common parts, tools and supplies straight to farms in your county, and help with fitting and fixes.
- $8k-40k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Brush, pasture and fence-line mowing
Cut overgrown fields, pastures and fence lines for farms and rural landowners with a tractor and rotary cutter.
- $8k-40k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Custom tillage, planting and hay baling
Prepare ground, plant and bale hay for small farms that don't own all the machinery they need.
- $15k-75k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Mobile milking equipment service and parts
Drive to dairy farms to service milking systems and supply parts, from a van stocked with common wear items.
- $15k-60k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Dairy equipment parts and supply shop
Run a small rural shop and yard stocking milking parts and supplies, with delivery and service for nearby dairy farms.
- $60k-250k
- Full-time
- Own premises
About these ideas
You might look at a small oyster farm, a farm equipment repair shop or a regional produce wholesaler with cold storage. Before you choose, work out what you must buy up front, what you could lease or buy used, and how many months you can cover costs before steady income arrives. Also check what licenses, permits, insurance and local zoning rules apply to your chosen activity, since farming, food and livestock work are often regulated at several levels. Talk to people already doing the work to test your numbers.
More ideas
- Small-boat shrimper selling off the dock
- Seasonal spot prawn trap fisher
- Firewood yard with a processor
- Small bulk landscape materials yard
- Fresh egg supplier to cafes, bakeries and shops
- Local farm and garden seed store
- Small farm and grower supply store
- Mobile farm equipment repair
- Farm equipment repair shop
- Farm fertilizer delivery dealer
- Year-round on-farm store
- Local tractor parts shop
- Small-scale sod farm
- Bulk topsoil delivery by dump truck
- Topsoil yard with screening and delivery
- Small-scale horse breeding (1-2 mares)
- Breeding farm with foals and young horses
- Small market vegetable farm
- Full-care horse boarding barn
- Leased orchard selling at markets
- U-pick orchard and farm stand
- Pumpkin patch with fall events
- Part-time grain farm on leased acres
- Small-acreage field vegetable grower
- Small orchid greenhouse selling wholesale and retail
- Small vineyard selling grapes direct
- Honey farm with multiple bee yards
- Small organic market garden with CSA shares
- Small market garden selling direct
- Small pick-your-own berry or flower patch
- Pick-your-own farm with a farm stand
- Greenhouse grower for local shops and restaurants
- Indoor tank fish farm
- Small oyster farm
- Pasture-raised beef or pork sold direct
- Small cow-calf herd on pasture
- Raise cattle for direct beef sales
- Small-farm horse breeding for foal sales
- Stallion stud services for local mare owners
- Beef cow-calf herd on grazing land
- Pick-your-own Christmas tree farm
- Market farm supplying restaurants and shops
- Full-time livestock breeding farm
Questions
How can I fund an agriculture business that costs over $20,000?
Common routes include savings, equipment financing, bank or credit union loans, and programs offered through your state or the USDA Farm Service Agency. Check eligibility, interest rates and repayment terms, and compare leasing or buying used equipment before borrowing.
What licenses and permits might I need for a larger farm business?
It depends on what you grow, raise or sell. Check with your state department of agriculture, county office and health department about licenses, food safety rules, water or fishing permits, vehicle requirements and zoning for your location.
How do I reduce the risk of a high-cost agriculture start-up?
Test demand before buying big assets by talking to likely customers and getting commitments where possible. Consider starting smaller, leasing equipment, and checking insurance options for weather, livestock, equipment and liability. Build a cash buffer for slow or seasonal months.