A good farm should have agriculture industry research available at all times to help make important decisions about the business. The right agriculture industry reports will advise you of current trends in both agriculture production and consumer spending. This helps to make the best choices.

Everybody who works on a farm or in an agriculture business should have access to agriculture information resources. Even someone who is new to the industry may have a great money-saving idea when they are able to learn more about the business.

Some of the reasons you may want to have agricultural industry resources around are:

1. To stay up-to-date with current trends in the agriculture industry. Farming industry reports are full of information about new equipment, pesticides and ways to increase your production.

2. To research a new direction for your business. If your business is not as successful as you'd like, agricultural reports can give you ideas of better directions to take.

3. To compete effectively in the marketplace. Agricultural industry reports will let you know what the competition is doing and give you ideas for how you can do it better.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check government statistics for agricultural industry research

The U.S. government conducts yearly studies of the agriculture business, including trends and statistics. This data can greatly affect your business by showing you the direction you need to take.

I recommend: Read Agricultural Statistics, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Agricultural Statistics Service and other USDA agencies. You may also be interested in either the online or the print versions of Amber Waves, a magazine that the government publishes, discussing the economics of food production.

Subscribe to magazines that discuss agricultural information resources

Magazines are a great resource because companies deliver them regularly to your home or business. You don't have to think about it. Magazines often discuss the most up-to-date issues in the agricultural industry.

I recommend: Agricultural Research is an excellent monthly magazine, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture publishes. Farm Journal is a particularly effective agricultural industry resource because it compiles data about its readers' crops and activities to create a magazine specific to each subscriber. Contact them to subscribe.

Attend trade shows to learn more about agricultural industry research

Trade shows introduce you to agriculture concepts that are not fully developed. This helps keep you on the cutting edge of the industry.

I recommend: Look for trade shows that the USDA has approved. The World Ag Expo is one of the largest agricultural trade shows in the world. If you can only attend one trade show, this is the one to attend.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  With the advent of the Internet, many people tend to neglect their local libraries. This is a huge mistake. The reference librarian at your local library can lead you to the best agricultural reference materials and help you find any information that you need.