MAA Means Business!

Where to Find What You Need to Know to Farm for Profit (at any size)

Getting Established

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)
www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-agricultural-resources

Register as a farm with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-farm-registration

To register as a DBA business, see your local Town Clerk or City Clerk for an application and information about fees and frequency of renewal (typically every five years, but this can change, and they usually don’t notify you that you’re expiring).

To form a small LLC or corporation (non-profit or for-profit), see the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Corporations Division for applications and information (it’s really easy).
www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/corporations/corporations.htm

To apply for an EIN or business tax identification number see the IRS website.
www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online

If you’re selling woody plants, trees and shrubs, you need a license in Massachusetts, and are subject to inspections.
www.mass.gov/nursery-and-plant-inspections

Learn about Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) training for the Produce Safety Inspection Program, and whether you’ll need it. (MAA sponsors FSMA certification for our members.)
www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-training

FSMA Final Rule on Produce Safety – Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption (as of 6/11/2024):
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-produce-safety/

If you’re selling food direct to consumer, check with your community’s Board of Health to see what permits and/or inspections you may need. You can find them on your town or city’s website.

What are your rights?

Massachusetts Towns with Right-to-Farm Bylaws in place (PDF)
www.mass.gov/doc/mass-communitities-with-agricultural-commissions/download

Connect with your local Agricultural Commission for more information about local bylaws, rights and restrictions:
www.massagcom.org/AgComs.php

Taxes and Your Farm

If you do your own taxes, here’s a list of helpful forms and publications from the IRS:
www.irs.gov/site-index-search?search=farms&field_pup_historical_1=1&field_pup_historical=1&f%5B0%5D=focus_area%3A15696

Start with this one, “Farmer’s Tax Guide”
www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p225.pdf

Farm Credit East offers recommendations and information on farmer’s tax preparation (and other financial services).
www.farmcrediteast.com/

The Massachusetts Agricultural Preservation Restriction Program can help with reducing property taxes on land used for farming.
www.mass.gov/agricultural-preservation-restriction-apr-program

More information on farm property and taxes is available from MassWoods.
masswoods.org/

Crops and Cultivation

Johnny’s Selected Seeds Grower’s Library – a wealth of articles, videos and reference material from a great New England based company:
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/growing-center.html

The USDA Farm Service Agency has a library of webinars:
www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/outreach-and-education/webinars/index

Organizations and Information

Central Mass Grown
https://www.centralmassgrown.org/

Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) – :
https://www.buylocalfood.org/

Growing Farmers
www.growingfarmers.com/

Mass Farmers Markets
www.massfarmersmarkets.org/

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Northeast
northeast.sare.org/