Either before you apply for your lease and permit or at the same time, you’ll want to take some steps to register your business as a legal entity with state and federal agencies. The sections in this lesson outline some common decisions you’ll face during this process. This guide is intended to provide the basic information needed to get you started, but you may want to consider consulting an attorney and an accountant at this stage.

Your farm business structure affects day-to-day operations, the paperwork you need to file, how much you pay in taxes, and to what degree your personal assets are at risk. This is important, because if your farm isn’t registered as a separate business entity, then your own money and assets could be at risk for business obligations.