Starting a farm costs money. Either you have that money right now as savings, or you’ll need to raise it somehow. Grants or loans are generally more appropriate for farmers than equity investments because they don’t involve giving up any control or ownership of your business.

Private lenders like banks are the first place most new founders look for loans. However, many banks find agricultural businesses to be too risky as standalone entities. For this reason, you may need the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), the Farm Credit System, state agricultural finance programs, or a nonprofit lender to work with a bank on your behalf. Some states, such as Alaska, have a mariculture revolving loan program that provides startup capital to new farmers.