Ecology of consumption. Business: A new study shows that organic farms are 20-35% more profitable than conventional farms...

The results of a new study show that the profitability of organic farms is 20-35% higher than conventional farms, and this may be a key factor in the choice of growing methods in the near future.

There are many reasons to buy organic, including reducing pesticide exposure, mitigating pollution, improving soil quality, helping with pollination, and eating nutrient-dense foods. It turns out that there is another reason to buy organic food - more money for farmers. Purchases directly help farmers live better.

A new study titled "Global Financial Competitiveness of Organic Agriculture" shows that organic farming is 22-35% more profitable than conventional farming.

The analysis covered the financial performance of organic and conventional agriculture from 40 studies on 55 crops, in 14 countries on five continents - North America, Europe, Asia, Central America and Australia.

“We have found that despite lower yields, organic farming is significantly more profitable than conventional farming and has room for expansion on a global scale. In addition, with its environmental benefits, organic agriculture has the potential to make a big contribution to sustainable development and feed the world,” the study states.

This comes at a time when all of our farmers are in deep financial trouble and more than half of them are constantly in need of bank loans and government subsidies.

“Organic farming can provide farmers with significantly more income, and is a good incentive to move away from conventional farming practices,” says Laura Batcha, executive director of the trade association Organic.

Organic products are always more expensive and most consumers are aware of this. However, the study found that organic farmers only need to invest 5-7% more to match the returns of conventional farming. But at the same time, the demand for natural products is much higher and this makes it possible to earn 22-35% more.

Although organic agriculture is growing rapidly, it currently only occupies 1% of the world's arable land. Rather, it speaks of the huge potential that can be used in the near future for the benefit of the planet and for the benefit of our farmers.published

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Ilya Elpanov, the founder of Eat Village, failed to become a successful farmer, but he raised about 19 million rubles. investments and created a community of rural residents, from whom Muscovites buy food worth 8 million rubles a month.

Following Elon Musk's Tesla, a weather balloon with a set of village products went into space to "feed the driver of the electric car." This marketing campaign was created by the team of Ilya Elpanov, the founder of Eat Village. “So we showed that among us, rural residents, there are our own Ilona Masks, there are many of them,” the businessman says with a serious face.

Residents of Moscow and neighboring villages are not separated by space, but it is not easy to find products from small rural producers in the capital's markets and stores. Farmers are rarely able to provide the volumes and prices that retail chains and wholesale bases demand from them. Yelpanov, 26, decided to fix this by creating a marketplace for farm products on the Internet.

How it works

Eat Rustic is not a traditional online store. Prices are set by suppliers here, and the platform adds its own commission of 25-35%. On the page of each product there is a story about the farmer who grows and supplies it, as well as customer reviews. Farmers control demand: in the personal account on the website, they indicate how many units of products they can prepare this week. They help promote the product: they shoot photos and videos for social networks. According to Elpanov, the company sells not only products, but also the history of each farmer. Suppliers are responsible for labeling and delivering products to the company's distribution center in Dubna, from where Elpanov's drivers deliver parcels around Moscow and the region twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays. When ordering up to 3.5 thousand rubles. delivery costs 249 rubles, from 5 thousand rubles. - for free.

Foxes and schoolchildren

In the summer of 2013, after the third year of the Faculty of Economics of the Moscow Agricultural Academy. Timiryazev, Ilya Elpanov and classmates went to the Kaluga region. The organizers of the Nikola-Lenivets art park then allocated land plots to six who wished to engage in agriculture and about 1 million rubles for the purchase of animals and feed. But things did not go as smoothly as enthusiasts expected: Elpanov's geese were eaten by foxes, pigs of partner friends ran into the forest. Having washed out for several months and fixing 500 thousand rubles. losses, the students abandoned the idea. Elpanov decided that one should be born a farmer or spend 10-15 years to become a professional in this field.

Elpanov was a member of the Russian Economy Foundation, where serial entrepreneur Oscar Hartmann was his mentor. After the first failure, the mentor advised me to try myself in IT. Together with a friend, Elpanov began to develop an application for preparing schoolchildren for the exam in the form of a game called Smart Fox. In 2014, the startup received about $25,000 in investments from the Internet Initiatives Development Fund, but quickly went bankrupt. Monetization was built on the concept of freemium, when the main service is provided free of charge, and you have to pay for additional features - 1.5 thousand rubles. It turned out that schoolchildren actively use free functionality, but are not going to pay. When startups realized this, the money ran out, and exam preparation season was over.

Then Yelpanov decided to work for hire - he got a job at the Elementaree company, which delivers food by subscription. Over time, he took the position of head of the logistics department. It was here that he realized how to combine agriculture and IT.

village community

Yelpanov spied on the idea for a new business in Slovakia, where farmers sold products through an online store. In April 2015, he moved to the Tver region, to the city of Kimry, began to collect sets of village products from the local market and sell them to relatives and friends in the capital.

At the start of the business, the entrepreneur had 50 thousand rubles. This money was spent on the purchase of a site template in the Joomla constructor, a refrigerator and two thermal boxes for transporting products. At the start, Dmitry Zavyalov, the husband of Elpanov's sister, joined him. The rest of the friends were perplexed: how can one quit a good job in the capital and move to the provinces for the sake of an incomprehensible undertaking?

It quickly became clear that you would not earn much by reselling goods from the market, and the partners began to look for suppliers among farmers - they managed to find several producers of dairy products, poultry, vegetables and herbs. The assortment was limited, so at first Eat Rustic sold food packages for 2,000 and 3,000 rubles. Partners spent 10 thousand rubles. for advertising in social networks and received eight orders. Their day began at 4 am, when they collected packages and personally delivered them to customers. Yelpanov decided that the goods should be delivered from the farmer to the buyer's house within 24 hours, which means that stocks cannot be created and delivery times must be limited - the products were delivered once a week, on Sunday.

The first parcels were collected in the kitchen in Elpanov's mother's apartment. For six months, the number of orders increased to 40 per week, and the entrepreneur rented a distribution center closer to the capital - in Dubna (75 thousand rubles per month are paid for 140 square meters). Among the main buyers were women aged 25-35 with small children, people who follow proper nutrition, and those to whom rural parcels remind of childhood. “The taste of products is significantly different from what we buy in stores,” one of the customers, Dinara Mikhailova, told RBC.

It soon became clear that the business model with standard premises was failing. Some of the customers do not eat certain products and want to order something else. Therefore, in the spring of 2017, the entrepreneur decided to open a marketplace with a wide range of products (now it brings 60% of revenue).

It was more difficult to work in this format. One day, one of the dairy suppliers did not make an already ordered strawberry-flavored yogurt. Only 20 bottles were needed, but the farmer could not keep up. Elpanov somehow begged him to finish the game, and then personally came to him at 4 in the morning, having spent 2.5 hours on the road. “The cost of these cans was huge. But still, reputation is at stake, ”explains the entrepreneur. Then Yelpanov got into a truck and went to deliver parcels around Moscow.

There were difficulties with connecting suppliers from the Krasnodar Territory. For example, an entrepreneur sent a Gazelle to pick up Beijing cabbage, but due to heavy rains, they could not collect it. The car returned empty, Elpanov lost about 40 thousand rubles. Another time, on the way back, the engine broke down, the refrigerator stopped working - I had to throw away half the batch. Therefore, now most of the suppliers of "Eat the Village" are from the Tver, Moscow and Kaluga regions.

In his distribution center, the entrepreneur created a quality control system, which was set up by specialists from Azbuka Vkusa, who were recommended to Elpanov by Vladimir Sadovin, an acquaintance of the entrepreneur and the general director of Azbuka Vkusa. Now unscrupulous suppliers are fined in the amount of 1 thousand rubles. up to 50% of the cost of the party. But due to the large number of different suppliers, mistakes still happen: on average, in 15 orders out of 400. Company representatives personally visit the farms: they ask for receipts to find out where and when the food was bought, conduct laboratory tests and tasting commissions.

New farmers

For two and a half years, Elpanov visited 300 farms. The founder of "Eat the countryside" divides suppliers into three types: people who were born in the countryside and have been engaged in agriculture since childhood; entrepreneurs who are tired of the city and decide to make money on farming; and amateurs who have turned their dacha hobby into an additional source of income. More successful than others, according to the statistics of "Eat the countryside", are precisely the townspeople who decide to become farmers.

Dmitry Slavyansky is one of the first suppliers of Eat Rustic. He took up farming in 2014. Before that, he tried himself in the restaurant business, went from a cook to a manager. But Slavyansky was drawn to the ground: “It was always interesting to tinker in the garden. It's probably genes."

Started in 2014 growing mushrooms. But he did not calculate the expenses, the cost of products turned out to be higher than the market price. Then I decided to "fill my hand" on the greenery: I put the first greenhouse. Six months later, he grew 12 tons of onions per month, kept 28 people in the state. But by 2016, overstocking happened on the onion market - the entrepreneur received 1.5 million losses. “So much effort and money was invested, to say “everything, I failed” would not be in my rules,” recalls Slavyansky. The farmer leased 12 hectares 20 km from Tver and switched to growing lettuce, zucchini, radishes and seasonal greens. Sold to local restaurants. This business turned out to be profitable.

“We also had thoughts about delivering farm products to Moscow, we just couldn’t implement it,” says Slavyansky. At first, Eat Rustic received five to eight orders a week, but now the number is in the dozens. The company pays invoices once a week, and other wholesale buyers usually delay payments by a month. The farmer likes that he knows the buyers by sight: every week he looks at the page with reviews about his products. Slavyansky's revenue for 2017 amounted to about 10 million rubles. He does not disclose profits.

Another supplier, Vadim Roshka, received a higher spiritual education, in the 1990s he worked as a lawyer, and then as a traffic police inspector. All this time he ran a farm. Gradually, the income from it began to exceed the salary. In 2007, he quit his job and switched to farming in the Tver region - he raises cattle (his farm has 150 cows) and produces dairy products. According to Roshka, it is not easy for a modern farmer. Electricity bills are rising, fuel is becoming more expensive, while milk prices are not changing. “So much has been done that there is no going back. We survive on enthusiasm,” says the farmer.

To stay afloat, he develops his online store, sells products through groups on social networks and is looking for new distribution channels. “For Eat Village, we have become the main supplier of dairy products - production volumes increased tenfold last year. We grow together,” the farmer explains. Revenue for 2017 amounted to more than 10 million rubles. He reinvests all profits in business development.

Along with the groceries, Eat Rustic customers receive a letter about how things are going in the village. Ilya Yelpanov also plans to install cameras with online broadcasts on farms so that buyers can check the origin of products.

5 billion for farmers

In Moscow, there are both delivery services for farm products and offline stores where such food can be purchased. Eat Village's main competitors are LavkaLavka, Seasonmarket, MoscowFresh, Fresh, Two Sisters, etc. According to expert estimates, the largest player is the LavkaLavka cooperative with a chain of stores and online delivery. According to LavkaLavka, the network occupies about 10% of the capital's market of farmers' products, the annual turnover of which is 5 billion rubles. However, according to Yelpanov, the more retail players there are on the market, the more farmers will be able to supply their products to the metropolis and the cheaper their products will be.

Money on the table

The founder of “Eat Village” attracted the first investments in the summer of 2016 - 1 million rubles. in exchange for 8% of the company from business angels Grigory Rudanov and Vladimir Batishchev. According to Rudanov, Ilya impressed investors with his passion and determination. “The market has great potential because more and more people want to eat right. We see that farm products are in great demand. Ilya did a very humane service,” Rudanov explains.

In 2017, the company received another $300,000 for about 20% from LiveTex founder Vladimir Bakuteev and the Some Random VC fund. This money helped the company grow rapidly. The assortment has been significantly expanded: there were 150 items of products, now there are 800. The number of suppliers has almost quadrupled - up to 150. If at the beginning of 2016 the project's revenue was about 400 thousand rubles. per month, then by the beginning of 2017 - 1.8 million rubles, now - about 8 million rubles. According to Elpanov, the company has reached an operating payback, but he spends all the profit on the development of the project.

In 2018, Eat Village opened a new sales channel: now the company supplies products to hotels, restaurants and offices. “The guys promote values ​​similar to ours. They take the product seriously and work on bugs,” Anastasia Yefimova, co-owner of the Brick Design Hotel, explains the choice of supplier.

According to Yelpanov, 4.5 million residents of the capital prefer farm products, but in reality no more than 1% of potential buyers make online purchases. “Now farm products are quite expensive, but with the right business approaches and automation of work with suppliers, they will become available,” Yelpanov is sure.

View from the outside

"The phrase "farm product" no longer causes frenzied enthusiasm"

Alexander Goncharov, founder of the Mark and Lev farming cooperative

“There is nothing revolutionary about the idea of ​​delivery, but supporting the villagers is the right thing to do. True, I see a random selection of suppliers at Eat Rustic. We need to develop the territory where farmers live, as, for example, our Tula agrohub does. The phrase “farm product” no longer arouses frenzied enthusiasm among consumers, there is a stratification - some are looking for something that looks like a farm product, but cheaper, others are interested in the origin of the product, environmental friendliness needs proof.

“The main problem now is the heterogeneity of raw materials”

Pavel Paskar, CEO of food delivery service Grow Food

“I think the idea of ​​home delivery of groceries is very promising. Now the market is divided into a number of models: delivery of chopped ingredients, in which a person cooks himself according to a recipe, for example, Chefmarket, cooking in the retail itself, like in Azbuka Vkusa, subscription models, when food arrives ready, for example, Grow Food. This market is changing for the better and growing. Leaders show good results, competitors follow them. Technologies come into our lives, in large cities where people do not have enough time, they outsource more and more processes. The market will continue to grow for another three to five years.

The main problem now is the heterogeneity of raw materials. Large companies are forced to cook not from the best products. This affects the quality of the food. If you manage to make as few layers as possible between consumers and farmers, the better it will be from an economic point of view: both the goods will become cheaper and companies will become more profitable. Delivering farm products is an interesting idea.”

Do you have an idea to start a farm but don't know where to start? Let's try to figure out how to open a farm from scratch, and what is required for this.

Let's start with a definition. So, a peasant farm is a commercial organization that, usually acting on a family basis, produces agricultural products with the aim of selling them for profit. Moreover, a farm can only be called an enterprise where more than 70% of the total income is earned through the sale of agricultural products.

In recent years, our state has implemented a number of programs aimed at the development and support of farms and defined tax benefits for their owners. Thanks to this, farming, as a type of entrepreneurial activity, has become very promising in Russia. Let us now find out where to start a farm, what expenses will be required and how to successfully start in the agricultural business. First you need to choose the direction of future activity - it can be breeding or growing.

Branches for breeding

- Animal husbandry: pigs, goats, sheep, cows, horses, rabbits.;
- fish farming: trout, carp, sturgeon, silver carp, pike, carp, catfish;
- poultry farming: laying hens, broilers, ducks, geese, turkeys, ostriches, pheasants;
- beekeeping.

What can be grown

- Vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, eggplants, pumpkins, potatoes, carrots;
- fruits and berries: melons, watermelons, apricots, pears, apples, strawberries, cherries, cherries, prunes, plums;
- greens: parsley, dill, onion, garlic;
- grain crops: wheat, oats, barley, rye, corn, millet, sunflower, buckwheat.

Of course, this is not a complete list of what you can plant on your agricultural plot, but here are the most common and traditional crops that are in demand in Russia every year.

What type of activity can be chosen additionally

When compiling a business plan for farming, take into account the fact that the undeniable advantage of farming is the opportunity to receive additional income (often even more substantial) from each main activity.

For example:

- if you decide to grow fruits and vegetables, an additional activity may be the production of frozen vegetables and fruits;
- if you decide to start breeding cows or pigs, then in addition you can produce stew, sausages and other meat delicacies. In the case of cows, you can also profit from the sale of dairy products: milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, cheese and others;
- if you decide to grow crops, you can organize the production of flour, various kinds of cereals, or open your own bakery, selling various bakery products.

We draw up documents

Next, we will talk about how to open a farm, about the rights to create it, and directly about the registration procedure. The main document that determines the procedure for the formation of the property of a peasant farm is the Law “On Peasant (Farm) Farming” No. 74-FZ of June 11, 2003 (amended on December 28, 2010 N 420-FZ).

According to clause 1 of article 3 of this law, any capable citizen of the Russian Federation, a foreign citizen, a stateless person has the right to create a peasant farm. Paragraph 2 of the same article states that the following persons can act as members of this household: spouses and their parents, their grandparents, children, sisters, brothers, grandchildren (3 families, no more). And also children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, having reached the age of 16, have the right to become members of this economy. In addition, they may be persons who are not relatives of the head, however, there may be more than five people.

Article 4 states that the creation of a farm by one person does not require the conclusion of an agreement, several citizens who decide to create a joint farm are required to conclude an agreement on joint activities.

Article 5 describes the procedure for registering a peasant farm, in addition, it is indicated that the date of creation is the date of its state registration in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Registration procedure

- Pay the state duty;
- notarize the application for registration;
- prepare and submit the necessary package of documents to the IFTS;
- get ready registration documents;
- register with the Funds;
- receive a letter from Rosstat with statistics codes;
- open a bank account.

If the question is How to get a loan to develop a small business from scratch? , then follow the link and find out on the site how and where you can get such a loan, how banks consider your request, and what you first need to pay attention to when applying for a loan. The most responsible and reliable banks are at your service.

If you are not a pensioner and do not work, then you can apply to the employment service with an application to include you in the self-employment program. Then it will be possible to receive from the state from 50 to 60 thousand rubles for opening an individual entrepreneur in the agricultural sector.

It is becoming more and more difficult for those wishing to open their own business to do so in the city. Profitable businesses are fiercely competitive. But you can start your own business in the village. One of the advantages of starting a farm is a small investment. How to start a farm from scratch, we will try to tell.

To support rural businesses, the state is implementing several programs that are aimed at supporting agricultural business owners. Tax incentives have also been introduced. Thanks to this, farming becomes promising.

Where to begin?

The first step to opening your farm is to develop a detailed and competent business plan. It is necessary, at least approximately, to calculate all costs, get qualified advice from knowledgeable specialists, and plan all actions. A ready-made farming business plan is your guiding thread. A good start is half the battle. Any issues that arise will be resolved in due course.

You need land is your first practical task. There are two options - to rent a suitable plot or to buy it. The second option is more profitable in the future. Renting land is dangerous because its owner may refuse to renew the lease at the most inopportune moment. In the regions, the price of one hectare of land is approximately 2-4 thousand rubles. Even if you do not have large savings, the amount you need will be available to you.

The first step is to find suitable land

After solving the problem of finding suitable land, decide what exactly you want to do. The most well-known areas of agricultural activity are breeding cows, pigs or poultry, growing vegetables and fruits, berries and melons, and breeding fish.

The choice of one direction for a beginner in the agricultural business will probably be more correct. Experts advise starting with vegetables. Developing your business, you will add new directions. Since high profitability is shown by farms that combine different types of directions.

Beginners can start growing vegetables

Whatever type of activity you choose, there is always additional profit that you can make from it. Having your own raw materials, you can set up your own production. For example:

1. Growing fruits, berries and vegetables. Additional profit is the sale of frozen vegetables and fruits.
2. Raising pigs or cattle. You can set up the production of your own products - stews, sausages, deli meats. Breeding cows will allow you to produce dairy products for sale.
3. Growing cereals. Production of our own flour and cereals, maintenance of our own bakery, where you can bake all kinds of bakery products.

This list is exemplary. Many more items can be added to it. It depends on your desire to earn, your capabilities and imagination. And, of course, do not forget about one important point - you need to take care of the sales market in advance. If you are new to the business and have no sales skills yet, you can hire an experienced salesperson. He will look for buyers and conclude contracts.

Farming is a profitable type of business, which, however, is very risky and expensive. Consider the main branches of farming and the features of their implementation, as well as the reasons for such a rapid development of animal husbandry in Russia.

Farm business development

Farm business in Russia, in particular animal husbandry, has been gaining popularity and development over the years due to the following factors:

• availability of state programs that, subject to certain conditions by farmers, in order to support newly created farms and national producers, provide subsidies, tax breaks, grants, initial capital, allocate land for farming;
• rising food prices, which increase farm profits;
• food products produced by farms, namely meat, milk, eggs, cheese, honey, cottage cheese, are always in demand in the markets and have their own customer base, as they provide the basic needs of consumers;
• restriction of access to the market for products of foreign suppliers and manufacturers - national producers, in turn, do not experience such restrictions;
• a wide range of economic activities, the emergence and development of new species (for example, farms for breeding ostriches);
• products of a national manufacturer inspire confidence among consumers and are in demand;
• the possibility of obtaining a permanent customer base and markets for products.

Thus, the farming business is a profitable and promising activity that is rapidly developing and, at certain costs, can bring significant income that will fully pay off the invested funds and the time spent.

Farming branches

Farming is divided into 2 main industries:

• agriculture (growing various types of grain crops: rice, wheat, barley, etc.);
• animal husbandry.

Animal breeding as a business includes the following sub-sectors:

• pig breeding;
• cattle breeding (livestock breeding);
• sheep breeding;
• poultry farming;
• breeding bees;
• horse breeding;
• ostrich breeding;
• reindeer herding;
• breeding rabbits;
• fur farming and others.

Pig breeding, poultry farming, sheep breeding and cattle breeding have received the greatest development.

Cattle breeding provides the population with milk and meat, beef and veal are of high quality and high cost.

Poultry farming provides the market with meat and eggs, and poultry meat (turkeys, chickens, ducks, indouts) is more in demand than beef and pork, due to the lower cost of meat and the absence of difficulties in breeding birds on farms. Chicken meat is the most demanded meat in the markets, chicken breeding is a promising and profitable activity.

Pig farming is a rapidly developing type of economic activity. Pork is the second most demanded meat in the markets, after chicken, this meat is cheaper than beef and has a high quality, nutritional value and calorie content.

Sheep breeding for its development requires a large number of pastures and provides markets not only with meat and milk, but also with wool.

Pig breeding as a business

Before engaging in pig breeding, it should be borne in mind that although this is a highly profitable type of activity, it, like any type of farming activity, requires a lot of effort, time and significant financial costs to achieve a result.

Basic rules to follow if you decide to start pig farming

1. Decide on the location of the farm, taking into account: established standards for proximity to settlements, the minimum required farm area, remoteness from water sources.

2. Prepare the necessary documents for the administration to sign. Specify under what conditions you can receive state subsidies, benefits, etc.

3. Study the market structure, namely the demand and supply of pig meat and lard in the markets in your area. As a rule, lean and lean pork, lard with a meat layer (loin) are in the greatest demand.

4. Prepare a business plan that, when calculating financial costs, will show the effectiveness of pig farming and possible profits. Financial costs include:

• buying pigs;
• building or renting premises;
• purchase of inventory and equipment;
• staff salaries;
• stern;
• payment for veterinary services, vaccinations, etc.

Also, in the plan, it is necessary to assess the possible risks of the enterprise and indicate the stages of project implementation with actions at each stage.

5. Build pigsties, sheds, purchase the necessary inventory and equipment, feed.

6. Hire qualified personnel (animal technicians, handymen, pig breeders, etc.).

7. Much attention should be paid to the selection of breeds of pigs. Breeds of pigs are specially bred for production:

• meat;
• meat and fat;
• meat and bacon;
• bacon
• fat.

Breeds for the production of meat and bacon received the greatest demand, because meat brings more income than lard. Females and males must be purchased from different suppliers to prevent genetic mutations in the offspring.

8. Be sure to periodically disinfect pigsties, inventory, destroy rodents, ensure regular vaccinations and examinations of offspring and adults by a veterinarian.

But do not expect instant results, because the pig farm pays for itself in about 2-3 years. Also successful is the combination of growing potatoes, corn, etc. with raising pigs, because feed costs in this case are reduced; It is also profitable to organize your own production of meat and sausage products and lard (for example, you can organize a meat and lard smokehouse).

Poultry farming as a business

Breeding poultry as a business, especially chickens and turkeys, requires less financial costs than, for example, pig breeding, since birds are less whimsical, but it brings a stable income, because poultry meat is very popular due to its low cost, dietary content, low calorie content.

Before starting poultry farming, draw up a business plan that will help you calculate the possible profit and the period after which it will be received, as well as financial costs (for the purchase of young animals, feed, vaccinations, renting a territory, building premises, equipment, etc.) , existing risks.

How to become a farmer from scratch in the poultry industry?

Consider the main factors that must be considered if you decide to start breeding birds.

1. The choice of breed depends on the focus of your farm. Breeds of chickens are:

• for the production of meat (cornish, red whitetails);
• for the production of eggs (leggorn, Russian whites, pavlovskie, minorca);
• for the production of eggs and meat (Loman Brown, Moscow black, Kuchinsky).

It is most profitable to purchase breeds of chickens that are adapted for the production of both eggs and meat.

2. Having your own garden reduces the cost of bird feed; in the spring and summer, chickens can and should be grazing in the garden.

3. To obtain high quality homemade meat, special attention should be paid to bird food. So, the diet of chickens should include, in addition to compound feed: dandelions, nettles, carrots, pumpkins, potatoes, beets and other vegetables and herbs.

4. Rooms for chickens should be equipped with everything necessary: ​​feeders, drinkers, thermometers, devices for measuring room humidity. Each breed has its own characteristics. So, egg-bearing breeds need ventilation, specially equipped perches, free space, good lighting (the room should be lit from 6 am to 9 pm, a violation of lighting is stress for the bird and its egg production decreases or stops altogether) and thermal insulation.

5. The purchase and equipment of an incubator will help save on young stock; eggs laid by a laying hen are laid in an incubator, which must be equipped with a thermometer. If the incubator is the simplest and not automatic, the eggs are turned over manually (3 times a day). From 60 eggs laid in the incubator, you can get 45 or more chickens.

6. Purchased young animals should be vaccinated and given antibiotics to prevent possible diseases.

7. Regular disinfection of the premises should be carried out, if a disease is suspected, sick birds to be slaughtered should be isolated, a veterinarian should be invited to make a final diagnosis, and vaccination should be carried out.

Breeding birds is a profitable, and most importantly, simple and affordable type of activity that does not require the construction of special premises, the lease of a large land area.

Birds can also be bred in old sheds, which only need to be equipped with everything necessary, and a personal plot or garden will be enough. Breeding chickens is the most popular type of poultry farming, chickens are unpretentious in feeding and care, have high egg production and, with proper care, provide valuable and sought-after meat.

Breeding cattle

So what does it take to become a cattle farmer? Before you go directly into the breeding itself, draw up a detailed business plan, which should include:

• planned production volumes;
• the production part (expenses for the purchase of feed);
• marketing part (advertising, product prices);
• organizational part (information about suppliers, buyers, staff);
• risk assessment;
• financial part (sources of financial support, planned income).

• breeding young individuals for sale;
• supply of meat;
• milk supply;
• supply of meat and milk;
• processing of animal skins;
• production of dairy products (cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese);
• production of meat products (sausage products).

The next step will be to go around all instances, prepare documentation and obtain permits (for construction on sites, etc.).

One of the most important aspects of organizing livestock breeding as a business is purchase of livestock. Things to consider:

• selection and purchase is best done with the participation of an experienced veterinarian, livestock breeder;
• the main meat breeds of cows: Hereford, Charolais, Limousin, Salers, Kalmyk, Kazakh white-headed and others. Dairy breeds: black-and-white, red steppe, Yaroslavl, Kholmogory;
• a healthy dairy cow that will produce large amounts of milk, has a barrel-shaped belly, long head, small horns, strong muscles, special attention should be paid to the cow's udder. The udder of the cow should be large, the skin should be elastic, the shape of the udder should be cup-shaped. Cows with round udders will produce little milk. When buying, be sure to milk the cow, while hardening should not be felt in the udder, it should be soft and pliable. A healthy cow has a clear look, no cough, a hard and light gait, a narrow hindquarters and a sagging back are considered faults;
• read the documents for the animal, the vaccination card.

Cows need to be provided with pastures, feed should be purchased, hay should be prepared for the winter, regular disinfection of barns and vaccinations should be mandatory, and premises for slaughterhouses should also be equipped.

Beef and veal are expensive and high-quality meats that are in demand among consumers. To increase income from livestock breeding, it is necessary to organize the processing of meat, milk and produce cheese, cottage cheese, kefir, sausages, sour cream, ryazhenka, etc. for sale.

How to become a successful farmer?

In order to become a successful farmer, one should take into account the fact that farming does not imply instant profit, it requires significant financial costs. Animal husbandry is one of the most risky types of business, since there is always the risk of epidemics, natural disasters that can lead to a pestilence of animals, loss of farms and bankruptcy of farmers.

Keep in mind that producing quality products is only the first step. The second stage is its implementation. You can find sales markets, or you can open your own stores, which will bring income, but will also require additional costs for renting premises, personnel, equipment, etc.

Farming in Russia receives state support and generates high income for businessmen, but also requires large investments and time, as well as drawing up a detailed business plan. The main branches of animal husbandry in Russia and around the world are pig breeding, poultry farming and cattle breeding, as their products are always in high demand, both on national and foreign markets.