NOFA VT Crop Costs of
Production Project
VT VBGA Annual Meeting
January 23, 2017
Fairlee, VT
NOFA VT Crop Cost of
Production Project
• Specialty Crop Block grant, over 2
years. Ends 2017
• 30 farms in VT, NH, MA
• 10 crops, across multiple farms
• Goals: Business TA for farms, share
costs of production to other farmers,
see if wider markets can be accessed
at different price points
Crop selection
• Crops important to New England
• Carrots, onions, potatoes, head
lettuce, salad greens, garlic,
strawberries, greenhouse tomatoes,
kale, winter squash
• Each crop grown by multiple farms,
in different states
Challenges
• Busy, Busy, Busy during growing
season, hard to input data in real
time
• Recordkeeping is most unfun and
unglamorous part of farming
Gross Sales, Gross Profit, and
Net Profit for Carrots
Carrot Profit and Sales/Acre
$60,000
Gross Profit/Acre
Net Profit/Acre
$50,000
Gross Sales/Acre
$40,000
$30,000
$20,000
$10,000
$Farm 1
Farm 3
Farm 4
Farm 5
Average
Hand weeding Hours per Acre
for Carrots
Carrot hand weeding hours/Acre
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Farm 1
Farm 3
Farm 4
Farm 5
Average
Yield: 25 lb Carrots per Acre
(all grades combined)
Carrots Cases/Acre
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Farm 1
Farm 3
Farm 4
Farm 5
Average
Gross Sales, Gross Profit, and
Net Profit for Onions
Onion Profit and Sales/Acre
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
Gross Profit/Acre
$30,000
Net Profit/Acre
Gross Sales/Acre
$20,000
$10,000
$Farm 2
Farm 4
Farm 5
Farm 6
Farm 13
*Estimated *Estimated
Average
Hand weeding Hours per Acre
for Onions
Onion Hand weeding hours/Acre
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Farm 2
Farm 4
Farm 5
Farm 6
*Estimated
Farm 13
*Estimated
Average
Yield: 50 lb Onions per Acre
(all grades combined)
Onion Cases/Acre yield
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Farm 2
Farm 4
Farm 5
Farm 6
*Estimated
Farm 13
*Estimated
Average
Total harvest Hours per Acre:
Onions
Onion harvest hours/Acre
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Farm 2
Farm 4
Farm 5
Farm 6
*Estimated
Farm 13
*Estimated
Average
Gross Sales, Gross Profit, and
Net Profit for Potatoes
Potato Profit and Sales/Acre
$30,000
$25,000
$20,000
Gross Profit/Acre
$15,000
Net Profit/Acre
Gross Sales/Acre
$10,000
$5,000
$Farm 2
Farm 7
Farm 10* Farm 11* Farm 12
Average
Estimated Estimated *Estimated
Averages for Carrots, Onions,
and Potatoes
Crop Profit comparison
$45,000
$40,000
$35,000
$30,000
$25,000
Onions
$20,000
Bulk Carrots
Potatoes
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000
$Gross Profit/Acre
Net Profit/Acre
Gross Sales/Acre
Overhead Expenses as a
percent of Farm’s Gross Sales
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Farm 1
Farm 2
Farm 3
Farm 4
Farm 5
Farm 6
Farm 7
Farm 8
Farm 9
Average
Marketing Expenses as a
percent of Farm’s Gross Sales
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Farm 1
Farm 2
Farm 3
Farm 4
Farm 5
Farm 6
Farm 7
Farm 8
Farm 9
Average
Paid Labor as a percent of
Gross Sales
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Farm 1
Farm 2
Farm 3
Farm 4
Farm 5
Farm 6
Farm 7
Farm 9
Average
Income Ratio: Net Profit as a
percent of Gross Sales
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Farm 1
Farm 2
Farm 3
Farm 4
Farm 5
Farm 6
Farm 7
Farm 9
Average