There are a variety of resources for business owners to use in developing a plan. Consultants can be hired, books purchased, the internet utilized, yet at the end of the day, many of the agricultural business folks we meet in our travels are at a loss as to how to begin to assemble a business plan. The primary use for this guide is to assist agricultural producers in developing a basic plan used to secure funding for start-up, expansion, and operating loans in an agricultural business. Our goal is to provide basic items which should be covered in a business plan to steer you in the right direction for development and provide other resources to expand your knowledge of business planning as the process unfolds for your unique operation. The business plan does not need to be a complicated document. One designed for lenders should be relatively short (six or seven pages) and give the user an understanding of your business, the direction you are going and the short and intermediate goals you expect to achieve. When using the plan for borrowing purposes, the document is a chance to give the lending institution confidence in the management of the business requesting financial assistance.