Why Small Producers?

The USDA defines a small farm as any farm business grossing $350,000 or less annually.

In Texas, there are 180,626 farms grossing $10k or less annually and 223,569 farms grossing $50k or less annually. Together, these small farms make up 89% of the state’s farming and ranching community.

Texas is experiencing rapid growth, especially in Central Texas, one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions. Texas State University and SPI, located at the heart of this growth, offer small producers evidence based reserach to understand how to access new markets and a growing consumer base interested in local, organic, and sustainable food.

SPI is dedicated to helping producers tap into these expanding opportunities. Our program conducts research to understand the needs of small producers and provides valuable training in areas such as financial management, business & marketing, soil health, holistic management, regenerative agriculture, and more.

We meet these needs through webinars, in-person workshops, and our annual conference.

While SPI primarily focuses on small & mid-sized producers, we are committed to providing outreach, training, and extension services to farms and ranches of all sizes, production methods, and organizational types.

Our programs provide support to socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers, as well as producers pursuing regenerative production practices.