Operating your business out of your home can be both convenient and efficient. This is especially true for farmers pursuing small value-added businesses. These businesses can be run out of the farm home or a home in town. However, home-based businesses can involve some issues that are different from other businesses.

To help you get a general understanding of home-based businesses, read Home-based Business: When a House is More than a Home. For information on how to successfully set up a home-based business, read Two Dozen Do's and Don'ts for Home Business Success.

For more information on this topic, see the links listed below of articles posted on related Web sites.

Is It For You

• Starting a Business in Your Home - Is It for You? – Ohio State University -- Starting a business in your home may be rewarding, both personally and financially.
• The Pros and Cons of a Home Business – Ohio State University -- Having a business in your home can provide flexible working hours and give you the luxury of being your own boss.
• Home-based Business: Is it for Me? – North Dakota State University Extension -- More people are starting home-based and micro businesses than ever before. People are turning their skills, hobbies and ideas into profitable ventures.
• Home-Based Business: An Economic Development Alternative – Oklahoma State University Extension -- This fact sheet discusses how home-based businesses benefit the communities where they are located.
• Home-Based Business — Will It Work for Me? – University of Missouri Extension -- The entrepreneurial spirit has captured your imagination, and you are considering going into business for yourself. You see other people's successes and say, "I can do that, too" or "I can do better than that."
• Starting a Home Business – University of Maine Extension -- Home businesses are becoming increasingly popular as more and more people are turning their time and talents into profits.
• Starting a Business in Your Home: Weighing the Pros and Cons – University of Maine Extension -- For more and more people, home is not only where the family is — it is where the business is. During the last 20 years, large numbers of people have chosen to market their skills and talents from home.

Making it Work

• Home-Based Business — Market Your Product – University of Missouri Extension -- To be successful at a home-based business, you not only have to be good at what you do, but you have to be good at letting others know how good you are at what you do.
• Home-Based Business — Selling by Consignment – University of Missouri Extension -- Selling on consignment is a practice frequently used by artists and craftspeople. It literally means that they give over their work to another's care for display and sale.
• Home-Based Business — Pricing Your Work – University of Missouri Extension -- Many artisans without experience in markets outside their neighborhood have difficulty pricing their goods to give a fair return on their work.
• Home-Based Business — Packaging for Safe Shipping – University of Missouri Extension -- Mail order sales is a major segment of the retail market. Many people like to shop by mail because they save travel time and shop at their convenience.
• Home-Based Business — Keeping Records – University of Missouri Extension -- A good recordkeeping system is essential to operating a successful home-based business.
• Home-Based Business — Retail and Wholesale: How to Do Business Transactions - University of Missouri Extension -- Many people in home-based businesses are used to selling their product directly to the consumer.
• Selling Food Products: A Business from Your Home -- North Central Regional Publication -- If you are interested in starting a home-based business dealing in food, this publication provides overall points to consider when beginning.
• Home-Based Businesses – Small Business Notes -- A home-based business allows you to eliminate the cost of an office, a major expense for most small businesses.
• Home-based Business - Retail and Wholesale: How to do Business Transactions – University of Missouri Extension -- Article discusses how to do the important transactions and important considerations between retail and wholesale.
• Selling Food Products: A Business from Your Home - Iowa State University Extension - This site describes what to consider for set-up and how to price products.
• Starting a Home-based Foodservice - Entrepreneur magazine. This article features issues to consider for a food preparation business.
• Small and Home-Based Business Virtual Library Resource - University of Maine Cooperative Extension – Provides small business education.
• 25 Ways to Save Money in Your Homebased Business – Entrepreneur.com -- Add financial wizard to your entrepreneurial repertoire with these cost-reduction tips.

Legal, Tax, and Insurance Considerations

• Home Based Businesses and Government Regulations - Small Business Administration – Research Summary.
• Getting Your Home Business Off to a Legal Start - Lawyers.com -- A home business can be an economical and efficient way to get your new business off the ground. But you’ll want to check out some legal issues.
• The Home-Office Tax Deduction - NOLO Law for All -- Running a business from home can save not only the cost of renting a separate office, but it can also save you tax dollars.
• Zoning Rules for Home Businesses - NOLO Law for All -- Municipalities govern whether you can run a business out of your home.
• Insuring Your Home Business - NOLO Law for All -- Be sure to treat your home business like a business, including obtaining appropriate insurance for it.