Herbs are the leaves, roots and flowers of plants grown and processed for these three classifications. Favorable trends for the production of herbs for the culinary market include the greater acceptance of ethnic cooking and the increased use of herbs by up-scale restaurants. The increased use of convenience food by consumers has also increased the demand for herbs as high-quality flavorings. Because of the relatively high labor requirements, producing fresh herbs for niche markets is usually done on a small scale. Herb prices tend to be relatively variable, predominantly because of fluctuating supplies.
Market access can be difficult for a beginning herb farmer.
Surplus waste products suitable for landscaping mulch may be used with modern technology and coloring agents to tap into a growing demand for landscaping mulch in various colors. Equipment for such procedures is often considered expensive and therefore should be offset with substantial market development and promotion strategies so as to increase the potential for business success. ADC faculty assisted a rural Tennessee wood products business, and producer of colored hardwood mulch, with intensive financial planning and analysis for debt capital acquisition.