Validation backlog and decision gates¶
Purpose¶
List what must be proven (with evidence) before major spend, scale, or salary claims. Decision gates tie validation tasks to permission to spend or advance phase. This page stays valid while field data is incomplete—status columns and gate passes update as reality arrives.
Stricter spend gate worksheet: Validation backlog — assumptions before major spend.
Scenario context: Enterprise options analysis — 120-acre East Tennessee two-site smart farm.
Hub: East Tennessee two-site farm business plan — planning framework.
24-month cadence: Validation and pilot plan — first 24 months (East Tennessee two-site) — validation matrix, pilot streams, phase gates, cheap proofs; Pilot and recon checklists.
Execution dossier (Phase 0–1): Hub · First 90 days · Master checklist · Decision memo.
Integration (2026-04): Business plan integration revision audit — how V* / G* tasks now bind to local evidence, off-grid/WAN, sensors, platform/backup/observability, and authority packages; field execution rows in Field verification program — Phase 0–1.
Phase 0–1 execution gates (EG): Execution gates — Phase 0–1 (East Tennessee two-site) — pass/fail tables by domain (local evidence, site/infra, off-grid power, connectivity + trust bar, sensors, platform/backup/observability, labor, financial); pilot allowed vs production allowed; composite mapping to G1-class production posture.
Decisions supported by this page¶
| Decision | This page provides |
|---|---|
| Go / no-go on Phase 2 fence/water/herd | Gate G1 |
| Go / no-go on Phase 3 scale | Gate G2 |
| Go / no-go on Phase 4 salary narrative | Gate G3 |
| What research tasks block which CAPEX | Task IDs V1–Vn |
Backlog rules¶
- Nothing moves from “assumed” to “known” without evidence (file, photo set, letter, spreadsheet link in your system—not necessarily in
raw/until ingested). - Drop duplicate tasks that are one county call away.
- Prioritize items that unlock Phase 2 capital safely.
Research and validation tasks¶
| ID | Task | Phase | Closes | Evidence | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V1 | Soil map + key limitation (wet / steep) | 1 | Rotation design | NRCS / lab | open |
| V2 | Water rights + well/surface law check | 0–1 | Stocking | Attorney / well report | open |
| V3 | Fence condition walk + photo log | 1 | CAPEX order | Album + map | open |
| V4 | Carrying capacity estimate (conservative) | 1 | Herd size | Extension method or consult | open |
| V5 | Auction sale bills (~12 weeks) | 1 | Price reality | PDFs | open |
| V6 | Processing availability (dates / distance) | 1–2 | Marketing options | Call log | open |
| V7 | Lease rate comps (per acre) | 1 | Lease vs graze | Comps (legal) | open |
| V8 | County zoning + ag structures | 0–1 | Building plan | Zoning letter | open |
| V9 | Insurance quotes (farm + umbrella) | 1–2 | Risk register | Binder | open |
| V10 | Cell coverage walk (tanks / gates) | 1 | Radio plan | Map screenshot | open |
| V11 | Family hour budget (real) | 0 | Labor model | Spreadsheet | open |
| V12 | Debt capacity + FSA programs | 1 | Financing | Lender notes | open |
Decision gates¶
| Gate | Criteria (must pass) | Unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| G1 | V1–V4 minimum + no legal blocker on intended use | Phase 2 fence/water/herd spend |
| G2 | Positive operating cash year or explicit subsidy budget with end date | Phase 3 scale |
| G3 | Margin + labor tests documented | Phase 4 salary-replacement claim |
G1 “production” honesty: Checklist V rows are necessary but not sufficient for production posture. Before treating G1 as passed for irreversible Phase 2 CAPEX, satisfy the production composite in Execution gates — Phase 0–1 (EG gates)—or obtain a dated, written waive naming which EG production bars are intentionally deferred.
Align with G1–G8 in validation-backlog-before-major-spend for major $ definition.
Next 90 days (relative to T0)¶
Use First 90 days — Phase 0–1 execution for week-by-week actions. At a minimum:
| Week band (after T0) | Actions |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | V11, V8; numeric stop rules in Vision |
| 3–6 | V1, V3, V5 started |
| 7–12 | V4, V7, V10; pilot telemetry scope locked (one cluster) |
T0 = execution start date (see Execution dossier hub).
Known facts¶
| ID | Statement |
|---|---|
| K1 | Validation is an explicit part of the business plan package—not an afterthought. |
| K2 | Enterprise details on 120 acres may change; gates still apply before scale. |
Assumptions¶
| ID | Statement |
|---|---|
| A1 | Each task V has a named owner and due date* in your tracker. |
Open questions¶
| ID | Question |
|---|---|
| Q1 | Budget for external consultant (forage/carrying capacity)? |
| Q2 | EQIP / NRCS timeline if pursued? |
| Q3 | Evidence storage: wiki raw/ ingest vs family folder only? |
Iterative updates¶
- Flip Status to done with evidence pointer; never erase done rows—append corrections.
- When G1 passes, date it and link to capital row in
Capital phasing table.