"Growing Our Own": A New Sonoran Desert Farmers Incubator Program" pilots a community-based collaborative approach to increasing the number and capacity of beginning farmers in Ajo, Arizona.
Award Amount: $299,237
Institution: Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Project Director: Katarina Sajovec Altshul (ajocsa@hotmail.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
“Growing Our Own: A New Sonoran Desert Farmers Incubator Program”...
“Growing Our Own: A New Sonoran Desert Farmers Incubator Program” is piloting a community-based multi-tiered collaborative approach to increasing the number and capacity of market growers, farmers and ranchers in a remote tri-national community of Ajo, Arizona and the surrounding region. The program will 1. Expand the capacity and skills of the existing beginning farmers through providing education, mentoring and technical support; 2. Incubate a minimum of 15 new growers through providing paid apprenticeships, and/or access to land, knowledge, materials and markets; 3. Raise a new generation of Sonoran Desert farmers and ranchers through a school campus-based “education intervention” (“Ag Club”) for high school students at the Ajo Unified School District. Over the three years, the planned outputs include 150 hours of classroom style instructions for adults; 210 hours of individual mentoring and technical assistance; 9 field trips; 6,750 hours of paid apprenticeship; and 60 hours of high school level agricultural education. The project will serve unduplicated 30 local and additional 70 regional beginning farmers (a total of 100), out of which 95% will improve their production practices and decision-making abilities. 50% of local growers (15) will design a business plan, and 80% (24) will design a farm (garden) operating procedures including a food safety handling plan. 30% of local growers (10) will enter new markets, 10% (3) will use the services of NRCS and/or Farm Service Agency. 15 people will start a farm operation over the next three years, which will represent a 50% increase in local number of growers.
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“Supportive, Small Scale, Basic Livestock, Financial Skills and Risk Management Training for Beginning Veteran Farmers Program”
Award Amount: $712,500
Institution: FARMER VETERAN COALITION
Project Director: Michael O'Gorman (michaelo@farmvetco.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Area 1: Create a national
peer network that develops, provides, and...
Area 1: Create a national
peer network that develops, provides, and facilitates access to, training,
education, internships, mentorships, jobs, financial
and market opportunities for beginning farmer
veterans (70%
of project effort). We will combine new small scale livestock production and business planning materials with existing core tools previously created through Risk Management Agency grants known as the One Page Business/Financial Plan, One Page Monthly Cash Flow Budget, and One Page Risk Management Plan. These tools will be adapted to explain small scale pork and pastured poultry production business, small scale honeybee, grass fed beef, lamb, goat and vegetable business models.
Area 2: Provide twenty seven
workshops focused on small scale livestock and vegetable production supported
by on-going case management services for attendees. (30% of project effort). We will incorporate the new training materials into twenty seven workshops (at least twenty two of which will be on-farm and hosted by FVC beginning farmer veterans) that target these farmer veterans and their specific livestock, provide regional training platforms for them to gather and learn from each other, and assist them in refining their own financial, production, risk management and business plans. Additionally, all workshop attendees will receive on-going comprehensive, individualized capacity development assistance using a case management model in which individual needs, assessments, and development plans, guide the provision of subsequent services, training, referrals and linkages to resources. Six of
the twenty seven workshops will be specifically focused on developing,
supporting and educating women farmer veterans on the production, financial and
risk management components of small scale livestock/vegetable operations.
Additional emphasis will be placed on developing, integrating and utilizing
local networking and supportive resources for women such as the FVC Veteran
Peer Farmer Network.
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120 Committed Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
Award Amount: $481,080
Institution: Arkansas Land & Community Development Corp.
Project Director: Calvin King (calvinrkingsr@yahoo.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The 120 Committed Farmers and Ranchers of Arkansas Land and...
The 120 Committed Farmers and Ranchers of Arkansas Land and Community Development
Corporation project are envisioned to significantly improve the population of successful and
sustainable African American farmers/ranchers relatively new to farming. Recruit 120 participants for the project – The outcome for this goal is for at least 120 farmers
to commit to become or remain being a grower of fresh produce, row crop and livestock. The
fresh produce farmers must also commit, obtain and maintain USDA/AMS Food Safety
certification up to the Harmonized level. By being certified growers, farmers will not only
produce safe foods but will also make their operations eligible for the larger higher value retail
market. Overall their economic survivability is enhanced by gaining greater market accessibility.
Their success will have a positive economic impact on the community.
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21st Century Management: Enhancing Educational Programming for Beginning Women Farmers
Award Amount: $720,989
Institution: UVM Extension
Project Director: Mary Peabody (mary.peabody@uvm.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
As
the numbers of beginning farm and ranch women has increased...
As
the numbers of beginning farm and ranch women has increased there has been a
corresponding increase in programs providing education and technical assistance
to them. While these programs have developed tools and curricula for addressing
the learning needs of beginning farmers there remain many areas of the country
where women farmers are still chronically underserved. In addition, while many
tools, assessments and curricula are available there is no central repository
for these materials. Nor is there a typology, or catalog, that can be used to
determine which materials would be most useful given the needs of a specific
target audience. The
goal of this project is to assemble a national learning network to evaluate
existing curricula and materials targeting beginning farm and ranch women of
all ages, ethnicity, and agricultural production interests. Content teams will
identify information gaps; develop corresponding learning modules, and train
peers and colleagues in their delivery and evaluation. Our project focuses on subjects
of special importance to beginning farm and ranch women: legal issues; business
scale and profitability; farm safety, mechanization and ergonomics; land
access, transfer and stewardship; and management. A virtual learning network
will provide educators and agricultural technical assistance providers with
evidence-based information regarding women’s learning preferences, peer-reviewed
training materials, evaluation tools, and mentoring from colleagues experienced
in working with women farmers and ranchers.
We will partner with the BFRDP Clearinghouse and the
eXtension Women in Ag Learning Network to determine the most effective way to
house the typology of available materials.
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A Beginning Farmers Program for Socially Disadvantaged and Limited Resource Producers in Arkansas
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Project Director: Henry English (englishh@uapb.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
This project is designed to assist beginning socially disadvantaged and...
This project is designed to assist beginning socially disadvantaged and limited resource producers (BSDLRPs) in eastern and southwest Arkansas. The goal of the project is to provide BSDLRPs with the knowledge and training needed to become successful farmers and ranchers. The objectives are:
To provide BSDLRPs with business planning training and the use of USDA farm loans.
To provide BSDLRPs with Extension crop and livestock production training with the use of USDA Conservation Programs.
To provide BSDLRPs with marketing education with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables.
To conduct a beginning farmers class.
This program will train BSDLRPs to use financial statements when making management decisions and profit margins when determining the economic feasibility of a business plan. BSDLRPs will also know how to apply for a USDA loan.
BSDLRPs will be taught to use the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to improve and increase their yields. As a result of this training, BSDLRPs will have above average yields which will increase profit margins.
Many BSDLRPs who diversify with vegetable crops failed because they lack vegetable marketing experience. BSDLRPs will be trained on early marketing, relationship marketing, and the five Ps of marketing when starting a vegetable business.
The Beginning Farmers Class will include seven modules that provide different aspects of farming and ranching. These modules will include classroom exercises (business planning and structure, heir property), hand-on exercises (calibrations, transplanting) and much more. Graduates of the class will increase profitability in their operations.
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A Collective Approach to Providing Resources, Technology and Assistance to Beginning Farmers
Award Amount: $711,213
Institution: Alabama Extension/Auburn University
Project Director: Ayanava Majumdar (azm0024@aces.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Alabama specialty crop industry has recently experienced significant growth with...
Alabama specialty crop industry has recently experienced significant growth with entry of a large number of beginning farmers. At present, there is no cohesive statewide educational or farm service infrastructure catering to the needs of beginning farms (past efforts were largely regional or county-based). The long-term goal of this project is to develop a sustainable collaborative network and educational model that facilitates beginning farmer success through reliable access to resources, technology, and on-farm assistance for needy beginning farmers. This is supported by three major objectives: 1) facilitate a collective approach for diverse beginning farmers initiative, 2) develop distance-learning resources to support train-the-trainer and educator-to-farmer activities, and 3) provide technical assistance and hands-on training to beginning farmers in conjunction with objective 3. This program also is the first step toward providing training to military veterans and native American groups that has not been attempted before in Alabama.
This project is a collaborative effort of nonprofit farmer organizations, farm consultants, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System through Auburn University. Objectives will be accomplished through a number of activities, including Stakeholder Advisory Meetings, on-line curriculum and phone application development, hands-on training, conferences and individual technical assistance. All projects will be evaluated continuously and modifications may be implemented for maximizing project impacts.
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A Comprehensive Approach to Growing Successful Beginning Meat Producers
Award Amount: $599,020
Institution: NC State University College of Animal and Life Sciences
Project Director: Sarah Blacklin (sarah@ncchoices.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The goal of the project is to increase the number...
The goal of the project is to increase the number of beginning farmers and ranchers successfully and profitably raising meat through either pasture-based or silvopasture systems by providing them and their families with novel land acquisition strategies in partnership with land trusts, solar farms, and existing landowners, while also equipping new farmers with targeted knowledge, skills, decision-making tools, and the market and buyer connections that have been identified as needed for these producers to operate profitably and be successfully. CEFS' NC Choices (www.ncchoices.com), working comprehensively to support the meat value chain since 2002, is uniquely equipped to not only identify needs of beginning farmers, in part through their statewide surveys of all registered meat handlers in the state, but to deliver this comprehensive program addressing those identified needs. For this project, we have assembled the necessary partners and subject matter experts, identified key choke points for beginning farmers, and are proposing high-impact solutions that offered together will insure success. This comprehensive support, including introducing and adapting a Meat and Yield Price Calculator and Meat Suite to expand their markets, will result in 250 beginning farmers who will receive training, decision-making, and market development tools plus 15 new cohort farmers who will enter into model land-share agreements with land partners. Finally, through resource development and training to aid CES agents in serving beginning farmers and via the national conference of land trusts to be held in North Carolina in 2019, we ensure that this project will have statewide and national impact.
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A comprehensive new farmer training program for Maine
Award Amount: $709,713
Institution: Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
Project Director: Ryan Dennett (rdennett@mofga.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Success in training farmers is the hallmark of the Maine...
Success in training farmers is the hallmark of the Maine Organic Farmers
and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) Journeyperson Program (JP). During the past
ten years, 240 new farmers have emerged from the program in Maine. Equipped
with innovative production, management, and marketing skills, these farmers
have created more than 140 farm businesses. Providing tomorrow’s farmers with
the skills needed to achieve success in a demanding marketplace remains the
primary objective of the Journeyperson Program. Over the next three years, 150
new farmers will receive training and the help needed to establish at least 75
new farm businesses. This crucial support, aimed at creating economically
viable farms in Maine, can help meet the rising demand for local, more
healthful and sustainably produced food.
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A Pathway to Livestock Farming: Providing Access to Land and A Guiding Hand
Award Amount: $219,274
Institution: Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc
Project Director: WENDY WARREN (wendy.warren@swbadger.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This project offers an opportunity to start farming on...
This project offers an opportunity to start farming on one's own on rented land, with financial coaching from a professional financial advisor, and an experienced livestock farmer-mentor to provide guidance. SW Badger solicited livestock farmers from the region, which resulted in 25 beginning and 18 experienced farmer applicants. SW Badger developed a toolkit and presentation to train mentors and beginners about mentorship. After orientation and receiving the mentors' contact information, 16 beginners and 7 mentors received check-ins. Participants reported that mentorship provided practical insights, support, and inspiration needed to implement grazing best management practices on their own farms.
This project seeks to address land access challenges by promoting the concept of 'contract grazing' which allows farmers to raise livestock on rented pasture. In addition to assisting the 35 participants in the program and 118 participants at the two kickoff workshops, SW Badger provided one-on-one technical assistance on renting land to four military veterans and two experienced farmers. Three beginning farmers received financial coaching from Badgerland Financial about how to get started on rented land. Participants reported that the kickoff workshops were useful to their livestock production goals and increased their awareness of managed grazing.
As part of our outreach to new livestock farmers, special effort is made to engage military veterans. Participants include 7 veterans of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, 1 member of the WI Air National Guard, and 3 family members. Participants are matched with experienced farmers in their field of interest, including beef, dairy, goats, and poultry, and background in military service whenever possible. Regional veteran service officers were asked to refer military veterans; a veteran advisory team met twice to guide outreach efforts. The program has strengthened networks among military veteran farmers and raised awareness of pathways to careers in agriculture for military veterans.
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Accelerating Farmland Access in Vermont
Award Amount: $546,386
Institution: Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
Project Director: Ela Chapin (ela@vhcb.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The
Viability Program at the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board will...
The
Viability Program at the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board will work in
partnership with the Intervale Center and Vermont Land Trust to develop and
implement a coordinated, proactive approach to accelerate access to land and
growth of viable businesses for Vermont’s next generation of agricultural
entrepreneurs. With funding from the USDA BFRD Program, we will provide business planning, land access technical assistance, and succession planning to over 200 farmers, helping them gain the confidence and skills they need to succeed while matching them with suitable land or successors.
We believe in the power of direct service as the most effective
approach for improving farm viability. Farming is a complicated business that
requires operators to develop diverse skill sets. Each farm business is as
unique as its land-base, resources, and operator’s goals. We will provide
individualized one-on-one technical assistance to new and beginning farmers in
business planning, land assessment, land access, and accessing financing. We will meet beginning farmers where they are at and leverage the specific resources
they need to accelerate their early stage growth into viable commercial
enterprises. In addition we will provide retiring farmers with estate or
transfer planning services, and assistance identifying successors or buyers.
An important innovation is that we will develop and deploy new affordable financing tools at the Vermont Land Trust and collaborate extensively with other affordable financing options, creating alternative pathways to ownership and success.
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Access to Land for New England`s Beginning Farmers: Phase 2
Award Amount: $641,222
Institution: Land For Good
Project Director: Kathy Ruhf (kathy@landforgood.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Access to land is one of the biggest challenges for...
Access to land is one of the biggest challenges for beginning farmers in New England. The long-term goal of this project is for more New England beginning farmers to successfully access land to farm in order to start or expand their farm business. Land For Good, its partners and a broad range of collaborators will enable over 2,000 beginning farmers to access land or achieve more secure tenure. Our goals are: beginning farmers are better prepared to access land to farm; more farms are transferred by exiting farmers to beginning farmers; beginning farmers find and evaluate farm properties and connect with landowners; professionals and beginning farmers have new information about innovative access approaches and methods; and stronger programs help beginning farmers access land and improve the conditions for farmland access in New England.
Coordinated teams and task forces will produce curricula and conduct educational activities such as workshops, a multi-session Succession School, and leasing clinics. LFG will “coach” farm seekers and transitioning farmers. We will improve farm link programs and increase their use. We will produce new tools including an online “build-a-lease” and model legal language for farmland-related transactions. We will promote transfers between farmers without identified successors and beginning farmers. Experts will investigate innovative and best practices, including alternative land financing and affordable farmer housing. We will build capacity in each New England state to better serve and support beginning and transitioning farmers around land access and transfer. A national conference in 2017 will share learnings and build land access and transfer programs to help beginning farmers access land in all regions.
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Access to Land for New England`s Beginning Farmers: Phase 3
Award Amount: $599,197
Institution: Land For Good
Project Director: Jim Hafner (jim@landforgood.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Land access is a top challenge for beginning farmers (BFs);...
Land access is a top challenge for beginning farmers (BFs); land transfer is a
BFRDP statutory priority. The long-term goal of this standard project is for more New England
BFs to successfully access land to start or expand their farm businesses. Land For Good (LFG),
six partners and 13 collaborators in six states will enable over 200 BFs to access land or achieve
more secure tenure. Project goals: BFs are better prepared to access land to farm; more farms
are effectively transferred to BFs; and stronger programs assist BFs to access land. Our
objectives are to: educate, train and coach BFs on land access; help BFs find land and connect
with landowners; educate and coach transitioning farmers on succession planning; improve
succession planning providers and resources; and improve farm link programs.
Collaborators will plan, host, promote, and deliver 60 land access educational workshops and
seeker-landowner mixers, and six Farm Succession Schools. We will develop and pilot new,
more rigorous, targeted coaching protocols to advise BF farm seekers to acquire land, and
transitioning farmers (TFs) to complete plans to transfer farms to BFs. We will create practical
tools to help TFs mentor their BF successors and transfer management to the next generation.
The New England Farm Link Collaborative will make more farm properties available and visible
to BFs on our shared farm link website. Professionals will learn, share and problem solve at a
national farm link clinic to improve programs nationally. We will distribute educational
resources to 5,500 BFs and TFs.
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Addressing the Training Needs of Hispanic and Limited Resource Beginning Farmers in Nebraska
Award Amount: $381,726
Institution: Community Crops
Project Director: Ingrid Kirst (ingrid@communitycrops.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This
project will enhance urban and rural-based farm viability of 150
beginning...
This
project will enhance urban and rural-based farm viability of 150
beginning Hispanic, socially disadvantaged, and limited resource
farmers in Nebraska. Increasing
numbers of new farmers are immigrant, limited resource, or socially
disadvantaged. They frequently lack financial or production skills,
are unaware of technical resources, or lack English-language
proficiency for accessing technical information. The
objective is to assist these beginners with development of small
scale farm enterprises through training and technical assistance that
will: (1) improve participants’ financial and business skills, (2)
connect them with a network of resources, and (3) gain and improve
production skills. We
will conduct a 4-month course for financial training and resource
identification, field workshops for farming skills, farm tours to
observe practices in place, and will provide individual advising to
participants. Each year the classes will be broadcast to additional
sites to reduce travel for participants, and interpreters will be
available for all activities. A Minnesota organization experienced
with this work will broadcast specific lessons for the course and
will host a site visit by Nebraska participants.
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Advancing Next Generation Urban Farmers: Experiential Education, Mentoring, and Employment
Award Amount: $708,700
Institution: Planting Justice
Project Director: Gavin Raders (gavin@plantingjustice.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This Standard
BFRDP project presents an innovative model to advance economic...
This Standard
BFRDP project presents an innovative model to advance economic viability, land
stewardship, and social equity for beginning and socially disadvantaged
beginning farmers. This proposal directly addresses urgent trends conveyed in
the 2012 USDA Census: the aging farmer population and declining numbers of
beginning farmers.
This project counters these trends by building
comprehensive and culturally relevant training/employment opportunities for
beginning and underserved farmers, while strengthening the mentoring capacity
of experienced farmers to pass on their knowledge. Our target audience includes
120 beginning farmers, including 90 formerly incarcerated, immigrants, and
otherwise socially disadvantaged participants, in 6 cohorts over the 3-year
grant period. Successful program graduates will complete 150 hours of on-site,
hands-on training as part of our Applied Agroecology and Beginning Farmer
Curriculum, and receive the opportunity to be mentored by pioneering local
farmers through paid 3-6 month apprenticeships on local farms in the MESA
network, living-wage employment as urban farmers with Planting Justice, and/or
substantial financial, legal, technical, and administrative support to access
land and launch their own farming startups. These comprehensive services will
spur the next generation to launch and sustain successful careers in urban and
peri-urban farming. Planting Justice is a national leader in re-entry green job
placement and urban farming training for formerly incarcerated people, and this
project will build upon their success helping former inmates obtain
inspirational employment as new urban farmers. MESA is internationally
recognized as a pioneering sustainable agriculture training organization with
18 years running experiential and farmer mentorship programs.
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Advancing the Business of Farming in Connecticut in Partnership with Agriculture Learning Centers
Award Amount: $597,598
Institution: University of Connecticut
Project Director: Jiff Martin (jiff.martin@uconn.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Our project is developed by and for beginning farmers across...
Our project is developed by and for beginning farmers across the state. Instead of duplicating the efforts of great organizations that are already building beginner farmer training programs, this project enriches and aligns beginning farmer training programs via common core trainings and one-on-one technical assistance customized to meet the
needs of beginning farmers in Connecticut. Core trainings for beginning farmers will emphasize: business planning, financial management and record keeping; farmland access; overcoming marketing uncertainties; and small scale production of vegetables and fruit. Programs will be offered in person, with online tutorials developed for many of the modules, including farm business planning, soil health, safe and effective use of pesticides, and marketing for success. One-on-one experts will be available for farmers that need assistance in vegetable production and pest management, farmland evaluation and conservation, and financial record-keeping. Our partners
are: Common Ground High School in New Haven, the Community Farm of Simsbury,
the Green Village Initiative in Bridgeport, Killingly Agriculture Education
Program, KNOX in Hartford, and WRCC-GROW Windham. Training resources will also be used to support UConn's Listo Para Inciar (or Ready-to-Start) training program, which delivers a hands-on, cohort based model of beginner farming training for Spanish-speaking urban market gardeners. Other key
partners in the project are the New CT Farmer Alliance and the Northeast
Organic Farming Association of CT. “With this
investment supported through the USDA, our alliance will further increase
accessibility between agricultural support services, and CT’s budding community
of agricultural entrepreneurs.”said Betsy
Robson, NCTFA Coordinator (a statewide network of over 200 farmers).
The long term goal of our project is for every
beginning farmer in Connecticut who wishes to produce and sell food –
regardless of scale, experience, or language barriers – to have access to
fundamental training to start or continue farming profitably.
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Agroforestry Training For Native Hawaiians To Increase Economic Opportunity, Food Security And Cultural Connection
Award Amount: $598,170
Institution: Halau Kealaokamaile
Project Director: Fred Krauss (admin@kealaokamaile.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
To increase the number and enhance the success of Native...
To increase the number and enhance the success of Native Hawaiian agroforesters in
order to grow new agroforestry projects and improve resource management of existing projects.
This project increases economic opportunity, food security and cultural connection to the forest
in the Native Hawaiian community of Maui.
Abbreviated objectives are: 1) Train 150 new and beginning Native Hawaiian farmers in
agroforestry; 2) Engage 30 new Native Hawaiian youth in agroforestry as a career path; 3)
Enhance the success of 50 beginning agroforesters; 4) Facilitate 20 new farmers in designing an
agroforestry/native reforestation project; 5) Establish a demonstration farm cultivated by 100
new Native Hawaiian farmers; 6) Provide land to 2 Native Hawaiian farmers to cultivate native
crops and enter markets; 7) Develop 10 new markets for agroforestry cultural crops.
To accomplish the goal we will conduct monthly classroom and hands-on workshops for three
years, which are culturally appropriate and targeted at Native Hawaiian adults and youth.
We will establish a new training program aimed at growing new agroforestry farmers (forest management and crop farming practices) and natural resource managers.
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Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Program: Growing Opportunities Beneath the Canopy
Award Amount: $656,903
Institution: Virginia Tech University
Project Director: John Munsell (jfmunsel@vt.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Our goal is to support beginning Appalachian medicinal
plant forest farmers...
Our goal is to support beginning Appalachian medicinal
plant forest farmers by forming a coalition that provides technical,
administrative, and market sales training and improves access to farm resource
inventory and plant habitat management services. Increasing demand for high-quality,
premium herbal and nutraceutical products is improving the financial equation
for forest farmers. Receiving premium prices for medicinal plant products
depends on a forest farmer’s ability to consistently supply forest grown
material. The Appalachian region contains native habitat for more than 15 forest
farmable medicinal plants and is home to rich ethnobotanical connections. We
believe that if trained and connected (forest farmer-to-forest farmer and
forest farmer-to-service provider), beginning Appalachian forest farmers will
be in a better position to capitalize on industry demand and sustain premium
sales of high-quality forest grown organic stock. We will: 1) establish an
inclusive coalition with clear organizational structure and decision making
processes; 2) educate, train, and support beginning forest farmers; and 3) improve
forest farm inventory and medicinal plant habitat management services for
beginning forest farmers. To accomplish these goals we have formed a diverse project
partnership ranging from Georgia to Pennsylvania with four non-governmental
organizations, four universities, extension, three agency partners, forest
farmers, and a forest grown verification program. These partners maintain
sizable networks of beginning forest farmers and have extensive technical and
market-based experience. Long-term
condition change will be an improvement in agroforestry production
opportunities and farming capabilities among forest farmers in Appalachia which
positively impacts families, farms, and communities.
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Aquaculture Boot Camp - 2: Enhancing the sustainability of new and limited resource aquaculture/aquaponic farmers with innovative training
Award Amount: $599,000
Institution: The Ohio State University
Project Director: HANPING WANG (wang.900@osu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Aquaculture Boot Camp (ABC) with “3I-level” training
model was an extremely...
Aquaculture Boot Camp (ABC) with “3I-level” training
model was an extremely successful program.
By the end of the ABC-1 project, twenty-four new businesses/farms were
created by the 2013 and 2014 ABC Intensive course graduates. To enhance sustainability of
new and limited resource aquaculture/aquaponic farmers in the Midwest, we are delivering Aquaculture Boot Camp -2 (ABC-2) through partnerships and collaborations of four NGOs/CBOs/SAEOs,
six aqua-farms and three agricultural colleges.
Specific goals include: 1) Provide tools for new and limited resource farmers to enhance
their aquaculture/aquaponic production success by developing and delivering
production curriculum and hands-on practices, 2) Enhance the financial
viability and business success of beginning aquaculture/aquaponic farmers by
delivering business management and marketing
strategies, and 3) Strengthen the success of new aquaculture/aquaponic and
limited resource farmers through the ABC mentorship
and partnership with the industry via OAA, WAA/NPI and other partners.
The ABC
project serve the following Target
Audience:
Beginning and new (less than 10 years of experience) aquaculture/aquaponic farmers.
Limited resource beginning aquaculture farmers; most of aqua-farmers have low levels of farm sales and low household income, as most of them are new and located in rural areas.
Next generation farmers: students and those without a family farming history.
Other new farmers attempting to diversify their existing farming enterprise
Our partners/collaborators include: Ohio
Aquaculture Association (OAA); Riffe Vocational School (RVS); University
of Wisconsin - Stevens Point (UWSP), and its Aquaculture Innovation Center and
Aquaculture Demonstration Facility; Wisconsin
Aquaculture Association (WAA); Nelson
& Pade, Inc (aquaponics; NPI, WI); Hocking College Aquaculture Program;
North Region Aquaculture Center (NCRAC); North Region Aquaculture Extension
Specialist in Michigan State University; Life Aquatic Farm, LLC; Ripple Rock Fish
Farms; Go Fish Farm; Lettuce Head Aquaponic Farm; Fresh Harvest Farm
Aquaponics and Wanner shrimp farm.
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Arcadia`s Veteran Farmer Program
Award Amount: $99,947
Institution: Arcadia Food, Inc.
Project Director: Matt Mulder (matt@arcadiafood.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Based in Fairfax County, Virginia, but pulling on expertise and...
Based in Fairfax County, Virginia, but pulling on expertise and farms across Northern and Central Virginia and the National Capital Region, Arcadia's Veteran Farmer Program will bring together regional nonprofits, agricultural organizations, veterans, and experienced farmers - including veterans who have made a successful transition to farming - to create a multi-layered farmer training and development program to launch veterans into careers in agriculture. This thoughtful, practical program will increase the number of veteran farmers in Virginia and the number of farmers overall, and will increase the likelihood of their success by providing them with farming skills; business development and management training; and ongoing technical support. This program will also provide continued support as Trainees launch their agricultural careers with ongoing mentorships from the business, agricultural, and veteran communities. In the years beyond this project period, Arcadia's Veteran Farmer Program will provide program participants, and graduates, ongoing assistance with identification and acquisition of land and assured albeit optional wholesale market opportunities. The goal of Arcadia's Veteran Farmer Program is to increase the number of military veterans operating new, successful farm operations in the Washington, D.C. region. Our program will focus on current military members and veterans of the armed forces with a 10-year goal to offer training to 150 potential veteran farmers via our two training tracks (combined), with the intention of producing 50 new farmers operating businesses within 125 miles of Washington D.C.
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Arcadia`s Veteran Farmer Program
Award Amount: $597,124
Institution: Arcadia Food, Inc.
Project Director: Matt Mulder (matt@arcadiafood.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Based in Fairfax County, Virginia, but pulling from expertise and...
Based in Fairfax County, Virginia, but pulling from expertise and farms across Northern and Central Virginia and the National Capital Region, Arcadia's Veteran Farmer Program (VFP) brings together regional nonprofits, agricultural organizations, veterans, and experienced farmers - including veterans who have made a successful transition to farming - to provide a practical farmer training and development program that launches veterans into new careers in agriculture.
Arcadia's program is distinguished by its lifecycle support of new veteran farmers. It works to increase the number of veterans beginning new careers in agriculture and the likelihood of their success by providing them with farming skills; business development and management training; ongoing technical support; assistance with finding and accessing land; and then market support, including an optional, wholesale contract with Arcadia. The VFP provides continued support as our new farmers launch their careers, through ongoing mentorships from, and networking with, the business, agriculture, and veteran communities. The VFP increases the number of veterans beginning new careers in agriculture and increases the likelihood of their success. The VFP is very effective and can be replicated in other regions. Through this grant, the VFP will train 51 military veterans with the goal of producing 25 new farmers operating businesses throughout the project period.
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Armed to Farm: Soldiering the Success of Military Veterans in New Poultry, Livestock and Agroforestry Enterprises
Award Amount: $749,720
Institution: University of Arkansas
Project Director: Dan Donoghue (ddonogh@uark.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Farming offers a viable avenue
for returning veterans to transition into...
Farming offers a viable avenue
for returning veterans to transition into society and capitalizes on skills
that made them successful in the military. However, these opportunities may be
missed due to lack of targeted training programs, guidance and information. We
have assembled a team with expertise in teaching conventional and alternative
agriculture, hands-on training, economics, research and networking resources
targeted to veteran farmers focused on poultry, small ruminants and
agroforestry production. Through our previous BFRDP project, our team has
supported hundreds of veterans through workshops, internships, research and
training opportunities yet there continues to be a critical need to train and
support this population of new farmers. Our objectives for this Standard Grant
Renewal are to: 1) Enhance existing course and add training modules to our New
Farmer Online Training Program and develop a new customized online course
specific to veterans and a new farmer cooperative; 2) Provide experiential
opportunities including Armed to Farm Workshops and trainings, on-farm
demonstration and internship programs; and 3) Develop and expand on custom
networking and mentoring systems to effectively support a new generation of
farmers. This project will target
military veterans and minority farmers (women, African-American and Latino
farmers). Residents of the South have traditionally comprised a
disproportionate share of military personnel and many of them come from
agricultural backgrounds and would return to their agricultural roots if given
the opportunity. This dynamic program creates specific training opportunities
and networking systems for these and other populations of new and beginning
farmers and ranchers.
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Athens Land Trust Beginning Farmer Development Program
Award Amount: $298,893
Institution: Athens Land Trust
Project Director: Stephanie Simmons (stephanie@athenslandtrust.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The goal of ALT's Beginning Farmer Development Program (BFDP) is...
The goal of ALT's Beginning Farmer Development Program (BFDP) is to increase the number of successful farmers in northeast Georgia, strengthen their economic viability, and connect them with other farmers for marketing opportunities and mentoring. The project targets limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and otherwise underserved new and beginning farmers in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia and the surrounding region. The BFDP will provide education, hands-on sustainable agriculture training, and marketing education and opportunities that will support new and beginning farmers with enhanced skills and capacities in sustainable farming practices, increased business knowledge, and expanded markets. ALT will tailor individual outreach and technical assistance to farmers operating at different levels of production to guide participants toward economic viability and the capacity to access larger markets. Primary objectives include providing educational opportunities including business workshops, one-on-one guidance, on-the-farm experiential education, and mentorships that will provide skills and knowledge that will enable farmers to move toward greater farm business viability; and increasing local market opportunities for new and beginning farmers. ALT will leverage our partnerships to connect growers to new and larger markets.
* Other collaborating organizations: St. Mary's Health Care System, Georgia Farmers
Market Association, UGA Cooperative Extension, Clarke County East Athens WIC Clinic
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Battle ground to Breaking Ground
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: Texas A&M AgrLife Extension
Project Director: Rick Peterson (rlpeterson@ag.tamu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The project’s overall goals are to increase the number and...
The project’s overall goals are to increase the number and enhance sustainability of veteran and other beginning farmers and ranchers, through an innovative, holistic model for education, training, technical assistance, and outreach, reducing self-employment barriers for veterans and other beginning farmer/ranchers (particularly those with disabilities). To accomplish the above referenced goals the project will: 1. Provide a holistic and relevant educational experience to support farm enterprise education and sustainability through access to: a) face to face and online educational training in farm management and production specific agriculture practices; b) individualized educational planning and guidance to support diverse agriculture business interests; c) hands-on learning opportunities connected to online course content; and d) follow-up mentor support, 2. Establish peer-to-peer learning through a Community of Practice, and 3. Offer an array of veteran transitional and disability support services. Outreach efforts will target targeted military veterans and socially disadvantaged beginning farmers/ranchers with and without disabilities. The project will provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions regarding entering, establishing, and managing successful agriculture enterprises. The activities are designed to enhance participants’ success in agribusiness startup, business expansion and sustainability augmented by peer-learning and support services and experiential learning opportunities. Formative and summative evaluation measures for program improvement and overall evaluation are included. Program sustainability is addressed through strategic partnership engagement beyond the life of the project. Ease of replicability of the program has been engineered into the design of the program.
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Beefing Up Livestock, Poultry and Agroforestry Enterprises for Military Veteran Farmers
Award Amount: $599,971
Institution: University of Arkansas
Project Director: Dan Donoghue (ddonogh@uark.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Farming offers a viable avenue
for veterans assimilating into society capitalizing...
Farming offers a viable avenue
for veterans assimilating into society capitalizing on skills that made them
successful in the military. Through previous BFRDP projects, our team has
supported hundreds of veterans through research and training opportunities yet
there continues to be a critical need to train and support the next generation
of new farmers. We continue to network
with the veterans that have participated in our bootcamps, internships and
workshops and asked them for their priorities for our program. The top requests from these new farmers were
to have more extensive training past initial boot camp programs; and to provide
the training we have for other livestock species to include beef cattle
production. Therefore our objectives for
this proposal are to: 1) enhance existing courses and add training modules for
pasture beef production to our New Farmer Online Training Program; 2) provide a
more comprehensive suite of training opportunities including Armed to Farm 2.0
Boot Camp, and intensive internship opportunities; and 3) expand custom
networking and mentoring systems to effectively support a new generation of
farmers. This project will target military veterans with 85% of the budget and
minority farmers with the other 15%. Direct NGO portion is 29% of federal funds
requested (National Center for Appropriate Technology). This program creates next
level training and networking opportunities for veterans interested in
establishing farms and supports their needs to develop sustainable farming
enterprises.
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beefSD: Enhancing knowledge and success of beginning beef producers through mentorship and training
Award Amount: $744,113
Institution: South Dakota State University
Project Director: Ken Olson (kenneth.olson@sdstate.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This is a renewal application for a Standard
BFRDP Project. It...
This is a renewal application for a Standard
BFRDP Project. It will address the primary goal of BFRDP to “enhance food
security, community development and sustainability by providing beginning
farmers and ranchers … with knowledge, skills and tools needed to make informed
decisions for their operations, and enhance their sustainability”. This project
will address this goal by providing a training and mentoring program that
assists beginning beef cattle producers in South Dakota to become economically,
ecologically, and socially sustainable. It will be conducted collaboratively by
a partnership of SDSU Extension, 4 South Dakota producer organizations, 3 rural
banks, and 6 beefSD alumni couples that will serve as peer mentors. It is
comprised of instructional workshops (topics will include livestock production,
natural resource stewardship, marketing, finance, business, risk, legal, and leadership), case studies of alternative
beef production systems and management practices, evaluation of post-weaning
performance of participants’ calves, mentoring from peers, established beef cattle
producers and agriculture professionals, web-based interaction using social
networking and webinars, and travel-study trips to study marketing alternatives
and other segments of the beef cattle industry. The target audience is a core
group of 50 beginning producers from at least 30 operations. Project personnel
will work with established beef producers and agriculture professionals to
allow beginning producers to create Management Advisory Teams. Our goal is to present
beginning beef producers a curriculum that will provide them the tools to make
wise management decisions that contribute to ongoing agricultural production,
land stewardship, and rural community viability.
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Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Clearinghouse
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: CFFM - UMN
Project Director: Robert Craven (rcraven@umn.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The purpose of this project is to continue to develop...
The purpose of this project is to continue to develop and maintain Farm Answers, the existing BFRDP Clearinghouse to help beginning farmers and ranchers be more successful. Farm Answers will continue to assemble educational materials, online courses, software tools, project reports, and educational programs along with developing new features and resources in a single well-organized website where beginning producers and the organizations that work with them can quickly obtain the information, training, and connections that they need. Overall Goals - Maintain and expand the online Farm Answers library that provides beginning farmers and ranchers a one-stop source of information materials and programs that will help them succeed in their chosen agricultural endeavors.
- Work with BFRDP Standard and Educational Team projects to facilitate collaboration, communication and sharing of educational materials between projects to amplify the effectiveness and reach of the assistance provided to beginning farmers and ranchers.
- Collaborate with NIFA to help BFRDP projects improve outcome-based reporting that will help BFRDP projects effectively communicate accomplishments, provide valid data for stakeholders, and the allow the public to learn more about BFRDP projects.
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Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
Award Amount: $49,995
Institution: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Project Director: Jessica Groskopf (jgroskopf2@unl.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
This simplified
standard grant will be used to enhance the activities...
This simplified
standard grant will be used to enhance the activities of the Nebraska Women in
Agriculture Program to provide innovative farm business management education
for beginning female farmers and ranchers (BFFR), and develop a Land Link service
for Nebraska. Currently, Annie’s Project is the only targeted education provided in Nebraska for BFFR, according to FarmAnswers.org. This project will enhance at least five Annie’s Project courses and a
two-day Women in Agriculture conference to focus more on BFFR. The project
intends to reach 70 BFFR with 8 to 18 hours of education per event. These activities
will cater to women by encouraging them to ask questions, connect with
participants and speakers, and share their experiences. These hands-on programs
will focus on increasing the knowledge and skills of attendees, ultimately
leading to greater success of BFFR.
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Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Clearinghouse
Award Amount: $1,000,000
Institution: University of Minnesota
Project Director: Robert Craven (rcraven@umn.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This project will develop a Clearinghouse that will help beginning...
This project will develop a Clearinghouse that will help beginning farmers and ranchers be more successful. The Clearinghouse will assemble educational materials, online courses, software tools, stories, and the ability to connect online into a well-organized website where beginning producers can quickly obtain the information, training, and connections they need. It will: - Help individuals and families exploring, beginning, establishing, and managing farms or ranches quickly and easily access the information and training they need.
- Support BFRDP programs by facilitating sharing, collaboration, and communication and by providing programs better access to educational materials.
- Help BFRDP projects better disseminate their educational materials so they can reach more beginning farmers and ranchers.
- Enhance focus on outcomes by assisting BFRDP projects improve outcome-based reporting.
The Clearinghouse will offer multiple means to help beginning farmers and ranchers learn, including the ability; to find materials on topics of importance to them, to ask questions of other producers, to learn from online videos and courses, to find BFRDP programs in their geographic region, and to read stories about other beginning producers. They will be able to choose the method to find answers, ideas, and information that works best for them.
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Beginning Farmer Business Management Resources
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: University of Minnesota, Center for Farm Financial Management
Project Director: Kevin Klair (kklair@umn.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The purpose of this Educational
Enhancement Team project is to develop...
The purpose of this Educational
Enhancement Team project is to develop new resources to help beginning farmers
and ranchers improve the financial and business management aspects of their
operations, as well as better-equip educators to guide them through this
process. This project will: - Develop and improve delivery of farm financial and business management tools and programs to help beginning farmers and ranchers better understand and manage the financial aspects of their businesses
- Improve the ability of organizations to deliver farm financial and business management training to beginning farmers and ranchers
- Evaluate ways to improve the Farm Answers clearinghouse to make it even more valuable to beginning farmers and ranchers
This project will fulfill
the two goals of EET projects. It will identify gaps in farm financial and
business management tools and programs and address ways to make Farm Answers
more valuable to beginning farmers. It will also develop curriculum and deliver
train-the-trainer workshops to better equip BFRDP projects to help beginning
farmers in farm financial and business management.
The partnership of the Center for Farm Financial Management, the Midwest
Organic and Sustainability Education Service (MOSES), the Rural Community
College Alliance (RCCA), and SCORE brings together a broad spectrum and wealth
of experiences and expertise. This partnership will allow the project to gain
input from many different perspectives including numerous farmers and ranchers,
organizations that work with them, and other individuals and organizations with
experience in farm financial management and general business management.
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Beginning Farmer Training for Socially Disadvantaged Hmong and Latino Immigrants.
Award Amount: $712,500
Institution: Hmong American Farmers Association
Project Director: Pakou Hang (pakou@hmongfarmers.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) and the Latino Economic...
The Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) and the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) are teaming up to provide agricultural and farm management training workshops to immigrant farmers in Minnesota with the long term goal building thriving and sustainable farming operations, farmers and farming communities.
For the Hmong and Latino farmers in Minnesota, this can be achieved by
(secondary goal #1): increasing the number of immigrant farmers’ ability to
make a successful living from farming while respecting traditional methods of
learning and cultural practices, and (secondary goal #2): expanding economic
opportunities for immigrant farmers and their children through collaborative
marketing, value-added production and specialized farm business training.
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Beginning farmer training program for small to mid-scale horticulture farmers with less than ten years experience.
Award Amount: $589,610
Institution: Louisiana State University AgCenter
Project Director: Carl Motsenbocker (cmotsenbocker@agcenter.lsu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
GROW Louisiana is training program for beginning
horticulture farmers on small...
GROW Louisiana is training program for beginning
horticulture farmers on small to mid-size family farms in Louisiana with less
than 10 years of experience. Specifically,
the program seeks to assist farmers interested in engaging in sustainable
agricultural practices and local food systems via a mixed methods approach of
academic training, hands-on application, and farmer networking. Led by the LSU AgCenter, Grow Louisiana is a
partnership of academic, cooperative extension and non-profit personnel with an
interest in supporting a more sustainable local food system.
Mission: To
increase the diversity of Louisiana agriculture by increasing the number of
fruit and vegetable producers and the variety of commodities available in local
markets.
Vision: To serve as a sustainable state-wide
agricultural education program, resource, and support for beginning
horticulture farmers in Louisiana that provides technical, business, and hands-on
training opportunities.
The GROW model offers
beginning farmers training in whole-farm planning, including business and
technical production management, resources, support, and mentoring based on the
following principles:
- Grow Sustainably: Grow Louisiana not only trains farmers to
use sustainable agricultural practices, but also provides training to farmers
in sustainable business practices for long-term success.
- Resource
Optimization: Grow Louisiana
prepares farmers to make use of available resources to support their needs in
order to achieve established goals.
- Objective Decision Making: Grow
Louisiana trains farmers to make decision based on objective information, which
is fact-based, measurable and observable.
- Work Efficiently: Grow Louisiana trains farmers to use efficient production and business
practices that allow them to attain the highest returns on investment, effort,
and production.
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Beginning Farmer-Rancher Training Program: Hawaii Island
Award Amount: $564,000
Institution: The Kohala Center
Project Director: Melanie Willich (mwillich@kohalacenter.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
While Hawaii has abundant fertile lands and a 12-month growing...
While Hawaii has abundant fertile lands and a 12-month growing season, the state imports
approximately 90% of its food from markets located at least 2,300 miles away. Although access to affordable fertile land and a dependable water supply has increased, few successful farms were established, due to a lack of farming and business knowledge and the inability to access start-up capital. The Kohala Center is submitting this Standard BFRDP application to continue an existing 2011 BFRDP initiative that has trained 78 new beginning agricultural producers and to build on an existing USDA Program 2501 Grant that is providing farmer training, technical assistance, and mentorship/internship opportunities for socially disadvantaged and veteran beginning farmers on Hawaii Island. The Kohala Center’s proposed BRFDP will include: (1) classroom and distance learning on various business and agricultural topics; (2) hands-on field instruction and mentorship at demonstration sites around Hawaii Island, including The Kohala Center’s two demonstration farms in Hamakua and North Kohala and at project partner sites in Kona (Maona Farm) and Kau (Earth Matters Farm); (3) field trips; and (4) business development support for beginning producers to begin operations on available lease land and access support services during and post course completion. The goal of the proposed project is to help beginning farmers launch or expand farming and ranching enterprises on Hawaii Island in order to increase local food production and support viable primary and secondary agricultural livelihoods for socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers.
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Beyond Start Up: Building the Capacity of MA Beginning Farmers
Award Amount: $599,533
Institution: Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
Project Director: Kelly Coleman (kelly@buylocalfood.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
This
renewal Standard BFRDP project builds upon a successful Development Grant...
This
renewal Standard BFRDP project builds upon a successful Development Grant (PD: Kelly Coleman, award 2012-49400-19591). Half
(50%) of the budget will be dedicated to serving socially disadvantaged or
limited resource farmers (0% for military veterans). The lead agency (CISA)
will manage this state-wide project through an established network of five collaborating
agricultural community-based organizations (CBOs): Berkshire Grown, Central
Mass Grown, Northeast Harvest, Southeastern MA Agricultural Partnership and
Sustainable Nantucket. 100% of federal funds will go to CBOs. The long-range goal of
this project is to improve the sustainability and profitability of beginning
farm businesses in Massachusetts by providing tailored technical assistance to
at least 600 beginning farmers in the following topic areas: entrepreneurship
and business training (priority C), financial and risk management
training (priority D), and diversification and marketing strategies
(priority F). Activities include 78 workshops, 15 networking events, and
one-on-one assistance to 300 beginning farmers, plus detailed program evaluation.
After participating, farmers will have access to on-going technical assistance
and peer support through the collaborating organizations. Primary objectives
are: 80% of participants (480/600) “moderately increase” knowledge and 50% of
participants (300/600) “substantially increase” knowledge in the areas of
marketing, business planning, financial analysis, diversification, or
value-added production; 60% of participants (360/600) implement a new market
approach or participate in a new marketing opportunity; and 50% of participants
(300/600) increase their farm income by at least 5% within one year of
completing training. The success of these outcomes will improve the economy and
food security of the region.
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Building a Regional Coalition in the Heart of Appalachia to Enhance Beginning Farmer Education with Experience in the Field
Award Amount: $473,915
Institution: Appalachian Sustainable Development
Project Director: Kathlyn Terry (kterry@asdevelop.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The project applicants represent a regional coalition joined
across the Tennessee...
The project applicants represent a regional coalition joined
across the Tennessee and Virginia border in a region called the “Heart of
Appalachia”. Our coalition represents a 20-year track record of building the
local food economy from farm to fork, across all economic classes, across all
ages. Through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program we seek to
holistically improve start-up opportunities for a diversity of beginning
farmers and ranchers to establish and sustain viable agricultural operations
and communities. Developing beginning farmers will simultaneously address
workforce development, nutrition, natural resource conservation, and economic
development, in a region where one in 5 citizens lives at or below the federal
poverty line. In response to feedback from beginning farmers served by our
organizations, our four objectives are to: - Enhance the regional coalition and coordination of services for beginning farmers;
- Implement local and regional educational trainings with a focus on whole farm planning and preparing beginning farmers for specific local marketing opportunities;
- Establish a mentorship network of trained mentor farmers to provide educational and on-the-job opportunities to beginning farmers; and
- Foster a network of sustainable peer-to-peer support for beginning farmers through Learning Circles.
While available to all beginning farmer learners, each objective gives special consideration
to the needs of socially disadvantaged, limited resource, military veteran,
prisoners re-entering the workforce, and young farmers. These groups are
key stakeholders for outreach as identified by the coalition's’ partners. The project will be implemented in the following counties:
TN: Carter(SF),
Greene (SF), Hancock (SF), Hawkins, Johnson (SF),
Sullivan, Washington, and Unicoi (SF)
VA: Lee (SF),
Russell (SF), Scott (SF), Smyth (SF), Tazewell (SF),
Washington (SF), Wise (S)F, and Wythe (SF)
SF - Indicates StrikeForce Counties
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Building Entrepreneurial, Farm Management and Land Stewardship Capacity for South Carolina New and Beginning Farmers
Award Amount: $595,133
Institution: Clemson University
Project Director: Dave Lamie (dlamie@clemson.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
As a collaboration of organizations, coordinated and led by Clemson...
As a collaboration of organizations, coordinated and led by Clemson Extension, we seek funding for the continuation and further development of the South Carolina New and Beginning Farmer Program (SCNBFP). Clemson Extension launched the SCNBFP in 2011-2013 with the assistance of BFRD funding; an abbreviated program was reintroduced in 2015 without federal assistance. Given the demographics of our state, and based upon four yearsprevious experience with the SCNBFP, we think it reasonable to assume that our program will serve at least 50% sociallydisadvantaged (African American and Women, primarily); limited resource, and/or veteran farmers. The long-term goals of the SCNBFP are to increase the initial success and long-term viability of new and beginning farm businesses --- and to build long-term statewide and sub-state regional program delivery capacity --- in order to help create and support the cadre of next generation farm operators in South Carolina. The target audience for our proposal is new and beginning farmers in South Carolina (27 of 46 counties are Strike Force communities), including those considered socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers, with a particular focus on non-conventional, specialty crop, and value-added operations at both the novice and intermediate levels.
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Building Farm Foundations and Planning for Success: Beginning Farmer Training for Military Veterans in the Intermountain West.
Award Amount: $238,441
Institution: NCAT
Project Director: Tammy Howard (tammyh@ncat.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Our project, Building Farm
Foundations and Planning for Success: Beginning Farmer...
Our project, Building Farm
Foundations and Planning for Success: Beginning Farmer Training for Military
Veterans will work with over 100 beginning farmers who are military veterans
in Montana and the intermountain west. We will recruit beyond the borders of
Montana to the intermountain states. We will train at least 45 military veteran
beginning farmers in each year of our project through our intensive trainings,
one-on-one technical assistance, and partner workshops. We will provide
intensive training through the week-long Armed to Farm training program. Armed
to Farm is NCAT’s sustainable agriculture training program for military
veterans, which has been replicated in five states. The project will also offer farm business
planning assistance to military veterans through partner workshops and
one-on-one technical assistance. We will
build and strengthen the network of military veteran beginning farmers through
outreach and support of existing veteran networks in Montana and surrounding
states. Throughout the project we will evaluate the impacts of our training and
outreach.
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Building Farm Foundations and Planning for Success: Beginning Farmer Training for Military Veterans in the Northeast U.S.
Award Amount: $231,679
Institution: National Center for Appropriate Technology
Project Director: Margo Hale (margoh@ncat.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)
will partner with Sterling...
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)
will partner with Sterling College, Farmer Veteran Coalitions of Vermont and
Maine (FVC), University of New Hampshire (UNH) Cooperative Extension, Maine
Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and New Entry Sustainable
Farming Project in Massachusetts to educate and support military veterans in
the Northeast U.S. who are beginning farmers. Our project, Building Farm
Foundations and Planning for Success: Beginning Farmer Training for Military
Veterans in the Northeast U.S., will work with hundreds of beginning farmers
who are military veterans in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and
other Northeastern states. We will train at least 100 military veteran
beginning farmers in each year of our project. We will offer one-day workshops
on various production topics in locations throughout the Northeast. We will
also provide intensive training through the week-long Armed to Farm program,
NCAT’s sustainable agriculture training for military veterans. The project will support veterans chosen to
participate in Sterling College’s six-week Summer Agriculture Program and will
provide registrations to MOFGA’s beginning farmer trainings. The project will
also offer farm business planning assistance to military veterans through
workshops and one-on-one technical assistance. We will build and strengthen the network of military veteran beginning
farmers through outreach and supporting existing networks. Throughout the
project we will evaluate the impacts of our training and outreach.
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Building National Farmer and Rancher Apprenticeship Curricula, Best Practices, and “Train the Trainer” Resources
Award Amount: $599,796
Institution: Trustees of Tufts College
Project Director: Jennifer Hashley (jennifer.hashley@tufts.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Existing apprenticeship and mentoring programs desire
shared guidelines and best practices...
Existing apprenticeship and mentoring programs desire
shared guidelines and best practices to meet clearly articulated learning goals
for producers apprenticing and gaining management skills on commercial farms or
ranches. Agricultural career pathways
beyond apprenticeship also need development. A national learning network to develop shared curriculum and best
practices will elevate the quality of 50+ apprenticeship programs serving over
1,000 producers. This 3-year project will bring together leaders
in the field of agricultural apprenticeship facilitation to identify gaps and
develop new resources and training materials for nonprofits, CBOs, and
commercial farms or ranches looking to improve their management or facilitation
of apprenticeship learning programs. The project team of 5 core partners and advisors
from 24 organizations will: research
existing apprenticeship program design, curricula, and operations to understand
best practices and successes/challenges, liaison with the Department of Labor to
understanding formal Apprenticeship requirements for diverse agricultural
sectors, and develop a comprehensive “Designing and Delivering a Quality Legal Apprenticeship
Program for Beginning Farmer and Ranchers” Toolkit for national distribution. A national “Apprenticeship” clearinghouse
website will house project materials, operate a technical assistance referral
service, and host farm/ranch mentor training modules. Eight national webinars and conference
presentations will describe administering quality apprenticeships, and
highlight case studies on successful apprenticeship programs. Five regional training-of-trainer workshops
for farm and ranch mentors and an annual national conference will allow Apprenticeship
programs to share best practices, receive ongoing professional development, evaluate
resource materials, and set agendas for future programming. Producer support services for
post-apprenticeship programing will be explored.
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Building On-Farm Success: Resources and Training for Montana`s Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
Award Amount: $299,946
Institution: Community Food & Agriculture Coalition
Project Director: Annie Heuscher (annie@missoulacfac.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Montana's farmers are under significant climatic and market pressure to...
Montana's farmers are under significant climatic and market pressure to create success from limited resources and opportunities. However, with new partnerships developing across the state to assist beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs), support for start-ups is poised to be greater than ever before. Building off a pilot year of successful resource development and trainings for BFRs, plus several years of experience among our partners, this project will enhance on-farm success by providing BFRs with the resources they need.
Over the past year, our network has offered workshops for BFRs focusing on legal, financial, strategic, production, and marketing issues. Through this process, the farmers and ranchers we serve have identified three key areas for additional knowledge-building:
- Financial issues, including cash-flow planning, accounting, and accessing local investors
- Legal issues, including business start-up questions and employee management
- Production issues, including accessing interns/internships, mentoring opportunities, and land, as well as a wide array of land management practices
This project will address these topics over the next three years, utilizing classroom-based workshops during winter months, on-farm field days during the growing season, a new AgAccess Montana website to connect farmers, and new local investing tools. By developing collaborative partnerships with organizations from around the state, our network will develop Montana-specific resources and trainings that will raise producers' awareness of the tools and strategies to make informed decisions for their operations, ensuring a positive future for Montana's next generation of farmers.
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Bundling Selected USDA Programs and Application of Cooperative Approach to Enhance Beginning Farmers in Developing Viable Farms in Treasure
Award Amount: $330,828
Institution: North-South Institute
Project Director: Samuel Scott (nsied2002@aol.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The
project’s long term goal is to bundle USDA Programs and...
The
project’s long term goal is to bundle USDA Programs and offer them using a
cooperative development approach to increase the participation of 35 New and
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (BFR) in three selected Treasure Coast counties
in Florida, by providing education, outreach, technical assistance and training
in production and marketing of selected specialty crops, small livestock and honey
bee enterprises over a three year period. The ultimate goal is to use the principles of cooperative development,
leadership and management to form an agribusiness cooperative to serve 35
out-grower farms owned and operated by beginning underserved producers. This project has been developed and directed
as a partnership with the group who has been undergoing cooperative development
assistance for the past year (see Letter of Collaboration and Support). The project plan will be implemented in
three phases over 36 months: Phase I- Information dissemination, Cooperative
development, & Planning, Phase II- Training and Technical assistance, and
Demonstration and Phase III- Asset acquisition assistance and Evaluation.
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Business Development with Native American Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in Arizona
Award Amount: $297,506
Institution: First Nations Development Institute
Project Director: Jackie Francke (jfrancke@firstnations.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This 24-month project’s goal is to provide culturally
appropriate training and...
This 24-month project’s goal is to provide culturally
appropriate training and technical assistance as well as networking
opportunities to three groups of Native American beginning ranchers in Arizona
to build their business capacity to expand and improve the management of their
cattle ranching operations located on reservations. Participating Native
ranchers associated with the three partner Native-led livestock associations
will expand their opportunity to produce more food locally, market and sell
those food products, engage new ranchers, and more fully utilize their
resources in a sustainable manner. Forty-two Native ranchers will receive
significant training through attending: a national Native Food Sovereignty
Summit; workshops on agri-business topics specific to Native producers; and
business plan development trainings. Ongoing, each of the three the livestock associations
will provide on-the-ground outreach to, training of and improved ranching
practices of 10-15 (30 – 45 total) Native ranchers. Participants’ capacity will
be built around 1) business development, expanding their capability to increase
production, expand into business markets, and potentially to develop
value-added products; and 2) agricultural operations, specifically the
institutionalization of agricultural and natural resource management best
practices. Assisting Native ranchers can help eliminate Native food insecurity,
build the health of communities and community members, and boost
entrepreneurship and economic development. Native communities served will
include the: Navajo Nation; White Mountain Apache Tribe; and San Carlos Apache
Tribe. The applicant is First Nations Development Institute, a national,
Native-led and -controlled 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is a
recognized leader in Native food systems work.
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Capturing Momentum: Growing Urban Farmers and Farms
Award Amount: $299,979
Institution: ECO City Farms
Project Director: Margaret Morgan Hubbard (mmh@ecocityfarms.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Capturing Momentum: Growing Urban Farmers and Farms is a multi-pronged...
Capturing Momentum: Growing Urban Farmers and Farms is a multi-pronged program to counter the epidemic of food insecurity and diet-related illnesses in our communities through proliferating locally-grown food, farms and farmers. Our potential urban farmers are drawn from the diverse populations of the DC metropolitan area where ECO City Farms has run a non-profit urban farm on two sites for the past nine years. The project offers a one-stop learning environment with a self-paced competency based curriculum, where the earning of Community College certification and badges signifies mastery and awards achievement. We offer a collaborative and supportive hands-on setting with passionate and empathetic practitioner educators where all voices heard and respected. The goal of this project is to increase the number and quality of urban farmers and farms in Prince George's County, where access to nutritious healthy food is still scarce, open space for farming is still abundant, and many diverse cultures and food traditions coexist. We build on our FY2016 BFRDP (2016-70017-25342) which trained 51 farmers (90% limited resource, socially disadvantaged and/or new immigrant) to grow healthy food for themselves and the market. For FY 2019, partnering with the Prince George's Soil Conservation District and Prince George's Community College, ECO proposes to conduct three rounds of trainings for 45 DC metropolitan residents (at least 80% limited resource, socially disadvantaged and/or new immigrant) with the expectation that through intensive classroom training, hands-on work, strategic networking and customized supports, they can acquire everything they require to become competent and confident urban farmers.
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Chesapeake Grows: A Regional Approach to New Farmer Success
Award Amount: $199,786
Institution: Future Harvest - Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture
Project Director: Sarah Sohn (sarah@futureharvestcasa.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The overarching goal of the Chesapeake Grows: A Regional Approach...
The overarching goal of the Chesapeake Grows: A Regional Approach to New Farmer Success project is to launch a cross-cutting pilot program aimed at growing and diversifying the new farmer pipeline across the Chesapeake region and to improve new operations' long-term viability. This project is a one-year pilot (2019-20) that will enable our collaborative of 7 partners to trial, evaluate, and refine new region-wide programming and networking opportunities for beginning farmers. We will do so by: 1) building upon the strong farmer training work that has been established in Maryland and creating a new regional training network across the Chesapeake; 2) providing accessible, multi-modal training to increase the number of new farmers, especially socially disadvantaged farmers; and 3) strengthening support for beginning farmers who own/manage a farm, improving their financial literacy and record keeping, helping them establish financial benchmarks, and building new peer networks to hedge against burnout and isolation. Over the past three years, through a 2016-19 grant, we dramatically increased the scope and reach of new farmer training across Maryland, reaching more than 6,000 farmers through a Beginner Farmer Training Program, field days, classes, and conferences; our online content has reached tens of thousands more. We seek now to leverage and expand upon the robust infrastructure of farmer training we have built in Maryland to reach new farmers across MD, VA, DC, WV, and DE. Beyond expanding our geographic reach, we will also refine and expand support for beginning farmers at the more advanced end of the spectrum. Driven by farmer feedback from the past three years, we will increase educational programming for this subset of beginning farmers and introduce new, region-wide farmer study circles. Both will focus on record keeping and financial benchmarking.
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Classroom and Field-based Training to Assist Beginning Farmers’ Entry into Organic Seed Production
Award Amount: $251,237
Institution: Organic Seed Alliance
Project Director: Micaela Colley (micaela@seedalliance.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Organic seed production represents a lucrative and growing specialty
agricultural market....
Organic seed production represents a lucrative and growing specialty
agricultural market. The specialized skill set required to produce high-quality
organic seed serves as a barrier to entry into this market. This project is training beginning farmers in organic seed production through seed
intensive workshops and written manuals, and by creating internship opportunities
on established organic seed operations. The primary objectives of the project are to increase the number of beginning farmers growing organic seed
and improve practices to increase profitability, decrease financial risk, and improve conservation practices. The target audience is beginning farmers interested in diversifying their existing vegetable and grain operations, new farmers entering into farming interested in producing organic seed, farm interns, and agricultural students planning to enter the field of farming or work on existing farming operations. This project also targets Latino farmers. Project activities include delivering 60 scholarships for beginning Latino and non-Latino farmers, and 20 conference travel stipends for Latino/Hispanic farmers to attend the Organic Seed Growers Conference and Organicology Conference; simultaneous Spanish translator at conference intensives and
workshops; post-event Spanish translations of intensives and workshops; support structured seed internships on seed farms through curriculum and facilitated internship placement, Spanish translation of seed production guides, and delivery of 6 monthly webinars on seed production. The long-term goals of this project are to a) increase the number of beginning farmers who grow organic seed, and to b) improve beginning seed producers’ practices to increase their profitability, decrease their financial risk, and improve their conservation practices.
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Conduct Farmer to Farmer Mentoring to Beginning, Immigrant, & Refugee Farmers in Crop Production & Marketing
Award Amount: $100,000
Institution: World Farmers Inc
Project Director: Maria Moreira (mmoreira@worldfarmers.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The long-term goal of this one year Development project is
to...
The long-term goal of this one year Development project is
to build the agricultural capacity among beginning, immigrant,
and refugee farmers in Massachusetts to operate their own independent farming
enterprises, to increase farmer ownership rates, and to build environmental
stewardship. The Flats Mentor Farm (FMF) is a program of World Farmers (WF) which provides land and agriculture production infrastructure for beginning farmers while they evaluate the sustainability of farming as a way of life for themselves and their families. This one year development project proposal will achieve the
following objectives: 1) Provide technical assistance to beginning farmers
according to their level of capacity in the three phases of the Flats Mentoring
Program; 2) Provide tools and develop skills on financial and risk management;
3) Increase beginning farmer participation in USDA programs. In the area of training and technical assistance, this project will address the immediate needs identified by the immigrant and refugee farmer participants at FMF to better understand the complexities of farming in New England: crop production practices, entrepreneurship and business training, financial
and risk management, marketing strategies, food safety practices and outreach
to USDA programs. The FMF beginning farmer training model is built on 30 years of experience in working hands-on with refugees and immigrants. The FMF program is based on a model of assessing
and defining farmers in the three identified levels of beginning farmers’
capacity and providing training and technical assistance that respects each
culture, and the capacity of each farmer to participate on both physical and
emotional level.
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Connecting Diverse Women Farmers Across the Rural-Urban Divide
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: Penn State University
Project Director: Kathryn Brasier (kbrasier@psu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The long-term goal of the proposed project "Connecting
Diverse Women Farmers...
The long-term goal of the proposed project "Connecting
Diverse Women Farmers Across the Rural-Urban Divide" is to improve communication,
build mutual support and enhance overall sustainability of new and beginning
women farmers' agricultural enterprises in rural and urban areas. Through the
development of enduring educational networks and grower collaborations, the
project will build an information-sharing community between urban and rural
farmers via on-farm events, webinars, an annual networking symposium and
electronic communication networks. We target women farmers because they are a
diverse yet often overlooked and underserved component of farmers, and comprise
a significant proportion of new and beginning farmers and especially urban growers.
New and beginning women farmers in both urban and rural settings are challenged
with similar difficulties such as: lack of access to land and capital; lack of
a farm background; minimal knowledge of technical and business skills; limited
communication and collaboration with more established farmers; and family
responsibilities. For women of racial and ethnic minorities, these challenges
are often amplified and compounded by socio-economic and cultural barriers. We
will expand our networking to cross urban and rural boundaries by strengthening
current and building new partnerships with farmers, non-governmental,
governmental and community-based organizations. These cross-boundary alliances
are transformational because they enhance the capacity of our partners to provide
targeted and innovative educational programs for diverse audiences including
women and socially disadvantaged farmers. These alliances will support the
diversification of agriculture by facilitating the ability of targeted
audiences to succeed in achieving financial sustainability.
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Cooperative Development Center of Northern New Mexico
Award Amount: $100,000
Institution: Center of Southwest Culture, Inc.
Project Director: Arturo Sandoval (vocesinc@gmail.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The Center of Southwest Culture's Cooperative Center (CODECE) project seeks...
The Center of Southwest Culture's Cooperative Center (CODECE) project seeks $100,000 in USDA funding to provide technical assistance to underserved communities--specifically for Indigenous communities--to form two new farming cooperatives. The cooperatives will not only be sustainable over the long-run, but they will also serve as a community-wide collective investments that will provide members with meaningful returns to help augment their existing incomes. CODECE targets underserved Native American communities who are threatened by poverty and lack of economic opportunity, but have access to arable land and water rights. CODECE will form cooperatives with an emphasis on members having a relationship based on kinship. Forming organic farming cooperatives is an effective way for beginning farmers to efficiently leverage resources and increase profitability. Several successful 'buy local' campaigns such as Farm-to-Table and Farm-to-Restaurant have created a situation where the demand for local and organic produce far outstrips the current supply. If the farmers begin to grow organic produce, they will produce crops that are overall more profitable and in higher demand. The funds will be used to conduct the following activities: guide members in the production of more profitable crops like organic fruits and vegetables; implement production and management strategies to enhance land stewardship among these farmers; provide hands-on technical assistance in incorporation, by-laws and articles of incorporation; provide basic business training in budgets, taxes and other business-related activities; provide farm plans, including sequential planting, crop rotations, crop selection for optimum market share; provide access to investment capital; connect members to organic food markets; and develop a long-term professional relationship with these new cooperatives to ensure their longevity and viability. We expect to incorporate two farming cooperatives during the life of the grant. In addition, the project will create 10 new jobs.
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Creating and Sustaining Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: Virginia State University
Project Director: William Crutchfield (wcrutchfield@vsu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Overall goal of this project is to equip socially disadvantaged,...
Overall goal of this project is to equip socially disadvantaged, and veteran beginning farmers and ranchers (SDVBFR) in Virginia, with the tools and skills needed for them to make informed
decisions in entering and operating successful farm businesses, thereby enhancing economic
opportunities and quality of life for them, their families and communities. The project will be
conducted in a holistic manner (planning, production, and marketing) through outreach, training
and technical assistance. The objectives are to: 1) Provide outreach education to SDVBFR on
opportunities that are available to them through USDA programs and services; 2) Improve the
knowledge of SDVBFR in farm estate planning, financial planning and management; 3) Enhance
the knowledge, skills and abilities of SDVBFR to produce high value, and profitable, crops/
livestock; 4) Increase marketing activities for SDVBFR by identifying new markets, connecting
them to existing markets, and assisting them with effective marketing strategies; 5) Build the
capacity of collaborative partners to enable project’s sustainability. The project targets SDVBFR
in 70 Virginia counties. These audiences have been traditionally undeserved and have been
plagued by several barriers such as: high start-up costs, limited access to credit, lack of knowledge on land acquisition and transition, lack of skills in financial planning, lack of
production skills, and limited access to existing and viable markets. Virginia State University, in a
continued partnership, with Virginia Tech’s Virginia Beginning Farmer/Rancher Program
(VTBFRP), proposes to address these barriers by using the “Whole Farm Planning” curriculum
developed by VTBFRP, as a tool to train these farmers.
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Cultivating Resilience: Expanding Comprehensive Training, Support and Networking for Beginner and Advanced-Beginner Farmers in Maine
Award Amount: $749,891
Institution: Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
Project Director: Ryan Dennett (rdennett@mofga.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Success in training farmers is the hallmark of the Maine...
Success in training farmers is the hallmark of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) Journeyperson Program (JP). During the past ten years, 240 new farmers have emerged from the program in Maine. Equipped with innovative production, management, and marketing skills, these farmers have created more than 140 farm businesses. Providing tomorrow’s farmers with the skills needed to achieve success in a demanding marketplace remains the primary objective of the Journeyperson Program. Over the next three years, 150 new farmers will receive training and the help needed to establish at least 75 new farm businesses. This crucial support, aimed at creating economically viable farms in Maine, can help meet the rising demand for local, more healthful and sustainably produced food.
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Cultivating Success Idaho
Award Amount: $505,144
Institution: University of Idaho
Project Director: Iris Mayes (imayes@uidaho.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The purpose of Cultivating Success: A
Comprehensive Beginning Farmer Training and...
The purpose of Cultivating Success: A
Comprehensive Beginning Farmer Training and Mentorship Program for Idaho, is to increase the number and success of
beginning small farmers and ranchers in Idaho. Methods will include
comprehensive training (in-person and via site-hosted interactive webinars), facilitating
access to land and capital (via networking and meaningful online resources),
and coordinate ongoing farmer-to-farmer mentoring (on farms). This system
combined with the 42 county reach of University of Idaho (UI) Extension will
allow the project team to reach nearly all of Idaho. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Idaho’s farms
and ranches are working on less than 180 acres. Many of these farmers are
women. UI Extension’s Cultivating
Success(TM) Sustainable Small Farms Education program has been the
primary educational resource for the target audience in Idaho for nearly 15
years. Since 2001, 575 people have completed one or more Cultivating Success courses in Idaho. Participants identified
land costs, land availability, start-up costs and access to capital as barriers
to small farm success. This project proposes to re-invigorate the existing Cultivating
Success (TM) program to address current
needs. Key partners include Rural Roots, an existing
farm networking and education non-profit organization, and several farmers who
are already trained and experienced farmer mentors. The
proposed program will provide needed education, mentoring
and resource information to Idaho’s small-acreage farmers and ranchers. Post-workshop
evaluations will be conducted to measure behavioral change and the
effectiveness of the delivery formats. The project activities are in alignment
with USDA-NIFA’s priorities addressing hunger and food security.
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Cultivating Success Idaho: Skill Building for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers through Hands-on, In-depth Production Education
Award Amount: $456,860
Institution: University of Idaho Extension - Northern Extension District - Bonner County
Project Director: Jennifer Jensen (jenjensen@uidaho.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The goal of the
“Cultivating Success™ Idaho: Advanced Skill Building for...
The goal of the
“Cultivating Success™ Idaho: Advanced Skill Building for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers through Hands-on,
In-depth Production Education” project is to increase the social, environmental
and economical sustainability of beginning farmers and ranchers in Idaho
through experiential learning opportunities. Participant surveys from previous
beginning farmer training programs in Idaho revealed the interest for hands-on
experiences and in-depth specifics related to livestock and animals, soil health,
small-scale equipment, budgeting and financing education to support their
farming and ranching goals. A team
approach will be used to identify the key production topics needed to deepen
the skill development for new and beginning farmers. Extension professionals and experienced farmers will plan and delivery
in-depth, hands-on experiences. In real
time, the beginning farmers will learn
practical production and management skills in collaborations with community partners at strategically located teaching
farms in Idaho.
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Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship: A National Program for Training New Dairy Farmers
Award Amount: $750,000
Institution: Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship
Project Director: Joseph Tomandl, III (joe@dairygrazingapprenticeship.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The project, “Dairy Grazing
Apprenticeship: A National Program for Training New...
The project, “Dairy Grazing
Apprenticeship: A National Program for Training New Dairy Farmers,” is a
renewal Standard Grant that will build on work previously supported by
USDA-NIFA’s Beginning Farmers and Rancher Development Program through a 2010 Development
Grant “GrassWorks Apprenticeship Program: A Pilot Project for Training
Beginning Farmers” and a 2011
Standard Grant “GrassWorks Apprenticeship Program: Career Paths for Beginning
Farmers.” The current project will establish Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship
(DGA) as a national program directly under the United States Department of
Labor-Office of Apprenticeship, strengthen DGA in Wisconsin by providing
additional services to participants, and support the development of DGA in
Missouri as a template for state-by-state expansion. The target audience for this project consists
of current dairy farmers seeking to transition out of farming or grow their
operation by investing in the next generation and aspiring dairy farmers who
are seeking a pathway to independent farm ownership. Among aspiring dairy
farmers are young people, students, women, veterans, hired hands, herdsmen,
farm managers, and farm workers. Barriers for aspiring dairy farmers include a
lack of a) skills and experience in sustainable methods; b) opportunity to farm
full-time, as dairy production requires, while learning; c) training in
financial management and business planning; d) familiarity with agricultural
infrastructure; and e) access to capital, land, and cattle. The first formal Apprenticeship for
farming in the nation, DGA directly addresses barriers to commodity-scale dairy
farming by combining on-farm employment and training with paid related
instruction and providing support for aspiring farmers to transition into
independent dairy farm ownership. DGA is a comprehensive program that places particular emphasis on the following priority topics: Basic livestock practices and crop [pasture] farming practices; Innovative
farm land transfers strategies; Entrepreneurship
and business training; Financial risk management training; Natural resource
management training; Curriculum development; and Mentoring, apprenticeship, and internships.
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Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship: Building Capacity, Curriculum, and Partnerships for Nationwide Work-Based Training of Beginning Dairy Farmers
Award Amount: $596,625
Institution: Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship
Project Director: Joseph Tomandl (joe@dga-national.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Dairy
Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) is National Apprenticeship under the U.S.
Department of...
Dairy
Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) is National Apprenticeship under the U.S.
Department of Labor. The first formal Apprenticeship for farming in the nation,
the two-year 4000 hour program combines paid on-farm training with related
instruction to facilitate the transfer of knowledge, skills, and farms to the
next generation. This BFRDP-EET project aims to establish DGA as a standard
career pathway for economically and environmentally sustainable commodity-scale
dairy producers.
Originating
in Wisconsin in 2010, DGA has steadily expanded in response to significant
interest from dairy farmers, as well as universities and community based
organizations. The project will allow DGA and its partners to strengthen the
program and improve capacity to deliver high quality comprehensive work-based
training by meeting the following objectives:
1)
Providing training and support to DGA Masters (train the trainer) to improve
Apprentice learning experience. 2) Provide continuing training and resources to
DGA graduates to facilitate their transition to farm ownership. 3) Develop and
receive accreditation for DGA's own related instruction curriculum that is more
fully integrated with the experiential learning aspects of the Apprenticeship,
ensuring consistent quality and access nationwide.
Other
collaborators: Cornell University and SCNY Extension, the Pennsylvania
Association for Sustainable Agriculture, and Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Maine.
Federal
funds allocated to NGO/CBO/SAEOs: 85%.
Budget
toward veterans and underserved audiences: Among current 33 DGA Apprentices:
seven female (21%), two veterans (6%), and twelve farm workers (36%).
Previous BFRDP projects for PD Joseph Tomandl, III:
2010 Development Grant #2010-49400-21902, 2011 Standard Grant #
2011-49400-30540; 2014 Standard Grant # 2015-70017-22879
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Davies Urban Farmer Training Program: Immersive Beginning Farmer Training and Support
Award Amount: $50,000
Institution: William S. Davies Homeless Shelter Inc.
Project Director: Robert Jones (rbjones1987@gmail.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Urban agriculture has the potential to be a promising entry...
Urban agriculture has the potential to be a promising entry point for limited resource farmers, but many barriers to entry exist for limited resource farmers. The William S. Davies Homeless Shelter's Urban Farmer Training Program seeks to increase the number of farmers serving food insecure communities in Floyd County, Georgia by reducing barriers for new limited resource farmers to generate supplemental income through part-time urban farming. The program will leverage the Davies Shelter's existing farm and garden programs to train 10 new beginning farmers (at least 70% limited resource) and assist 5 new beginning farmers in starting their own urban micro-farm operation. The Urban Farmer Training Program will achieve these goals and objectives through an intensive Urban Farmer Boot Camp; paid on-farm apprenticeships; three public farming workshops; and farm start-up assistance in the form of rent-free land access, tools, coaching, and direct marketing of produce for at least 5 new urban farmers. Trainees will complete farmer skills self-assessments before and after the training program. Collaborating organizations on the project include Georgia Organics, Berry College, the National Farmers Union, and South Rome Redevelopment
Corporation.
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Deep Roots: Thoughtful, Comprehensive, Community-Based Beginning Farmer Training
Award Amount: $100,000
Institution: Sustainable Farming Association
Project Director: John Mesko (john@sfa-mn.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
For the past 25 years, the Sustainable Farming Association (SFA)...
For the past 25 years, the Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) has helped to develop beginning farmers. During that time, SFA has learned a great deal about what makes for success in beginning farming operations. As we review the past 25 years of work in new farmer development, we see 2 closely connected disturbing trends in agriculture today: 1) many beginning farmers lack the support, skills and savvy to successfully launch and sustain farm businesses for more than 5 years; and 2) as a result, there is a constant cycle of new farmers entering the market but never realizing their full potential. This trend is leading to
fragmented rural communities and over-worked and underpaid farmers who rarely overcome the mechanical solidarity issues and have a successful rural life. "Deep Roots: Thoughtful, Comprehensive, Community-Based Beginning Farmer Training" takes a proven beginning farmer training model, increases its appeal and functionality by adding an online component and places beginning farmer training in the context of a 25 year old Farmer-to-Farmer Network. Deep Roots is designed for individuals who want to work in sustainable farming as independent producers. Typically, sustainable agriculture programs attract nontraditional audiences including women, older students, underrepresented minorities and new American populations. These programs are also suitable for individuals with a conventional farming background who want to transition toward sustainability as well as for individuals who want to farm but have no family background or directexperience in the field.
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Delta Farm Start
Award Amount: $598,806
Institution: Mississippi Delta Council for Farm Workers Opportunites, Inc
Project Director: DONALD GREEN (mdcfwoi@cableone.net)
Funding Opportunity: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Delta Farm Start will serve
60 of these families throughout 6...
Delta Farm Start will serve
60 of these families throughout 6 rural counties of Mississippi’s North Delta
Region, implementing an immersive on-farm/ranch training program with identified
support services including: soil preparation, sourcing seeds and seedlings,
planting, production, harvest, labor, equipment, cold storage and aggregating
crops for sale. All support services are provided on-farm in small groups or
one-on-one coaching. Participants will be
prepared to start small farm operations or other agriculture related
self-employment, to grow or diversify their own existing small farm operations,
or to gain full-time employment in larger AG operations.
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Delta Farming Start
Award Amount: $681,628
Institution: Mississippi Delta Council for Farm Worker Opportunities, Inc.
Project Director: DONALD GREEN (mdcfwoi@cableone.net)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Based on the success of the
Standard Beginning Farmer and Rancher...
Based on the success of the
Standard Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program (BFRDP)
Development project, recently
implemented by the Mississippi Delta Council for Farm Worker
Opportunities, Inc. (MDC/FWOI),
MDC/FWOI now proposes a BFRP project - Delta Farming
Start. The proposed
BFRDP project - Delta Farming Start is a 36-month program that will
build on the knowledge,
experience, and opportunities created through the initial BFRDP
Development project.
Over 3 years, the Delta Farming
Start program will deliver technical assistance, apprenticeships,
mentoring, and intensive,
targeted training in farming practice and management, business, and
other critical areas to 135 selected participants from limited resource, socially-disadvantaged
farm and ranch or farm labor
backgrounds. Seasonal farmworkers and principal
operators/owners of small farms
in the Mississippi Delta will be recruited and selected. Fellows
completing the program will be
prepared to start small independent farm operations or other
agriculture-related
self-employment, grow or diversify limited resource farming operations, or
otherwise gain full-time, secure
employment in larger agricultural operations.
This Standard BFRP will
develop and disseminate training materials on Production and
management strategies to enhance
land stewardship by beginning farmers and ranchers, through
mentoring,
apprenticeship, internship activities, and, curriculum development;
and, Business
management and decision support
strategies that enhance the financial viability of beginning
farmers and ranchers through entrepreneurship and business training.
MDC/FWOI has served the people of
the Mississippi Delta since it’s founding in 1971,
providing employment training and
support to over 58,000 individuals, with a mission of
increasing opportunity for farm workers and
supporting agricultural life ways.
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Developing a Farmer-Led Training Program for Beginning Organic Peanut Producers in Georgia
Award Amount: $49,994
Institution: Georgia Organic Peanut Association Inc
Project Director: Ronny Shingler (info@organicpeanuts.farm)
Funding Opportunity: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The Georgia Organic Peanut Association (GOPA) will conduct a simplified...
The Georgia Organic Peanut Association (GOPA) will conduct a simplified BFRDP project to expand the production knowledge and marketing opportunities of beginning farmers who produce Certified Organic peanuts. The project consists of a yearlong educational program of production workshops, field days, and a pilot mentoring program. The 2017 Census of Agriculture reported that Georgia had over 22,700 new and beginning farmers, a significant number of whom are younger operators on the 4500 family peanut farms in Georgia. With declining commodity prices, many of these beginning farmers have contacted the association about moving to Certified Organic production. But successful peanut production in the Southeast requires specific equipment and careful mechanical cultivation to control weeds, a technique that has been practiced exclusively over the past decade by the organic producers that make up GOPA. This project will transfer vital agricultural knowledge between these sets of experienced and beginning producers. Three farmers from the association will mentor six beginning farmers, who will achieve two significant outcomes: - (1) expanding their ability to produce peanuts beyond the conventional production toolbox and
- (2) potentially increasing their profitability by selling through new value-added markets.
Lessons learned during this project will lead in the future to a larger mentoring program for beginning producers, with broader partnerships across the state and the region that also expands across commodities.
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Developing BeefMT: Strengthening Beginning Rancher Operations in Eastern Montana
Award Amount: $49,970
Institution: Petroleum County Conservation District
Project Director: Laura Nowlin (lnowlinfamily@gmail.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The Petroleum County Conservation District, along with our partners, the...
The Petroleum County Conservation District, along with our partners, the Winnett ACES (Agricultural Community Enhancement and Sustainability), Montana State University (MSU) Extension, and the MSU Dan Scott Ranch Management Program, will utilize a one-year simplified standard grant to develop a multi-year education program - BeefMT. The outcome for this project will be a fully developed beginning rancher education program which will be ready for implementation at the end of the grant period. This project will 1.) create an advisory committee that will: 2.) guide curriculum development and 3.) develop an action plan for implementation of BeefMT. The Advisory Committee will consist of agriculture industry, education, non-governmental organization, and individual ranch representatives. Beginning ranchers will be part of the Advisory Committee. BeefMT will follow a cohort model, designed for a consistent group of participants to complete the program over multiple years. The
developed BeefMT curriculum will address areas of need including transition planning, range management, livestock nutrition, financial planning, ag policy, marketing, and other topics identified during the planning process. The BeefMT program will be designed to utilize multiple delivery methods (online, in-class, on-the-ground), which will provide beginning ranchers with knowledge, resources, and a support network to help them make decisions that further their operations' ecological, economical, and social sustainability. BeefMT will be a long-lasting educational program, where many cohorts of beginning ranchers can build knowledge and skills that will benefit their individual operations, their home community, and the Montana and U.S. cattle industry as a whole.
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Developing New and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Using the Model Farm Concept
Award Amount: $524,632
Institution: Prairie View A&M University
Project Director: Billy Lawton (bclawton@pvamu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The aim of this project is to respond to a...
The aim of this project is to respond to a great need and opportunity to address the urgent problem in the U.S. agricultural system, specifically, that of ageing population of farmers and ranchers. The long term goal of this project is to recruit and enhance the sustainability of new and beginning farmers and ranchers in Texas by helping them develop successful farm and
ranch operations through the use of "A Model Farm Concept". These goals will be accomplished through the following objectives: (1) Establish model farms at the university research farm and in targeted counties to serve as training sites (2)Provide scale-appropriate instructional and experiential training and production, business management and marketing (3)Develop effective partnerships between BFRs and USDA, State agencies, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and other successful farmers to create mentoring opportunities and facilitate information sharing on programs and services available to them (4) Develop a BFR database to facilitate targeted information dissemination and outreach. This project is a joint effort between the Agricultural and Natural Resource (AGNR) unit of our Cooperative Extension Program (CEP) and two prominent Community Based Organizations (CBOs) working closely together. Finally, overall the project will engage approximately 7,000
limited resource farmers in the counties that we serve here in Texas. This will attract 300 new start-up and 800 plus new and beginning farmers will benefited.
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Developing Opportunities and Growing Business of Limited-Resource and Native American Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in Arizona
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: The University of Arizona
Project Director: Russell Tronstad (tronstad@ag.arizona.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This proposal emphasizes the priority topic areas of: basic...
This proposal emphasizes the priority topic areas of: basic livestock and crop farming practices; entrepreneurship and business training; financial and risk management training; diversification and marketing strategies; curriculum development; mentoring; and resources/referral. Our target audience directly reaches 7 larger reservations in AZ and limited-resource Beginning Ranchers and Farmers in the southeast, central, northeast, and northwest regions of the State. BRs have never been targeted from these regions before and many new BRs (42 districts @ about 7/district) plus ranch hands have been identified through the AZ Assoc. of Conservation Districts. Of the 17 locations proposed, 5 locations include growing the enterprises of BFs that started during the PDs last BFRDP. To address the desire for more resources and expertise through one-on-one assistance, 6 County Ag Agents and 6 Tribal Agents have been brought on board. As requested, we are also proposing to integrate several farm and ranch field days into our management schools. Each BF and BR participant will be solicited to attend a management school every quarter. To develop synergies between BFs and BRs, content that is relevant for both crop and livestock producers (e.g., FSA loan programs, niche marketing, recordkeeping) will be provided in-between crop and livestock oriented curriculum at the same locations when possible. Combined schools will last from 7 to 12 hours (2 days if involve field days) and we expect to reach at least 355 unique BFs and BRs. Management topics proposed include: livestock nutrition, mineral supplementation, reproduction, pests, diseases, irrigation, and frost cloth as a moisture, pest, and marketing tool for specialty crops.
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Developing Quick-Response Tools for Rapid Farm Redevelopment, and Expansion of Farming Capacities of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in 12 Selected Florida Counties
Award Amount: $442,616
Institution: North-South Institute
Project Director: Samuel Scott (nsied2002@aol.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The project goal is to reduce the decline of Beginning
Farmers...
The project goal is to reduce the decline of Beginning
Farmers and Ranchers (BFRs) and expand new producers in the lower twelve (12)
Florida counties, through education, outreach, technical assistance, training,
and access to Federal programs over three (3) years by building their
capacities and strengthening their skillsets leading towards the development of
viable farms. The project targets forty
(40) BFRs consisting of Socially Disadvantaged, Veteran, Women Tenant, and
Limited Resource farmers and ranchers engaged in Specialty Crops, Small
Livestock, and Honeybee Enterprises. Working with BFRs has shown that shocks from natural disasters and lack
of access to capital and sustainable markets can have debilitating effects,
curtailing BFRs in the early stages. This project demonstrates how BFRs can become resilient while addressing
9 BFRDP priority areas.
The objectives and corresponding activities are (i)
development and adoption of two Quick Response Tools for Rapid Farm
Redevelopment and Expansion; (ii) training and (iii) technical assistance in
farm business planning, leadership, management, climate-smart farm production
(specialty crops, small livestock, and honey bee), food safety, recordkeeping,
marketing, land leasing, microlending, cooperative development, postharvest and
processing technologies. The expected
producer outcomes are (i) 12% [5] develop a pre-cooperative cluster; (ii) 30%
[12] develop profitable farms as defined by stabilized annual incomes; (iii)
30% [12] are engaged in enterprises that show improvement in cash flow on an
annual basis; (iv) at least 25% [10] develop Individual Small On-Farm Resilient
Funds; and (v) 30% [12] utilize the Small Farm Update and Communication App
(FarmTalk-Forum).
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Developing the next generation farmers and food security within the Navajo Nation food desert.
Award Amount: $599,993
Institution: Dine College
Project Director: Benita Litson (blitson@dinecollege.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The Navajo Nation sits in the heart of the Four
Corners...
The Navajo Nation sits in the heart of the Four
Corners area of the Colorado Plateau covering the corners of Arizona, New
Mexico and Utah. The land is a mixture of alpine forests with high plateaus,
mesas, mountains and arid deserts with an estimated land base of 27,673 square
miles. The socio-economic conditions are emphasized by limited employment
opportunities; 40.1% of families live well below the poverty level; and the
diagnosis of diabetes correlates with the demise of their traditional values. These
factors indicate a need for agricultural programs to revitalize a way of life
of self-sufficiency, resourcefulness, prosperity, and cultural identity.
Agriculture and livestock ownership are timeless symbols of the Dine’
philosophy.
The proposed project will help establish the
foundation to sustainably support agricultural programs and activities by concentrating
efforts in two regional agricultural hubs, Tsaile-Wheatfields Dineh Water User
in central Navajo Nation and Tolani Lake Enterprise in western Navajo Nation. The
proposed project will: train 60 beginning farmers to produce a harvest that
will be sold to local and alternative markets; increase the capacity of
collaborative organizations staff to receive the necessary skills to support
farmers within their communities; and over three years, develop and implement a
four-tiered training module in the following areas: business planning, farm
planning, food safety planning, and farm management.
“Developing the next generation farmers and food
security within the Navajo Nation food desert” project provides education through
the management, planning, and conservation of natural resources for the
inheritance of future generations.
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Developing the Next Generation of Sustainable Farmers in Georgia: A Comprehensive Training Program
Award Amount: $652,852
Institution: University of Georgia
Project Director: Julia Gaskin (jgaskin@uga.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This is a new application for a Standard
Grant. The...
This is a new application for a Standard
Grant. The overall long-term project goal is to
increase the number of small to mid-scale sustainable farms in Georgia. To do
this we will develop a comprehensive, statewide training program for beginning
farmers that can be easily sustained after the grant ends. We are doing this by leveraging resources
through partnerships with land grant universities, grower groups, lenders, and
the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Our approach will develop and strengthen informal local farmer networks
and develop successful, beginning small and mid-scale farms. The comprehensive training program will
include a Small Farm Business Course, a Small Fruit & Vegetable Course, a
Small Ruminants Course, and a Hands-on Program. The course will be developed by three committees with relevant expertise
and provided throughout the state in facilitated webinars. The Hands-on Program will provide
participants who complete the courses with an internship, land on an incubator
farm, or a mentor depending on their needs and interests. This comprehensive training should develop 70
beginning farmers in the first three years and be able to continue to train new
farmers in the future. Our target
audience consists of people serious about small to mid-scale farming whether or
not the currently have land. Limited resource and minority participants in all
these groups will be specifically recruited.
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Direct Markets: the Next Generation of Farmers
Award Amount: $536,612
Institution: ASAP
Project Director: Molly Nicholie (molly@asapconnections.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The viability of new farm enterprises are especially tenable. A...
The viability of new farm enterprises are especially tenable. A report by the USDA ERS notes that the businesses of new and beginning farmers have lower survival rates than more established operators. Direct markets offer new and beginning farmers unique and expanding opportunities to begin and to sustain successful farm businesses. National marketing research shows that consumer distrust in “big food” companies and institutions, increased awareness of the social and environmental impacts of the food system, and the increased prevalence of food-related health issues are changing the U.S. food landscape. Consumers believe their choices matter; they are looking for food that is authentic, transparent, and that connects them closely to the sources. Local food has increasingly come to represent transparency and trust in the minds of consumers, and more people want to spend their food dollars with local farmers.
The long-term goal of this project is to enhance the viability of new and beginning farmers in Western North Carolina (WNC) by providing them with knowledge, skills, and resources needed to start and/or grow successful farm operations focused on direct market opportunities. In WNC, expanding markets for local food provide significant opportunities for new and beginning farmers. In order to survive beyond start-up, farms must have effective marketing and appropriate production to build customer bases. In local food markets, where the public is looking for transparency, authenticity, and meaningful connections, direct sales offer unique opportunities. The activities of this project will build the direct marketing success of new and beginning farmers and enable them to implement marketing and production strategies that build farm visibility, demand for their products, and the long-term viability of their farm business. In keeping with BFRDP priorities, training and assistance topics will cover diversification and marketing strategies, entrepreneurship and business training, and financial and risk management training.
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Education, Outreach, and Training to Alaska Native Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
Award Amount: $427,740
Institution: Tyonek Tribal Conservation District
Project Director: Christy Cincotta (ccincotta@tyonek.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The proposed project provides training, education, outreach and technical assistance...
The proposed project provides training, education, outreach and technical assistance to Alaska Native Beginning Farmers and Ranchers throughout Alaska. The primary goal for the proposed project is to enhance food security in Alaska Native Villages by increasing knowledge, skills and tools for Alaska Native socially disadvantaged beginning farmers and ranchers to create
sustainable agricultural systems and informed decisions on its operations in communities. To achieve the project goals, TTCD will develop, organize, and implement a mixed-method Education/Training and Outreach Programs for Alaska Native Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. TTCD will utilize sustainable agricultural practices, planning, and business and operational material to be duplicated in other Alaska Native Villages with beginning farmers and ranchers. Project staff and partners will provide ongoing support and technical assistance linking Alaska Native Beginning Farmers and Ranchers with resources and programs that enhance and support the start up of local farms in Alaska Native Villages to provide food, encourage community development, and support jobs for local farmers. Goal #1 - Improve food security in low income rural Alaska Native Villages (ANVs) that have limited access to supermarkets.
Objective 1.1 - Develop, organize, and implement a mixed-method Education/Training Program for Alaska Native Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (ANBFR).
Objective 1.2 - Develop, organize, and implement Outreach Program to Alaska Tribal Conservation Districts (ATCDs) and ANBFRs in their community.
Goal #2 - Encourage low cost, sustainable, and effective farming methods for socially disadvantaged ANBFRs in ANVs.
Objective 2.1 - Document and share low cost conservation practice demonstrations in Tyonek's Farm using local resources to be duplicated by other ANVs and ANBFRs.
Objective 2.2 - Create a business plan to support business operations and development for Tyonek's Farm and as an educational tool for the Education/Training and Outreach Programs.
Objective 2.3 - Provide technical assistance to ANBFR on planning, programs supporting local food production, and funding opportunities.
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Educational Tools and Methods for Beginning Refugee & Immigrant Farmers
Award Amount: $743,029
Institution: ISED Solutions / Third Sector New England
Project Director: Hugh Joseph (hughjoseph@comcast.net)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
ISED Solutions proposes an
EET collaboration with 24+ refugee farming incubator...
ISED Solutions proposes an
EET collaboration with 24+ refugee farming incubator projects (RFIPs)
nationwide, to review beginning farmer curricula and programs for refugees,
identify the gaps and develop,
pilot test, and distribute 4-5 specialized curricula, 50+ course workshop
modules, 50+ handouts, and multiple instructional tools and manuals for
instructors and technical assistance providers.
Existing resources for most
new farmers (books, manuals, websites) are too advanced or inappropriate for recent
refugees with very limited literacy, education and English language abilities. Instructing pre- and low-literate audiences
takes somewhat specialized methods – skills that also lacking among RFIPs
personnel, putting projects and farmers at a large developmental disadvantage.
Major objectives are to:
Establish 4 EET project coordinating teams
Review existing curricula, identify gaps, and establish development priorities.
Strengthen appropriate instructional and curriculum development skills among RFIPs.
Develop and pilot test curricula and instructional methods.
Do translations and interpretations as appropriate.
Support a Community of Practice development approach
Broad dissemination via Start2Farm, NIFTI, IRC, and other partners
ISED has worked with refugee-serving partners for three decades,
focusing on beginning farming technical assistance since 2003. Major
partners are International Rescue Committee (10 RFIPs) and the National Incubator Farm Training Initiative
(New Entry). The 24 RFIP partners are primarily urban land-based multi-farmer
training initiatives, serving 1200+ recently resettled refugee farmers of 35+ nationalities and ethnicities (e.g., Bhutanese,
Burmese, Somali, Burundian). RFIPs will be supported via webinars, online resources, team planning
meetings, annual conferences, skills development trainings, and a Community of
Practice to help everyone function as teams.
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Effective Support for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Grounded in a Stages of Development Framework
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: Oregon State University
Project Director: Garry Stephenson (garry.stephenson@oregonstate.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The long-term goal of our project is to
increase the number...
The long-term goal of our project is to
increase the number of beginning farmers and ranchers in who achieve financial
and environmental sustainability and “graduate” into their second decade
feeling stable, confident, and successful. The focus is on farm profitability
and environmental sustainability. Our proposed project is significantly shaped
by our research for the past three years on the stages of development of farms
and farmers, which identified four distinct stages in which farmers seek and
are ready for different types of information, training, and mentoring. Using
this framework, the objectives for this proposal build on and expand our
current program and will make our educational programs and materials available
to other regions and audiences.
1) Develop new advanced-level online modules for instructional learning, online and classroom, and refine an existing basic module based on farm developmental stages.
2) Continue current and add new advanced-level experiential learning demonstration projects at our three established teaching farms located in regions with high demand for BFR programming.
3) Continue successful facilitation of farmer networks organized by gender, geography and cropping system.
4) Support and actively engage with the statewide Beginning Farmer and Rancher Working Group of the Oregon Community Food Systems Network.
This project includes two collaborating
non-profit organizations: Oregon Tilth, Inc. and the Beginning Farmer and
Rancher Working Group of the Oregon Community Food Systems Network.
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Empowering Minorities and Veterans to Succeed in Agriculture
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: Florida A&M University
Project Director: Gilbert Queeley (gilbert.queeley@famu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
There
is mounting evidence that farming is no longer sustainable for...
There
is mounting evidence that farming is no longer sustainable for the vast
majority of minority farmers in Florida. For example: Recent data from the Florida Agricultural Statistics
Service (FASS) indicate that minority farmers in Florida receive less than 1
percent of farm generated income and own
less than 5 percent of the commercial farms. Unless new directions are forged, the outlook for the 21st century is
bleak for this socially disadvantaged group. This project will utilize
the tri-patriate focus of the college (Research, Extension and Teaching) to address
this issue. The
long term goal of the project is to establish an academy for developing
successful minority farmers and ranchers. Through the academy, participants will
receive experiential training that can provide the knowledge and skill sets required
for competing in a 21st century farming environment. The academy will specifically target minority
farmers (including women farmers) and military veterans within the state of
Florida. Anticipated outcomes include: knowledge expansion through
the acquisition of new production and marketing skills, small farm diversification, and an increase in small farm
numbers. This project is expected to build a foundation for attaining small farm profitability, and in the long term, a reduction in
rural unemployment and poverty.
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Empowering New Forest Owners in the Northwest
Award Amount: $167,942
Institution: Northwest Natural Resource Group
Project Director: Kirk Hanson (kirk@nnrg.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The long-term goal of Empowering New Forest Owners in the...
The long-term goal of Empowering New Forest Owners in the Northwest is to promote innovative markets and forest management strategies that improve the health of forest ecosystems while increasing economic prosperity and resilience for new forestland owners in the Pacific Northwest. More than a century of managing industrial tree plantations for single species, even-aged timber has altered the forest landscape of western Washington and Oregon. As companies divest their timber holdings closest to the metropolitan regions, much of this forestland has been purchased by new owners. There is a misconception that leaving these heavily altered forests alone is the best way to restore them. Instead, these forests need active management to restore ecological health and sustain rural economies. The Northwest Natural Resource Group and partners believe that targeted workshops, individual landowner site visits, and improved market opportunities will increase the sustainability of new forest owners. Ecologically-based forest management and local markets are central to this project. This production method increases resilience through longer harvest rotations, species diversity, and structural diversity. And markets that recognize these benefits provide landowners with incentives to steward their land. Three supporting objectives drive project activities: - Train beginning landowners in forest and financial management techniques,
- Enable landowners to undertake initial management actions through site visits and cost-share enrollment, and
- Develop economic opportunities and durable local markets that enable sustained stewardship.
The ultimate outcome will be new forest owners who are empowered to actively and sustainably manage for long-term forest health and resilience.
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Enhancing On-Farm Success: Building a Sustainable Platform for Beginning Farmer Support
Award Amount: $523,355
Institution: Community Food & Agriculture Coalition
Project Director: Annie Heuscher (annie@missoulacfac.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Montana
is a challenging place to start farming. A short growing...
Montana
is a challenging place to start farming. A short growing season combined with
long distances to small markets create a difficult environment for beginning
farmers and ranchers (BFRs). Nonetheless, over the past four years of our work
with BFRs, we have seen high levels of enthusiasm, commitment, and hard work
towards starting agricultural operations. It is an exciting time to work with
beginning farmers in Montana.
The
goals of this project are two-fold: to increase the number of successful and
sustainable beginning farmers and ranchers in Montana by providing an effective
and comprehensive array of classroom-based, on-farm, and one-on-one training
and technical assistance opportunities; and to increase the ability of those
BFRs to succeed by enhancing existing resources and creating new,
Montana-specific resources focused on targeted needs, including land access,
financing, and a broader network of support services.
We
will achieve these goals through a coordinated set of workshops serving farmers
throughout the first ten years of operation, technical assistance to complete
business plans and access financing, and development of new financing tools and
statewide resources through Farm Link Montana and a network of service
providers. Ultimately, this project will not only increase the number of BFRs
in Montana; it will give BFRs the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make
informed decisions for their operations. This project follows work funded by
various USDA agencies, including BFRDP, and will enhance the networks and
services those projects kickstarted and institutionalize these programs for
long-term sustainability of BFR support in Montana.
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Enhancing Success for Beginning, Socially Disadvantaged Farmers through Customized Resources, Hands-On Training, and Comprehensive Supports
Award Amount: $299,353
Institution: The Food Group
Project Director: Laura Hedeen (laura@mnfoodassociation.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
This project builds on the success of two previous BFRDP...
This project builds on the success of two previous BFRDP awards to Minnesota Food Association (MFA), now a program of The Food Group. MFA is a national leader in providing land-based, intensive and experiential training to beginning farmers from diverse backgrounds, including immigrants, refugees, limited-resource farmers, and African-, Asian-, and Hispanic-American farmers. The goals of this project are to: 1) Continue offering beginning, socially disadvantaged farmers comprehensive training in organic vegetable production, with access to land and markets; 2) Utilize partnerships to improve training curriculum, develop new tools, and increase accessibility of the farmer education program. This project will continue MFA's successful farmer education program, incubator farm, and annual conference for socially disadvantaged farmers (the largest in the country), while offering enhanced services in the areas of farm business management, financial risk management and goal-setting. Video technology will be utilized to increase the accessibility of MFA's training curriculum for a variety of farmer audiences. The project includes partnerships with Land Stewardship Project (LSP), Hmong American Partnership (HAP), and New Entry Sustainable Farming Project's National Incubator Farm Training Initiative (NIFTI) to reach more farmers and share new tools created. Partnerships with a local food hub (The Good Acre) and a farmer cooperative (Shared Ground) will provide access to markets and additional supports for participating farmers. This project was designed to address specific needs expressed by beginning SDA farmers and was informed by results from past projects, particularly the need for more assistance with farm financial viability over the long term.
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Enhancing the Success and Viability of Beginner Farmer Ranchers in Central Oregon
Award Amount: $282,902
Institution: High Desert Food & Farm Alliance
Project Director: Katrina Van Dis (katrina@hdffa.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The High Desert Food & Farm Alliance will collaborate with...
The High Desert Food & Farm Alliance will collaborate with Oregon State University staff and regional and state-wide partners in Oregon to improve and ensure farm and ranch viability in Central Oregon through targeted educational activities, mentoring, improved market access, and diversification. This project will be implemented in a tri-county region and will serve primarily small family farmers and ranchers that grow and raise food for local markets. The project will improve farming practices and market diversification through educational, networking and mentoring opportunities; develop and implement a regional agritourism project; provide assistance to the Central Oregon Veterans Ranch to develop and sustain a livestock program with a dual therapeutic and economic focus; and improve the understanding and engagement in public policies that affect farm and ranch operations. These objectives will be accomplished through a number of activities including: face to face workshops and hands-on educational demonstrations at regional farms and ranches, butchering facilities and grocery stores; farmer/rancher mentoring; on-farm pasture and greenhouse management for veterans; and publishing of print and online materials for consumer education and engagement. These activities are designed to enhance participants’ success with sustainability augmented through peer-learning, support services and learning opportunities. All the projects will be evaluated to inform program improvement and the overall success and impact of the project. The target audience is 250 individuals with a direct impact on 60 beginning farmers and ranchers. The project will collectively impact regional farmers, ranchers and consumers, while simultaneously informing regional and state-wide organizations.
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Enhancing the Sustainability and Viability of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers through Training Exercises, Mentoring and Outreach Programs
Award Amount: $538,271
Institution: WINSTON COUNTY SELF HELP COOPERATIVE
Project Director: Frank Taylor (fltaylor@bellsouth.net)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The need to provide mechanism for increased income for small...
The need to provide mechanism for increased income for small and mid-sized farm families is of growing importance. New knowledge that will enable beginning
small and limited-resource farmers sustainably produce products of higher value and capture a larger share of the food market is needed. The question is how can new and beginning farmers structure their agribusiness to produce high quality products, compete in the market place, and generate returns that will improve their quality of life? This question can be addressed by developing and implementing programs that include sustainable forestry, livestock and crop production practices, marketing strategy that aimed at achieving the highest possible profit and farm financial plans that keep debt low and good record keeping.
Therefore, The Winston County Self Help Cooperative (WCSHC) is seeking
funding from USDA to support its project, entitled “Enhancing the
Sustainability and Viability of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers through Training
Exercises, Mentoring and Outreach Programs”. This project will expose 150 project
participants including veterans on issues that engage them in a model of
learning through hands-on training exercises, mentoring and outreach programs
that enhance self-employment in farming, ranching and forestry opportunities. Our audience will be knowledgeable in both economic
and ecological subjects and will have the tools to make better production,
management and marketing decisions. This project will serve as a model for
other organizations.
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Enhancing Veterans Farm Fellows Program
Award Amount: $95,747
Institution: Veterans Farm
Project Director: Adam Burke (adam@veteransfarm.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Veterans Farm was established in 2010 as a handicap accessible...
Veterans Farm was established in 2010 as a handicap accessible farm for disabled combat veterans. The farm was
founded by Adam Burke, a Purple Heart veteran, after he returned home from his deployments with multiple wounds of
war. Through farming and returning to his roots, Adam was able to overcome his injuries and at that point decided to
give back to fellow disabled veterans by establishing a horticulture therapy program on his farm.
Through the Enhancing Veterans Farm Fellowship Program, our aim was threefold to recruit and provide training
to veterans for a sustainable economic career in farming, to offer veterans a strong support mentoring system and
provide the resources they will need to start their agriculture ventures. Veterans Farm, sought a Beginning Farmers and
Rancher Development Program grant to help returning combat war veterans develop the fundamentals of private farm
related businesses that will be sustainable over the long term. The grant hastened the Veterans Farm progress
toward a comprehensive farm based training program that focused on the needs of those post war veterans who
suffer from traumatic brain injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other combat related injuries. In
addition, the program focused on junior military personnel who have not had the opportunity to gain extensive
technical skills or training. Studies have shown that this is the group of veterans most at high risk for long term
In all the project had an overwhelming success and impact in our veterans and civilian community at large and inspired hundreds to begin farming.
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Ensuring Beginning Farmers` Long-Term Commercial Success
Award Amount: $597,599
Institution: Future Harvest - Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture
Project Director: Sarah Sohn (sarah@futureharvestcasa.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The overarching long-term goal of the Ensuring New Farmers’ Long-Term...
The overarching long-term goal of the Ensuring New Farmers’ Long-Term Commercial Success: A Comprehensive Beginner Farmer Training Program for Maryland project is to provide beginning- and intermediate-level programming to grow a new farmer workforce well-trained in practices that ensure long-term economic success, reduce agricultural pollution to the Chesapeake Bay, and build soil health.
Four objectives will support this long-term goal:
*To ensure beginning farmers’ long-term commercial success
*To grow more new, well-trained farmers in the Chesapeake region
*To add specializations -- urban, grazing as well as rural
*To build a producer support network
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Evaluating Beginning Farmer Programs: Identifying Outcomes, Impacts and Factors Relating to Success
Award Amount: $150,000
Institution: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Project Director: Juli Obudzinski (jobudzinski@sustainableagriculture.net)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
As interest in new farmer training continues to grow across...
As interest in new farmer training continues to grow across the country, and more new farmer training projects launch every year, it is imperative that we better understand how to design the most effective and successful new farmer training programs, as well as demonstrate the impacts federal investment have on growing the next generation of farmers. Since the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) was first created in 2008, over $100 million has been invested to support over 200 new farmer
training projects impacting farmers in every state across the country. And while each project is required to track and report
outcomes and impacts, to date, no national-level analysis has ever been completed of BFRDP as a whole. Our project seeks to conduct the first ever comprehensive
evaluation of BFRDP funded projects by analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from project reports, conducting
additional evaluation activities as needed, and assessing the long-term impacts of completed projects for which data has not yet
been collected. With this project, we seek to better understand both the short and long-term outcomes and impacts of BFRDP
as a whole, and to better understand the factors that lead to more successful new farmer training projects.
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Evaluating, Renovating and Strengthening Pennsylvania`s Beginning Farmer Apprenticeship Programs
Award Amount: $100,000
Institution: Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agroculture
Project Director: Franklin Egan (franklin@pasafarming.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) seeks to improve...
The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) seeks to improve the state of sustainable agriculture by attracting new farmers and giving them access to training and education opportunities that will ensure their ability to succeed in the long term. Apprenticeships that are well planned and supplemented by business training have great potential. Though apprenticeships are currently used widely in the sustainable agriculture community, we still find beginning farmers ill-equipped and often failing in the first 10 years. The limited existing studies of apprentices or their host farms demonstrate this, and from the data emerges a narrative of frustration on both sides in regards to unmet expectations and a sense of wasted time. In many cases, the host farms themselves are beginning farmers. Through this project, PASA sees an opportunity to serve beginning farmers at various stages of their early farming careers.
To strengthen the farm apprentice network in Pennsylvania, we first must understand the previous experiences of apprentices and their hosts. This project will conduct a thorough needs assessment of both apprentices and host farms throughout Pennsylvania. The information gathered during the needs assessment will guide the development of future educational programming for these groups to bolster the experience for all involved. The second part of this project will be the creation and publication of a host farm directory to be distributed widely online and in print. PASA is seen as a trusted source for information regarding sustainable agriculture and will provide to those seeking apprenticeships a vetted directory of opportunities for taking their agricultural aspirations to the next level. The needs assessment will help to ensure that the on-farm programs give aspiring farmers proper training and put them firmly on the road to farming successfully themselves.
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Evaluation Support and Technical Assistance EET for Beginning Farmer and Rancher Programs
Award Amount: $599,820
Institution: University of Callifornia - Santa Cruz
Project Director: Daniel Press (dpress@ucsc.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The long-term goal of this project is to support the...
The long-term goal of this project is to support the development of strong, effective, and long-lasting farmer and rancher training programs to ensure that beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) can enter the field and establish successful farming businesses. This educational enhancement team project will meet this goal by equipping BFR training organizations nationally with tools and skills to effectively conduct evaluations that clearly document program impact, improve programming, and enable program staff to identify and respond to farmer needs. Such documentation and program improvements will increase participants' success and provide the accountability needed for the long-term viability of BFR programs. The project's activities are based on feedback from beginning farmer and rancher educators and the recommendations of a recent NIFA-sponsored evaluation of the BFRDP funding program, both of which encourage more resources and training so that educators can effectively conduct evaluations and provide clearer accountability. The project will identify currently available resources for effective evaluation practices. It will then create needed resources (lists of example survey tools, examples of desired project outcomes, etc.), trainings, and a learning community for BFR training organization staff. The intended outcomes of this project are that BFR organizations will more effectively and efficiently design and conduct evaluations for accountability and program improvement.
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Expanding Farming Systems and Marketing Opportunities for Refugee and Native American Farmers in the Mountain West
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: Utah State University
Project Director: Kynda Curtis (kynda.curtis@usu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
This project seeks to increase the number of beginning farmers...
This project seeks to increase the number of beginning farmers in the Mountain West through the establishment of three farm incubators sites, including demonstration gardens and technology demos, serving refugee/new American, Native American, and FFA/4H students. Utah State University will collaborate with New Roots, and established incubator program in Salt Lake City, to expand to a larger site in Salt Lake, as well as establish and provide technical training at two additional sites in rural Native American communities. Additional collaborators including school districts, USDA agencies, county governments, as well as tribal organizations and governments will provide advisory, technical, and instructional contributions to the project. USU will also provide train-the-trainer sessions to New Roots staff, as well as provide educational programs and technical assistance to participants at all sites to increase understanding, knowledge, and financial success. A total of 65 new refugee farmers, 16 Native American farmers, and 250 agricultural students will be served by the project. Hence, a total of 81 new farmers with sites will be established with $245,000 in sales achieved for these farmers, and 45 students will select urban farming topics for their course or program project. This project will lead to increased understanding and knowledge of small-scale and urban farming systems and provide needed economic development and access to fresh produce in rural Native American communities in Utah, Arizona, and Idaho.
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Expanding the Incubator Paradigm: Creating Pathways for Socially Disadvantaged Beginning Farmers
Award Amount: $594,333
Institution: Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming
Project Director: Elizabeth Gabriel (elizabeth@groundswellcenter.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
PROJECT SUMMARYTitle: Expanding the Incubator Paradigm: Creating Pathways for Socially...
PROJECT SUMMARY
Title: Expanding the Incubator Paradigm: Creating Pathways for Socially Disadvantaged Beginning Farmers
PD: Elizabeth Gabriel, Executive Director, Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming
Co-PD: Todd McLane, Founder/Farm Director, Tompkins Cortland Community College Farm
Project Description: Central New York is a booming agricultural region with 400 direct market farms within 30 miles of Ithaca; however, only 2% of farmers in the region are farmers of color. ‘Expanding the Incubator Paradigm: Creating Pathways for Socially Disadvantaged Beginning Farmers’ is a community-based project designed to address this disparity through collaborative land access, intensive farmer readiness training, developing new market channels, and support of farm entrepreneurship for beginning and exploring farmers, especially women, people of color, and refugees. The project builds on the success of Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming current farm business incubation programming through four distinct approaches; (a) Establish a Community Farm for 40 beginning farmers growing for community self-sufficiency and supplemental income; (b) Transition a profitable legacy farm to a production-based training program that offers opportunities for an intensive Farmer Readiness Practicum for 24 aspiring farmers and farm business incubation for 6 beginning farmers; (c) Offer hands-on training in farming, food justice, and business development through field days, workshops, and courses for over 1,100 participants; and (d) Creates a sub-hub for aggregating local produce from 17 farms for regional wholesale markets.
Goal: Increase the number of refugees, women, and people of color producing food and running viable and regenerative farm businesses in Central New York.
Other collaborating organizations: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schuyler County, Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY, Cornell Small Farms Program, Headwater Food Hub, Cornell University, Rocky Acres Community Farm, Van Noble Farms, Northland Sheep Dairy, West Haven Farm, Paw Pha’s Veggie Farm
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Experiential Training to advance the Economic and Social Viability of New Beginning, Farmers in USDA Strike Force Counties of Eastern North Carolina
Award Amount: $553,742
Institution: Whitaker Small Farm Group Inc.
Project Director: Charles Whitaker (c.l.w.whitaker@comcast.net)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The target area is primarily within the USDA Strike Counties...
The target area is primarily within the USDA Strike Counties in Eastern, NC. WSFG is shifting to a more proven to be successful approach of “Learning While Doing”. This project will address the barriers faced by new beginning farmers (NBF) by using experiential training through apprenticeship and mentoring, access to incubator farms, classroom based workshops and hands-on activities to build knowledge and skills required to make well informed business decisions and to operate sustainable and profitable farms. We are initiating an apprenticeship program for 24 NBF at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in Goldsboro, NC. Apprentice will be exposed to many aspects of sustainable agriculture production and farm management. Upon graduating, they will launch their new farming ventures on our Incubator Farms. Our collaborators have provided access to their farm sites and facilities at no cost to the project.
We will provide progressive training in a Business Management Academy, offering courses that will build knowledge and skills for successful farm management practices. We will engage a certified nutritionist to train participants to add value to harvested produce and market directly to the community. 25 participants will receive training geared towards Beekeeping certification. These activities will provide other options for additional income.
We will increase participation and awareness of USDA programs by providing aggressive outreach to the identified communities. We estimate to reach out to over 180 participants. We will facilitate one-on-one assistance with the appropriate agency specialist and will assist farmers to apply for program assistance.
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Facilitating success for beginning farmers and ranchers in Washington`s remote island communities.
Award Amount: $554,548
Institution: Organic Farm School
Project Director: Sebastian Aguilar (sebastian@organicfarmschool.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
This project seeks to serve new and existing beginning
farmers and...
This project seeks to serve new and existing beginning
farmers and ranchers (BFRs) on islands in NW Washington State and beyond
through providing education and training, access to land and technical
assistance. A collaboration of five organizations, all currently active in the
education and assistance of BFRs, this project seeks to improve and expand the
resources and opportunities available to these BFRs. Whidbey Island and San
Juan County both have ample farmland (much of which is underutilized), growing
markets for local and regional products, and a climate conducive to the
production of high-value crops and animal products. In addition, the
development of mobile meat and poultry processing units that can access these
remote islands now offers island BFRs a unique opportunity to develop a
livestock or poultry enterprise. For BFRs to take advantage of these
opportunities successfully, they need education and training on best practices
for crop, livestock, poultry and forage production, access to quality farmland,
technical assistance on financial planning and marketing as well as the support
an experienced farming mentor can offer. This project seeks to address these
needs through five objectives: 1) offering a workshop series on each island, 2)
expanding a full-time farmer training program to include more thorough training
on livestock and forage production as well as mechanics, financial management
and marketing, 3) creating a program to assist
BFR access to available and/or underutilized farmland, 4) offering technical
assistance on business planning, financial management, and marketing, and 5)
create a mentoring program linking regional elder farmers to local BFRs.
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Farm Beginnings from Regional to National: Beginning Farmers and Viable Farms Initiative
Award Amount: $384,649
Institution: Land Stewardship Project
Project Director: Amy Bacigalupo (amyb@landstewardshipproject.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Project SummaryTitle: Farm Beginnings from Regional to National: Beginning Farmers...
Project Summary
Title: Farm Beginnings from Regional to National: Beginning Farmers and Viable Farms Initiative
Project Director, Amy Bacigalupo, Land Stewardship Project (LSP)
Project co-Director, Tom Spaulding, Angelic Organic Learning Center (AOLC)
Project co-Director, Frank James, Dakota Rural Action (DRA)
The long-term goal of the Farm Beginnings Collaborative (FBC) is to expand the use of farmer-to-farmer training models as a proven approach for increasing the number and viability of farms producing food for local and regional food systems. To get there, we need to strengthen existing Farm Beginnings programs and replicate the Farm Beginnings program from our existing ten organizations and farmer alliances serving 12 states to more than 30 additional organizations and farmer alliances serving all 50 states.
To reach this goal we have prioritized the following objectives for the next three years:
? Identify gaps and improve financial planning education for beginning farmers;
? Replicate Farm Beginnings with 3 to 5 new organizations joining the FBC;
? Expand the capacity of Farm Beginnings programs to reach socially disadvantaged farmers; and
? Increase the use of USDA programs by beginning farmers.
As a result of this project we will have increased the knowledge and skill of 17 beginning farmer trainers in financial planning education; 15 farmer training organizations will have adopted improved curriculum, 3 – 5 organizations will start Farm Beginnings programs and we will share a Best Practices Report, “Financial Planning Education for Beginning Farmers,” with 500 individuals either through on-line views of the report or during in-person presentations. The long term impact of this project will be that there are more successful beginning farmers served through expanded and improved farmer-to-farmer training programs that are connected to the Farm Beginnings Collaborative from resources generated through this project.
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Farm Management Educational Program for New, Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in Mississippi
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: Alcorn State University
Project Director: Elizabeth Myles (emyles@alcorn.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The overall goal of the proposed Farm Management Educational Program...
The overall goal of the proposed Farm Management Educational Program (FMEP) is to recruit, train and equip 300 new, beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) with the tools and resources necessary to generate and implement a feasible farm plan, becoming sustainable in vegetable and meat goat production. The objectives are to provide educational training and hands-on demonstration in basic crop and livestock production; financial management and risks mitigation; market diversification and risks mitigation; food safety and biosecurity; and programs and services of the current farm bill.
In year one, 300 participants will learn the fundamentals of farming. In year two, approximately 50% of the participants from year 1 will develop farm plans for their prospective enterprises. In year three, participants with developed plans will have an opportunity to implement them, utilizing accessible resources. The outputs for this project include farm management tools necessary for viability. The outcomes will enhance the capacity of new farmers and ranchers to implement a realistic farm plan, market a quality product, explore the many beneficial opportunities in the farm bill, and have a more productive workforce. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) include: Alliance of Sustainable Farms, Mid-South Progressive Agriculture Group, Mileston Cooperative Association, Mississippi Meat Goat Producers Cooperative, and National Center for Appropriate Technology. Twenty-five percent (25%) of total federal funds requested will be allocated to these NGOs. 100% of the budget will be allocated to assisting new, beginning farmers and ranchers (including retired and disabled military veterans); socially-disadvantage producers who are African-American and women.
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Farm Pathway:Integrating Farmer Training with Land Access
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
Project Director: Kristy Urquhart (kristy@appalachian.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Farm Pathways is a whole-farm training and
innovative land...
Farm Pathways is a whole-farm training and
innovative land access program for beginning farmers in the Southern
Appalachians. Three partners, with guidance from regional farmers, are
collaborating to implement the program: Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy,
Organic Growers School and WNC FarmLink. This project fills the current gaps
in regional agricultural services by rebuilding a path to agriculture for the
next generation of farmers.
Our goal is clear. We want
more farmers on the land and a system in which family farms can flourish. Our
role is to facilitate training, land access, networking and mentoring systems
through the start-up years to ensure that beginning farmers are prepared to
start farming, add/change enterprises, or delay farming to increase the
likelihood of success.
Farm Pathways will accomplish
this by providing:
1. A structure of
comprehensive, holistic, whole-farm educational opportunities for beginning
farmers at multiple learning phases; 2. Equitable & Affordable Access to
Land; 3. Ongoing Mentorship & Networking; 4. Increased regional
leadership and community support of farmers that results from the collective
impact and synergy of the team.
The outcome will be 1200
beginning farmers who start to farm, enhance their farm plan, improve their
farming systems, receive significant training & assistance with
production and farm planning, and/or gain access to farmland & support.
These methods will increase the success rate of beginning farmers in our
region.
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Farm Pathways: Access to Land, Livelihood, and Learning
Award Amount: $100,000
Institution: Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
Project Director: Kristy Urquhart (kristy@appalachian.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The Farm Pathways:
Access to Land, Livelihood, and Learning project will...
The Farm Pathways:
Access to Land, Livelihood, and Learning project will fill gaps in regional agricultural services for beginning farmers
by providing comprehensive training and innovative land access opportunities in
Western North Carolina (WNC) and creating a replicable model of collaborative
farmer training that can be used across the United States. The Southern Appalachian Highlands
Conservancy (SAHC), the Organic Growers School (OGS), and WNC FarmLink (WNCFL).
The three project partners will develop capacity to create the farm production,
business, and land access curriculum and resources that beginning farmers in
the region need to start successful farm enterprises. Specifically, the
partners will build the foundation for Farm Pathways, in order to support
beginning farmers in the following ways:
1.) SAHC will develop capacity to build the
Farmer Incubator Project into a comprehensive, robust program that includes
hands-on production workshops, reduced land rental rates, farming
infrastructure, and farm equipment training and leasing for beginning farmers
to start their own businesses. Furthermore, SAHC will create a strategic plan
to expand the Farmland Access Service, which provides beginning farmers with
access to affordable farmland in WNC. The strategic plan will lay the
groundwork for acquiring viable farmland parcels, placing them under conservation
easement and deed restriction, and then leasing them to beginning farmers
and/or re-selling to farmers at agricultural value (Buy-Protect-Farm/Lease).
2.) OGS will design, build, and implement the
Beginning Farmer Training Curriculum (BFTC) to provide practical, whole-farm
business, financial, and marketing planning to beginning and expanding farmers.
This BFTC program will either be in partnership with Farm Beginnings by using
their curriculum, or OGS will work with local consultants and farmers to create
a similar program. In addition, OGS will expand Apprentice Link (AL) and
Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) programs, which
offers experiential, peer-to-peer production & farm management training and
mentoring. These programs will reinforce one another and be strategically
aligned.
3.) WNCFL will expand programming to increase
personalized one-on-one consultation, provide group workshops to help beginning
farmers negotiate equitable leases and prepare logistically and financially for
long-term land tenure and purchase, which is a major obstacle for beginning
farmers.
4.) Complex social problems are often solved
through a collaborative approach across organizations. SAHC, OGS and WNCFL are
poised to build a solid team for that collective impact. During this one-year
development time frame, these three groups will work together to create a
cohesive structure, trust-based professional relationship, and a cooperative
workflow for implementing the Farm Pathways project. We plan to develop
our joint capacity in further defining our target audience and their needs,
coordinate training curriculum and timelines, design a joint outreach and
marketing plan, and outline a comprehensive evaluation and assessment toolkit
to ascertain impact. For all three organizations, the end goal is to meet the
needs of beginning farmers in our region so that they may create viable farm
businesses.
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Farm School NYC 2016-2019: Enhancing Educational Experiences, Resources, and Support for Beginning Urban Farmers
Award Amount: $593,930
Institution: Farm School NYC / Just Food
Project Director: Onika Abraham (onika@justfood.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Farm School NYC is a comprehensive, professional training program for...
Farm School NYC is a comprehensive, professional training program for New York City residents seeking to develop agriculture skills and begin careers in urban farming. The School’s goal is to train the next generation of urban farmers, with a focus on limited resource and socially disadvantaged students, and to increase access to healthy, local food in urban communities by supporting the proliferation of urban agriculture projects. To date, over 350 students have participated in individual courses and more than 60 have participated in the certificate program. With assistance from the BFRDP grant, Farm School NYC will enhance and expand its urban agricultural curriculum and apprenticeship program; develop a new partnership with The Youth Farm to offer an expedited certificate with intensive on-farm training; and create the first urban-based Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) program in the Northeast to support beginning farmers throughout the metropolitan area. Moreover, the School will deepen its outreach and support strategies to help low resource and socially disadvantaged New Yorkers, to whom the School allocates 50% of its budget, achieve their professional farming goals.
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Farm to School Academy for Beginning Farmers
Award Amount: $100,000
Institution: Holmes County Food Hub
Project Director: Glyen Holmes (nnfc1996@yahoo.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The proposed project will utilize the business incubator model for...
The proposed project will utilize the business incubator model for agricultural production and marketing demonstrations targeting new and beginning farmers. The incubator will be an intensive, hands-on approach working with a small group of new and beginning farmers to establish core business plans and practices that will enable them to facilitate successful Farm to School business ventures. Holmes County Food Hub will provide the technical training and support in enterprise production, marketing and business development in coordination with various resource providers including local extension and USDA agencies. This training and assistance in market development, value-added production and distribution will enable participants to obtain "real-word, hands-on experiences. The Farm to School Academy Demonstration/Training Site will be also used to demonstrate and evaluate various alternative enterprises, production management practices and markets development models. A five to twenty acre production site will be established to demonstrate select economically viable and sustainable crop enterprises for the Farm to School market. Workshops and field days will be conducted to demonstrate the viability of viability of Farm to School market opportunities. On-site enterprise production and market demonstrations will be complemented with business management seminars and market demonstrations will be complemented with business management seminars and workshops related to those enterprises and markets. The training activities are designed to enhance capacity in agricultural entrepreneurship.
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Farm Transition and Business Planning for Beginning Immigrant and Refugee Farmers through Farmer to Farmer Mentorship
Award Amount: $589,508
Institution: World Farmers
Project Director: Maria Moreira (mmoreira@worldfarmers.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The long-term goal of this three-year collaborative
project is to transition...
The long-term goal of this three-year collaborative
project is to transition beginning immigrant and refugee farmers onto
independent land and to increase farmers’ agricultural capacity as they take
their operation to the next level. The target audience for this project is the
250+ immigrant and refugee farmers at Flats Mentor Farm in Lancaster, MA and
other immigrant and refugee farmers in New England. This project covers seven
of the priority BFRDP topic areas: A-D, F, H, and K. Throughout this project,
World Farmers and collaborating organizations will achieve the following
objectives: 1) Provide farm transition planning assistance for immigrant and
refugee farmers; 2) Transition small-scale or subsistence farmers to the next phase
of their operations; 3) Conduct training and technical assistance in the areas
of crop management and pest identification; 4) Assist in farmer land
acquisition efforts. This project and all its partners is dedicated to providing
customized support to each farmer as they establish their individual farming enterprise,
and to strengthen and enhance a new social fabric that welcomes new and diverse
community members.
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Farm Works: Supporting beginning, limited resource farmers, including immigrants and refugees, in the Puget Sound Region
Award Amount: $750,000
Institution: Seattle Tilth Association
Project Director: Andrea Dwyer (andreadwyer@seattletilth.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The Farm Works
Agricultural Training and Incubator Project expands opportunities for...
The Farm Works
Agricultural Training and Incubator Project expands opportunities for farmers
in the Puget Sound Region. 100% of the work plan supports limited resource
beginning farmers, including immigrants and refugees. Our outreach includes
strong partnerships with refugee and immigrant community groups, as well as
other social service providers and young farmer networks. Project participants
receive linguistically and culturally appropriate training through a 20
week farming and business education course, and at the end of the training,
have access to land at heavily subsidized rates, as well as on-site
technical assistance at our incubator site. Our previous experience indicates
that beginning farmers benefit from the shared infrastructure, as well as from
farming alongside each other. Farmers also benefit from assistance in
developing markets, including the opportunity to sell their product to Seattle
Tilth Produce, a food hub now in its second year. As part of this proposal,
Seattle Tilth:
• Provides beginning
education programs and farmer workshops to 24 - 30 new participants
• Incubates at least 24
new farms and provide continued technical assistance for an additional 12 - 16 farms
• Provides technical
assistance on farming, marketing and business development questions to at 36-40
beginning farmers
• Trains at least 3 graduates to provide mentoring
services to other farmers in their communities.
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Farmer Education and Enterprise Development (FEED) for beginning, socially-disadvantaged (BSD) farmers in the Salinas Valley
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: ALBA
Project Director: Christopher Brown (chris@albafarmers.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
1. Project Title: Farmer Education and Enterprise Development (FEED) Project2....
1. Project Title: Farmer Education and Enterprise Development (FEED) Project 2. Project Director(s): Chris Brown and Nathan Harkleroad of ALBA 3. Project Description: The FEED goal is to educate and train 150 beginning and socially disadvantaged (BSD) farmers to plan, launch, and/or sustainably establish independent organic farm businesses. FEED will serve low-income Latinos in the Salinas Valley – many of whom are immigrant farm workers - helping them achieve the dream of farm ownership and economic independence. Though an ambitious goal, ALBA is uniquely positioned to achieve it due to our 110 acres of organic land, a well-qualified team and an intensive, experiential, multi-year farmer development program. Furthermore, ALBA will tap four longstanding partner organizations to expand and extend services to farmers even after they transition off ALBA’s land. FEED’s objectives focus on all stages of BSD farmer development from start-up through farm incubation and transition fromALBA land and finally to maturation. Obj. 1: Farmers receive intensive education and TA to prepare for and launch farm businesses.
Obj. 2: Farms strengthened through intensive production and business development services.
Obj. 3: Farms receive transition and business consulting services to firmly establish independent farm businesses off of ALBA ground. In addition, outreach, information and assistance will be provided to an additional 300+ regional BSD farmers. The FEED consortium provides a comprehensive farmer development program leveraging the agricultural skills of BSD farmers to capitalize on growing markets for locally-produced, organic food in the San Francisco Bay Area. FEED combines affordable access to resources, intensive production and business assistance and linkages to loans and key business services needed to establish a farm business. 4. Collaborating Organizations:
a. California FarmLink
b. Carlson Food Safety Consulting
c. Community Alliance with Family Farmers
d. Kitchen Table Advisors
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Farmer-to-Farmer Mentoring for Beginning, Immigrant, & Refugee Farmers in Crop Production & Marketing Using the Existing Thirty Year Old Fl
Award Amount: $711,000
Institution: World Farmers
Project Director: Maria Moreira (mmoreira@worldfarmers.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The long-term goal of this three year Collaborative project
is to...
The long-term goal of this three year Collaborative project
is to increase the agricultural production capacity of beginning, immigrant,
and refugee farmers via farmer-to-farmer mentoring, training and technical
assistance on all aspects of crop production and marketing necessary to operate successful sustainable
farming enterprises, increase farm ownership rates, and promote environmental
stewardship. The target audience for this project is the over 250+ beginning,
immigrant, and refugee farmers who farm at the Flats Mentor Farm in Lancaster
MA. The re-submission of this STANDARD three-year collaborative project proposal
will partner with these institutions: UMass Extension. Growing Places, Nashoba
Regional High School, the Lancaster Ag Commission, the Lancaster Community
Center, and Rural Coalition to achieve the following objectives: 1) Provide
technical assistance to beginning farmers according to their level of capacity
in the three phases of the Flats Mentoring Program; 2) Develop food safety
certification program; 3) Cultivate innovative marketing strategies; 4) Provide
tools and develop skills on financial and risk management; 5) Expand the
Farmer-to-Farmer Flats Mentoring model to include a pre-Phase #1 assessment
component and embrace the energy of our youth at the high school to assist
farmers at the farmers markets. 6) Increase beginning farmer participation in
USDA programs.
World Farmers (WF) will allocate 26% of the budget to the
collaborating institutions as follows: UMass Amherst (8%), Growing Places (8%)
Lancaster senior center (1.2%), Lancaster agricultural commission (1%), Nashoba
Regional School (6%), Rural coalition (2%). In addition, other federal offices
and private firms have expressed their interest in supporting this
collaborative project.
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FARMING DETROIT -- An education and training partnership between The Greening of Detroit and the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network
Award Amount: $100,000
Institution: The Greening of Detroit
Project Director: Tepfirah Rushdan (tepfirah.rushdan@greeningofdetroit.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The Greening of Detroit (The Greening) and Detroit Black Community...
The Greening of Detroit (The Greening) and Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN) collaborated on the Farming Detroit project. This program is aimed at increasing the number of limited-resource beginning farmers with access to training, education, and mentoring opportunities, in order to address the specific needs of urban growers and ultimately to increase the number of farmers within Detroit. The project serves limited-resource beginning farmers that are socially disadvantaged, often facing multiple barriers to developing economic self-sustainability. This program provides apprentices an opportunity to develop skills and networks necessary for them to plan and develop the next steps required to further the success of their start-up farming operations. The program also formalizes a partnership between The Greening and DBCFSN that improves and standardizes training curriculum, while capitalizing on each partner's strengths and ability to expose participants to additional resources such as shared farm sites, teachers, and equipment. By leveraging the capacity of this partnership, the project maximizes the use of expertise and best practices learned by each organization in previous years, provides for more efficient use of financial, human and material resources, and allows for greater efficiency of administrative staff costs.
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Farming for Cash: A Continuing Training Program for Veteran, Socially-disadvantaged, and Limited-resource Beginning Farmers
Award Amount: $519,443
Institution: Kentucky State University
Project Director: Siddhartha Dasgupta (siddhartha.dasgupta@kysu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This project is a renewal
application of a funded Standard BFRDP...
This project is a renewal
application of a funded Standard BFRDP grant titled Farming for Cash: An
Apprenticeship Program for Kentucky’s Limited Resource and Small-Scale Farmers. This proposed project is a collaboration
between Kentucky State University (KSU) and multiple community-based
organizations (CBOs) in Kentucky who provides agricultural training to serve veterans
and the socially disadvantaged. The CBOs
will recruit beginning farmers, provide incubator farms for apprenticeships,
and classrooms for workshops. In-kind
match for the project is obtained by use of incubator farms (private farmland
and CBO farms). We expect to train a
total of 300 beginning farmers including 100 veterans, 80 refugees, and 120 socially-disadvantaged
beginning farmers.
This project will
identify barriers that prevent beginning farmers from starting to farm, and
then educate them in ways to remove these barriers. Some barriers may likely include the lack of land,
financing, marketing experience, and entrepreneurship skills. This project has a delivery plan that
addresses these barriers using workshops and apprenticeships at incubator
farms, at KSU’s Environmental Education and Research Center, and at farmers’
markets. The educational topics include building
knowledge and acquiring skills for land acquisition, financial management, and
production and marketing skills suitable for farmers with very limited resources.
This project is designed
to have important impacts beyond the grant period by creating a
land-acquisition program using social media, training CBO farm managers to
become future mentors for beginning farmers, and training CBOs to develop
farmers’ markets or food hubs as sales outlets for current and future beginning
farmers.
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FARMLAND FOR THE NEXT GENERATION:TRAINING THE TRAINERS TO HELP BEGINNERS SECURE LAND AND SUCCEED IN AGRICULTURE
Award Amount: $669,796
Institution: American Farmland Trust
Project Director: Julia Freedgood (jfreedgood@farmland.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
According to USDA’s
2012 Census of Agriculture, the number of beginning...
According to USDA’s
2012 Census of Agriculture, the number of beginning farmers and ranchers has
reached a 30-year low – down 20 percent in just five years. One key reason for
the decline is finding, affording and securing appropriate land to purchase or
rent. More than a third of U.S. farmers and ranchers are 65 years or older,
which suggests that in the next twenty years, at least 240 million acres of
agricultural land are likely to change hands. The future of American
agriculture hinges on the successful transfer of farm and ranch land to the
next generation.
Many resources are
available to support BFRs in production, marketing, and business planning, but
relatively few exist to help BFRs gain access to land. Farmland for the Next Generation will fill this gap. To achieve
this we will evaluate existing curricula and resources, create a comprehensive
curriculum that meets the needs of diverse populations, regions, and
agricultural systems. We will test and validate by delivering the curriculum to 25 experienced
agricultural educators who will pilot the curriculum with 500 BFRs, and ultimately extend
the training to 125 other trainers. At least 20% of the BFRs will reflect the increasing diversity of the next generation including young farmers, veterans, immigrants,
urban farmers, African American, Hispanic, and Native American, small and
limited resource farmers. The ultimate outcome is to help BFRs
secure land from retiring farmers and ranchers, as well as institutional and non-operating
landowners.
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FARRMS: Growing Together
Award Amount: $513,959
Institution: FARRMS
Project Director: Stephanie Blumhagen (info@farrms.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
FARRMS: Growing Together is strategic partnership between FARRMS and many...
FARRMS: Growing Together is strategic partnership between FARRMS and many F/M area organizations funded by a USDA BFRDP Grant. Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota (LSS), contributes significant matching resources as the fiscal sponsor of Growing Together, a community gardening organization based in Fargo that serves new Americans. The project will help train new farmers in North Dakota by providing an annual Farm Beginnings course, internship opportunities, farm tours, and workshops. An advisory council called the New Farmer TAsk Force will provide project oversight. Special emphasis is on serving New Americans in the Red River Valley.
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Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable Farms
Award Amount: $596,517
Institution: Southside Community Land Trust
Project Director: Margaret DeVos (margaret@southsideclt.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable Farms seeks to increase the...
Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable Farms seeks to increase the number and success of limited resource and socially
disadvantaged beginning farmers in the state. Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) will accomplish this goal by leading an
experienced team to undertake four objectives: provide training and technical assistance, manage multiple incubator sites, offer
on-farm apprentice training, and facilitate a land transfer working group. Partners include RI Department of Environmental
Management, Brown University, RI Land Trust Council, Nature Conservancy RI Chapter, Northeast Organic Farming
Association, Northern Rhode Island Conservation District, Young Farmers Network, and University of Rhode Island. Through this program, the organization leverages the experience and relationships of program partners into meaningful
outcomes that would otherwise take years to achieve. Technical assistance and training for urban and rural farmers will
launch them onto their own farms. It will move urban farmers onto larger plots of land. It will lead to new behaviors that increase
production and strengthen co-operative marketing while improving sales and boosting Rhode Island's economy. Support for an
expanded apprentice program will increase the number of people who are prepared to begin their own farm businesses.
Effective management of incubator space, combined with execution of a broadly supported land transfer strategy will create
many new independent farms in a state where land values are astronomically high. Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable
Farms will help SCLT create significant change quickly in Rhode Island.
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Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable Farms
Award Amount: $6,000,000
Institution: Southside Community Land Trust
Project Director: Margaret DeVos (margaret@southsideclt.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable Farms seeks to increase the...
Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable Farms seeks to increase the number and success of limited resource and socially disadvantaged beginning farmers in the state. Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) will accomplish this goal by leading an experienced team to undertake four objectives: provide training and technical assistance, manage multiple incubator sites, offer on-farm apprentice training, and facilitate a land transfer working group. Partners include RI Department of Environmental Management, Land for Good, RI Land Trust Council, Jennifer Costanza PhD, RI Food Policy Council, Northern Rhode Island Conservation District, Young Farmers Network, and University of Rhode Island.
Through this program, the organization will leverage the experience and relationships of program partners into meaningful outcomes that would otherwise take years to achieve. Technical assistance and training for urban and rural farmers and will launch them onto their own farms. It will move urban farmers onto larger plots of land. It will lead to new behaviors that increase production and strengthen co-operative marketing while improving sales and boosting Rhode Island’s economy. Support for an expanded apprentice program will increase the number of people who are prepared to begin their own farm businesses. Effective management of incubator space, combined with execution of a broadly supported land transfer strategy will create many new independent farms in a state where land values are astronomically high. Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable Farms will help SCLT create significant change quickly in Rhode Island.
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Filling in the Gaps: Developing a Farmer Training Pipeline for Metropolitan NYC and Mid and Upper Hudson Valley Farmers with Special Emphasi
Award Amount: $693,918
Institution: Hawthorne Valley Association
Project Director: Rachel Schneider (rschneider@hawthornevalleyfarm.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This proposal will enable project collaborators to create a beginning...
This proposal will enable project collaborators to create a beginning farmer training pipeline for participants with 0-7 years of farming practice and help them to gain in knowledge, skills and planning capabilities in a consistent way, depending on their point of entry. Aspiring and beginning farmers are not a homogeneous group. They come with particular strengths and challenges and this project aims to meet them where they are at. The project will target aspiring and current farmers from socially disadvantaged and veteran communities who often are only marginally connected to existing beginning farmer offerings. Our programming will help to bring a greater diversity of farmers to the Hudson Valley. Farmers will pass through explorer, planner, start-up and enterprise stages of programming according to their farming experience. Specialized training will allow groups with particular needs such as veterans, young African American or Latino aspiring farmers or formerly incarcerated individuals to enter the farmer training pipeline having already worked through the unique set of issues they face in their own communities.
This project also allows the collaborators to deepen their work together. In this case seven organizations will be partnering to implement the project goals: Hawthorne Valley Farm, Grow NYC, the Bard Prison Initiative Re-Entry Program, Soul Fire Farm, the Black Urban Growers and Heroic Food. As service providers for target audiences, the more we work together, the more we can meet specific needs and challenges of our stakeholders. Finally, more advanced farmers will be able to scale up their operations in order to meet the challenge of providing an ongoing
sustainable living for themselves and their families as they continue their farming careers. Mentorship in specific skill areas, one on one technical advice and help with securing leases are all part of tailoring offerings to farmers exactly where they are at.
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First Generation Farmers: Developing a Beginning Farmer Incubator to Teach Strategies for Farming on the Urban-Edge
Award Amount: $200,000
Institution: First Generation Farmers
Project Director: Allison Cecchini (alli@firstgenerationfarmers.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Our goal is to support Beginning Farmers with the foundational...
Our goal is to support Beginning Farmers with the foundational production skills, business knowledge, and confidence they need to build farm enterprises that respond to the ever-growing metropolitan demand for sustainably grown, source-identified produce. With 550 acres of protected farmland available for incubation and long-term leasing, UESF envisions a cooperative future where dozens of small producers benefit from shared access to tools, labor, distribution, collective purchasing, product aggregation, and other cost efficiencies.
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Food Sovereignty: Growing Urban Farmers and Farms
Award Amount: $352,095
Institution: ECO City Farms
Project Director: Margaret Morgan Hubbard (mmh@ecocityfarms.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The purpose of this project is to amplify, deepen and...
The purpose of this project is to amplify, deepen and extend the knowledge and experience ECO City Farms earned over the past six years of offering intensive on-farm internships and apprenticeships, urban agriculture continuing education certification courses, gardening and master composting courses, nutrition education workshops, herbalism trainings and summer-long youth education programs. It test-drives a replicable curriculum and methodology by turning 24 novices, 60% of whom are socially or economically disadvantaged, into confident and competent urban farmers. ECO's educational approach includes comprehensive practical hands-on experiences and one-on-one mentoring/training, and a well-tested graphics-rich (rather than text-centric) culturally appropriate curriculum that includes all of the crop production, farm management, business, and management skills needed for graduates to roll up their sleeves and farm on their own land.
In sum, ECO's project consists of all the elements required to become a successful sustainable farmer:
1) intensive beginning and more advanced classroom training on a wide range of relevant farming and business topics;
2) intensive hands-on experiential training in actual farm work;
3) experiencing farming in all four seasons and at a variety of scales;
4) tools, seeds and a personal training plot on which to experiment over time;
5) a ready market for crops grown;
6) a cohort and network of supportive farmers and mentors; and
7) an opportunity to compete for placement on farmland in the second year with an experienced farmer close at hand and a small stipend to get started.
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Fortifying Rural Economic Empowerment (FREE): Multi-State Farm BusinessDevelopment, Innovative Farming Strategies, and Apprenticeship Program
Award Amount: $583,799
Institution: Winston County Self Help Cooperative
Project Director: Frank Taylor (fltaylor@bellsouth.net)
Funding Opportunity: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
In alignment with the BFRDP primary goal, this program takes...
In alignment with the BFRDP primary goal, this program takes a multi-state, client centric approach to bolstering rural jobs and supporting economic growth and development by empowering and training veterans and socially-disadvantaged, majority African-American, new and beginning farmers and ranchers in poverty-stricken, rural counties and parishes: Winston, Wayne, Scott, Covington counties of Mississippi and Tangipahoa Parish and St. Helena Parish of Louisiana. Delivering thorough and hands-on training, specialized mentoring, one-on-one technical assistance and establishing an apprenticeship program will help establish and enhance their successes in farming, ranching, and management of their private forest lands to enhance their overall sustainability. For this reason, our project priorities are identical to the Legislative Priorities, as demonstrated by our four objectives: - Assist target audience launch farm business with business plan writing and market training- prioritizing entrepreneurship, business training, financial and risk management and marketing strategies;
- Provide high-growth industry training and technical assistance- prioritizing basic livestock, forest management, crop farming practices and innovative strategies, like Agroforestry;
- Offer Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices certification training- prioritizing diversification and marketing strategies as well as food safety;
- Create a year-long apprenticeship program for young adults, ages 18-21, in order to establish a career pathway for young farmers and ranchers to own farm businesses and prioritize mentoring and vocational training.
Ultimately, the project thrives to achieve the following long-term goals: Low-income veteran, SD farmers and ranchers in rural MS and LA - Commonly and successfully yield quality products and produce, employ business and marketing strategies, and increase their income in their farm business to guarantee more economic stability and sustainability for themselves and their families;
- Poses the skills and confidence to access local, state, and federal resources to achieve success and sustainability of their farm businesses; and
- A system is established to ensure youth have the opportunity to prosper in their farm business.
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Free-Range & Pastured Poultry Training & Outreach Innovation Hub for Beginning Farmers in California & Oregon
Award Amount: $793,732
Institution: UC Davis School of Vet Med-Cooperative Ext
Project Director: Maurice Pitesky (mepitesky@ucdavis.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Free-range and pastured poultry operations are gaining
increasing popularity and are...
Free-range and pastured poultry operations are gaining
increasing popularity and are particularly attractive to beginning farmers
because of the relatively low start-up costs. However, there are significant
challenges associated with economic viability, animal welfare, food safety, environmental
management and training. This proposal seeks to leverage the UC Davis Pastured
Poultry Farm to create the Pastured Poultry Producers Training and Outreach
Innovation Hub (3P I-Hub). The 3P I-Hub will focus on multiple training
opportunities for beginning farmers including interested military veterans with
respect to five areas: 1) husbandry, 2) housing, equipment and predator
management 3) food safety, 4)
environmental management and 5) business management and marketing. In order to
leverage training opportunities, courses will be integrated into the current
curriculum of the California Farm Academy (CFA). The National Sustainable
Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA/NCAT) will facilitate recruitment of
beginning farmers in California and Oregon. Further recruitment of military veterans who
are new or beginning farmers will be done via collaborations with the UC Davis
Veterans Affairs Office and the Farmer Veteran Coalition. One-hundred percent
of the requested funds will be allocated to community-based organizations and
school-based agricultural educational organizations. Approximatley 2.5% of the
direct project budget will be allocated toward facilitating further training
for military veterans via farm internships. ATTRA/NCAT and CFA will be involved
in course development and teaching in addition to UC Davis faculty. The efficacy
of the training program will be evaluated via surveys and Social Network Analysis will be used to
identify successes and gaps in recruitment.
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Frontera Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Project
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Project Director: Juan Raygoza (juan.raygoza@utrgv.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
This project will provide outreach, training, technical assistance, and mentorship...
This project will provide outreach, training, technical assistance, and
mentorship to Hispanic and Veteran Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (BFRs)
in a 44-county border region of Texas and Southern New Mexico. 30% of
federal funds requested are allocated to NGOs and a CBO. 70% of project
funds are allocated to serving Hispanic BFRs; 30% to Veterans; 100% is
allocated to Limited Resource BFRs; and 20% to farm workers. This
project's service area has the highest numbers and greatest
concentrations of Hispanic farmers in the U.S. Strategic sub-award
partners include; Texas/Mexico Border Coalition CBO, La Semilla
FoodCenter, and National Center for Appropriate Technology. Additional
partners include an innovative partner with SCORE Chapters, as initiated
by the Secretary of Agriculture. Partners supporting farm-and-ranch
entrepreneurship include Small Business Development Centers, Veterans Business Outreach Center, and the Texas Rural Cooperative Center.This project is very relevant to the
primary goal of BFRDP: it will train, assist, and mentor
Limited-Resource Hispanic and Veteran BFRs to enter, and improve their
success, in farming and ranching.
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Generation Indigenous Food: Preparing Beginning Farmers and Ranchers for Success and Resilency
Award Amount: $681,459
Institution: University of Arkansas
Project Director: Janie Hipp (jhipp@uark.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This project brings together American
Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian...
This project brings together American
Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian beginning farmers and ranchers for
an intensive 10-day summit hosted by the Indigenous Food and Agriculture
Initiative (IFAI) at the University of Arkansas School of Law. The “Generation Indigenous Food and
Agriculture Summit” is a collaborative program developed by IFAI and
delivered by IFAI’s PD Janie Hipp & Co-PD Erin Shirl as well as Intertribal
Agriculture Council, Farm Credit Council, and the National FFA. Through a
comprehensive educational program incorporating classroom and experiential
learning, Native BFR learn farm financial management, risk management, and may take
advantage of a sustained mentorship network to encourage them to begin and
remain in farming and ranching. Both the mission and target audience of the
Summit align perfectly with the goals of BFRDP: the Summit aims to promote
farming, ranching, and agribusiness as productive and sustainable career
choices for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian youth; to secure
the future of Tribal food systems by promoting intertribal cooperation and an
understanding of food sovereignty in the lives of Native BFR; and to ensure the
success of future Native farmers and ranchers by giving them the specialized
education they need to thrive as the next generation of Indian Country food and
agriculture leaders. The inaugural Summit was held in 2014. The 2nd Summit was held in 2015. NIFA funded this project as a BFRDP project, and IFAI and
project partners will continue this successful program for a further three
years and increase the number of young Native people farming and ranching. The project funding occurred in the off-months between the 2015 and the 2016 Summit. The The first year Summit of the three years of BFRDP funding is Summit 2016 which was held in July 2016. Reporting will be provided on 2015 and 2016 outcomes.
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Global Garden Farm Chicago: Preparing Displaced Refugee Farmers for Vegetable Production in the Midwest
Award Amount: $71,080
Institution: Global Garden Refugee Trainig Farm
Project Director: Linda Seyler (globalgardenfarm@gmail.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Global Garden Refugee Training Farm (GGRTF) developed and delivered 2...
Global Garden Refugee Training Farm (GGRTF) developed and delivered 2 six-week courses to
prepare displaced refugee farmers for farming and farm business management in the Midwestern U.S. Fifteen farmers participated in the training, which was a first stage toward preparing them to develop farm business plans in preparation for establishing successful vegetable farms. Lesson plans were developed for another two topics: Season Extension and Soil Management.Lesson plans Teaching materials were designed to be appropriate for displaced refugee farmers with limited or no English and potentially low literacy in any language. In-class interpretation was provided for all sessions. Course content addressed both the prior experience and knowledge gaps unique to newly arrived displaced refugee farmers.
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Global Gardens New Farmer Training Project
Award Amount: $597,867
Institution: Jannus, Inc.
Project Director: Katie Painter (katiepainter.ised@gmail.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Global
Gardens trains beginning farmers who have cultural, linguistic, or economic
barriers...
Global
Gardens trains beginning farmers who have cultural, linguistic, or economic
barriers to success which might prevent them from otherwise becoming successful
farmers or accessing more mainstream farmer training programs. Our long-term
goal is to create sustainable, profitable, independent small farm businesses.
Our focus is mainly on organic or spray-free vegetable production with direct
sales through farmers’ markets and Community Supported Agriculture projects
(CSAs). Global Gardens is a land-based
incubator farm program which provides land, water, and other infrastructure for
beginning farmers’ use, as well as training and marketing support. Supporting objectives include assisting
farmers with land leases on incubator farms or independently and increasing the
size and number of available incubator plots, providing classroom and field
training, marketing support by facilitating farmers’ market and CSA
participation, financial literacy training, and mentoring opportunities. The
project will include nine paid on-farm internships for beginning farmers. Target audiences are refugees resettled in
Boise, ID, and Native American residents of the Duck Valley Reservation. Both groups are comprised of limited resource
and socially disadvantaged individuals. Expected outcomes include increases in
knowledge of sustainable vegetable production, marketing, and financial
literacy for participating farmers, establishment of new, refugee and
Native-owned farms, and increased productivity and farm income for those already
farming. Participation in this program
will promote increased integration into the larger community, and the
development of decision making and business management skills that will empower
participants to succeed in on-farm and off-farm pursuits.
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Global Growers Farmer Development Initiative
Award Amount: $598,095
Institution: Global Growers Network
Project Director: Robin Chanin (robin@globalgrowers.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Global Growers will develop a pipeline to opportunities in
agriculture sectors...
Global Growers will develop a pipeline to opportunities in
agriculture sectors for beginning farmers by providing direct assistance and
leveraging strategic partnerships to create access to land, knowledge, and
resources. It will also provide the tools necessary for beginning farmers to
access both direct-to-consumer and wholesale market opportunities in order to
ensure sustainable income-generation and to increase distribution of local
foods across the community and especially within socially disadvantaged
communities.
The project is divided into two tracks: 1) incubator farmer
pipeline, and 2) independent farmer pipeline. The incubator track includes a
full-season training program with access land, tools, and infrastructure
required for diversified vegetable production, along with access markets to
generate supplementary income. The independent farmer track includes access to
incubator farm workshops, with the primary emphasis on individual
consultations. The cumulative experience and expertise of participating
organizations and their shared vision will enable the GG Farmer Development
Initiative to efficiently achieve the outcomes detailed herein and to build
capacity to sustain
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