The Women, Food & Agriculture Network (WFAN) has been coordinating successful aspiring and beginning farmer programming for women and LGBTQ+ people for over 20 years, which has included facilitating one-on-one mentorships, mentor trainings, Learning Circles and other networking and training opportunities. This work began from a noted gap in opportunities for aspiring women farmers to find the inspiration, connections and empowerment they needed to pursue their farm dreams.
Our project proposal, Harvesting our Potential: Training Beginning Women Farmers Through Mentorship will strengthen our existing aspiring and beginning farmer programming in Iowa and extend our reach deeper into seven Midwest states - IA, OH, IL, WI, MN, MO, and NE, where limited to no women-centered mentorship programming exists, and where WFAN has deep roots, a strong and growing member base, and institutional relationships. In addition to the existing program offerings noted above, this project will support HOP participants to attend workshops, field days, farm visits, and short-term "skill-share" mentorships.
Our overall goals for this project include 1.) providing opportunities for beginning and intermediate (category 5 - all trainees with under 10 years of experience) women farmers in IA, OH, IL, WI, MN, MO, and NE to access local mentorship relationships and resources needed to make best decisions for their future business plans and/or current operations, and 2.) giving aspiring women farmers connections that boost interest, confidence and commitment in choosing farming as a calling. Ultimately this project will result in greater success rates for the sustainability of women's farming operations and an increase in start-ups of women-owned and operated farm businesses.