BFRDP Projects

Michigan`s Emerging Farmers Strategies and Tools to Enhance Success
[Final Report]

Award Amount: $744,810
Grant Program: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Director: Michael Hamm
Email: mhamm@msu.edu
Organization: Michigan State University

Return to Project Search

 

  • Overview
  • Results
  • Materials
  • Delivery Area
  • Comments

Project Overview

The overall project goal was to create a vibrant network of beginning farmer training across
Michigan catering to a range of perspectives and needs while moving everyone who desires to farm
along the path of business viability. We especially targeted farmers with several years of experience, seeking to address key elements that often derail farming business success: land access, capital access, market access, business planning, and a strategy for scaling up. Intensive on-farm workshops facilitated and led by teams of farmers and other experts were the primary means of assisting farmers. In addition, we provided stipends to a cohort of beginning farmers and we created tools and other learning resources. 

Our initial strategy focused on two sites. The Michigan State University Student Organic Farm in East Lansing, MI build on nine years of training beginning farmers and the Genesee County Women in Agriculture Network established a training/demonstration farm site in Grand Blanc, near Flint, MI. We developed, conducted and evaluated training programs appropriate for both the sites and the participants. We also worked to engage Spanish-speaking farmers and identified many more of them than indicated by the most recent Census of Agriculture. 

Number of Participants: 397

Results

Promotional Materials

There are no promotional materials available for this project.

Educational Materials

There are no educational materials available for this project.

Reports & Evaluations

There are no reports or evaluations available for this project.

Delivery Area

Describe any unexpected results of the project:

How would you improve the project if you were to do it again?

What were the keys to success for your participants?

Individual Stories / Examples of Success