BFRDP Projects

New Jersey boasts productive, high-quality farmland located near some of the most densely populated and diverse markets in the world. Fruit and vegetable, nursery, floriculture, and greenhouse operations exist, along with strong public commitment to farmland preservation and agricultural industry development. However, successful continuance of agriculture in the “Garden State” depends upon developing a skilled next generation of farmers. The RU Ready to Farm: Getting Rooted in the Garden State program has expanded on the existing Rutgers Cooperative Extension RU Ready to Farm initiative, turning this program into a multi-year, statewide program providing technical education, mentorship, and land access opportunities to beginning farmers. Over the past four years, the RU Ready to Farm program team has worked to address the continuing viability of the agriculture industry by providing this hands-on training and education to a diverse audience of 188 new and beginner farmers across the State of New Jersey. With the support of the program and its team, at least 22 farmers have started a farm business, and 11 have found employment on active farms. The three-phase program is structured as a comprehensive educational resource that takes beginner farmers through (1) learning foundational knowledge (soil selection, pest and disease, farming regulations, etc.), (2) hands-on farm growing, management, and marketing, and finally (3) operating their own farm business with continued program support. The waitlist for the program has grown by over 300% between the first and fourth year that this program has been offered, an encouraging sign that there is a strong force of beginner farmers excited to begin their journey into the world of agriculture.