BFRDP Projects

Maintaining the Paso Del Norte Immigrant and Military Veteran Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Network
[Final Report]

Award Amount: $589,494
Grant Program: 2019 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Director: Rigoberto Delgado
Email: rigo@immigrantfarmers.org
Organization: National Immigrant Farming

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  • Overview
  • Results
  • Materials
  • Delivery Area
  • Comments

Project Overview

In its three-years of project performance “Maintaining the Paso Del Norte Immigrant and Military Veteran Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Network”; accomplished its essential tasks and objectives, 
This project incorporated 27 classroom-style workshops and discussions around concrete scenarios. Hands-on trainings in 17 field demonstrations to reinforce educational concepts.
Technical on farm field demonstrations assistance were provided to participants project farmers to identify, analyze, and implement appropriate risk management strategies. A total of 265 One-on-one technical assistance were provided with visits by the field coordinators to address specific issues and 35 drip irrigations systems were installed for program participants.
This Project had 123 participants in its three-years of operation; these limited-resource farmers gained important knowledge at events or workshops; beginning farmers, ranchers and veterans learn about NRCS and FSA programs and 51 improved their production practices.
Target Audiences that were served by the project include: 1) Beginning farmers and ranchers that are limited-resource Hispanic producers and often immigrant and first-generation farm workers, living in food-desert areas or "colonias"; 2) Farm workers and other low-income people seeking to become independent farm business owners, as well as farm owners operators with less than 10 years of experience; 3) Women and Youth at community organizations; 4) Beginning farmers and ranchers that are Hispanic; 5) Military Veterans beginning farmers.
Educational methodologies included: 1) The provision of training program to socially disadvantaged and limited resource beginning farmer most of whom speak Spanish as their first language and instruction, presentation and handout have been in Spanish; 2) The provision of
training to beginning farmers and ranchers in a farm incubator with training events on a variety of subjects; 3) The provision of technical assistance to insure the successful adoption of techniques reviewed during training events.
Outputs in knowledge gains and actions as follows:
#Farmers beginning their own independent farm enterprises = 23
#Farmers starting up with the intent to purchase their own farm operations = 11
#Farmers receiving entry-level production support such as seeds, seedlings, row cover, drip tape or other related training and supplies = 53
#Farmers improving production practices = 47
#Farmers accessing new markets = 6
#Farmers integrating new financial risk management practices = 9
#Farmers accessing credit = 3
#Farmers having new information on how to access land = 80
#Farmers accessing additional land during the project period = 5
#Farmers with new knowledge on improving soil quality = 123
#Farmers with new knowledge on cover cropping = 108
#Farmers with new knowledge on conserving water = 82
#Farmers with improved yields = 29
#Farmers adopting current best agriculture practices of which they had no prior knowledge = 23

Number of Participants: 123

Results

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Delivery Area

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Individual Stories / Examples of Success