BFRDP Projects

This proposal targets beginning farmer refugees and people of color in the urban areas of Tucson (IRC & University of AZ Cooperative Extension, UACE) and Phoenix (Spaces of Opportunity & UACE) plus Indigenous Peoples and other limited resource beginning producers in rural areas of northern (Flagstaff Foodlink & UACE), central (San Carlos) and southeast (UACE) Arizona. We were able to conduct trainings in 4 of the 6 areas proposed this year.  Difficulties in delivering education were incurred due to the health of one of the agents and other scheduling conflicts. Six BF refugees started growing on the UA Campus Ag Center this fall (October 2024) and we are arranging for them to utilize some high tunnel space this winter.

Making small-scale agricultural production more economically viable is addressed by providing education and assistance on BFRDP priority areas of business and entrepreneurship training, innovative land acquisition strategies, basic production practices, diversification and marketing strategies, climate smart agriculture, acquiring ag. credit and risk management, recordkeeping and food safety, and mentoring. We have currently reached about 100 of the expected 270 unique beginning producers proposed.