"Growing Our Own": A New Sonoran Desert Farmers Incubator Program" pilots a community-based collaborative approach to increasing the number and capacity of beginning farmers in Ajo, Arizona.
Award Amount: $299,237
Institution: Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Project Director: Katarina Sajovec Altshul (ajocsa@hotmail.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
“Growing Our Own: A New Sonoran Desert Farmers Incubator Program”...
“Growing Our Own: A New Sonoran Desert Farmers Incubator Program” is piloting a community-based multi-tiered collaborative approach to increasing the number and capacity of market growers, farmers and ranchers in a remote tri-national community of Ajo, Arizona and the surrounding region. The program will 1. Expand the capacity and skills of the existing beginning farmers through providing education, mentoring and technical support; 2. Incubate a minimum of 15 new growers through providing paid apprenticeships, and/or access to land, knowledge, materials and markets; 3. Raise a new generation of Sonoran Desert farmers and ranchers through a school campus-based “education intervention” (“Ag Club”) for high school students at the Ajo Unified School District. Over the three years, the planned outputs include 150 hours of classroom style instructions for adults; 210 hours of individual mentoring and technical assistance; 9 field trips; 6,750 hours of paid apprenticeship; and 60 hours of high school level agricultural education. The project will serve unduplicated 30 local and additional 70 regional beginning farmers (a total of 100), out of which 95% will improve their production practices and decision-making abilities. 50% of local growers (15) will design a business plan, and 80% (24) will design a farm (garden) operating procedures including a food safety handling plan. 30% of local growers (10) will enter new markets, 10% (3) will use the services of NRCS and/or Farm Service Agency. 15 people will start a farm operation over the next three years, which will represent a 50% increase in local number of growers.
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“Supportive, Small Scale, Basic Livestock, Financial Skills and Risk Management Training for Beginning Veteran Farmers Program”
Award Amount: $712,500
Institution: FARMER VETERAN COALITION
Project Director: Michael O'Gorman (michaelo@farmvetco.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Area 1: Create a national
peer network that develops, provides, and...
Area 1: Create a national
peer network that develops, provides, and facilitates access to, training,
education, internships, mentorships, jobs, financial
and market opportunities for beginning farmer
veterans (70%
of project effort). We will combine new small scale livestock production and business planning materials with existing core tools previously created through Risk Management Agency grants known as the One Page Business/Financial Plan, One Page Monthly Cash Flow Budget, and One Page Risk Management Plan. These tools will be adapted to explain small scale pork and pastured poultry production business, small scale honeybee, grass fed beef, lamb, goat and vegetable business models.
Area 2: Provide twenty seven
workshops focused on small scale livestock and vegetable production supported
by on-going case management services for attendees. (30% of project effort). We will incorporate the new training materials into twenty seven workshops (at least twenty two of which will be on-farm and hosted by FVC beginning farmer veterans) that target these farmer veterans and their specific livestock, provide regional training platforms for them to gather and learn from each other, and assist them in refining their own financial, production, risk management and business plans. Additionally, all workshop attendees will receive on-going comprehensive, individualized capacity development assistance using a case management model in which individual needs, assessments, and development plans, guide the provision of subsequent services, training, referrals and linkages to resources. Six of
the twenty seven workshops will be specifically focused on developing,
supporting and educating women farmer veterans on the production, financial and
risk management components of small scale livestock/vegetable operations.
Additional emphasis will be placed on developing, integrating and utilizing
local networking and supportive resources for women such as the FVC Veteran
Peer Farmer Network.
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120 Committed Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
Award Amount: $481,080
Institution: Arkansas Land & Community Development Corp.
Project Director: Calvin King (calvinrkingsr@yahoo.com)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The 120 Committed Farmers and Ranchers of Arkansas Land and...
The 120 Committed Farmers and Ranchers of Arkansas Land and Community Development
Corporation project are envisioned to significantly improve the population of successful and
sustainable African American farmers/ranchers relatively new to farming. Recruit 120 participants for the project – The outcome for this goal is for at least 120 farmers
to commit to become or remain being a grower of fresh produce, row crop and livestock. The
fresh produce farmers must also commit, obtain and maintain USDA/AMS Food Safety
certification up to the Harmonized level. By being certified growers, farmers will not only
produce safe foods but will also make their operations eligible for the larger higher value retail
market. Overall their economic survivability is enhanced by gaining greater market accessibility.
Their success will have a positive economic impact on the community.
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21st Century Management: Enhancing Educational Programming for Beginning Women Farmers
Award Amount: $720,989
Institution: UVM Extension
Project Director: Mary Peabody (mary.peabody@uvm.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
As
the numbers of beginning farm and ranch women has increased...
As
the numbers of beginning farm and ranch women has increased there has been a
corresponding increase in programs providing education and technical assistance
to them. While these programs have developed tools and curricula for addressing
the learning needs of beginning farmers there remain many areas of the country
where women farmers are still chronically underserved. In addition, while many
tools, assessments and curricula are available there is no central repository
for these materials. Nor is there a typology, or catalog, that can be used to
determine which materials would be most useful given the needs of a specific
target audience. The
goal of this project is to assemble a national learning network to evaluate
existing curricula and materials targeting beginning farm and ranch women of
all ages, ethnicity, and agricultural production interests. Content teams will
identify information gaps; develop corresponding learning modules, and train
peers and colleagues in their delivery and evaluation. Our project focuses on subjects
of special importance to beginning farm and ranch women: legal issues; business
scale and profitability; farm safety, mechanization and ergonomics; land
access, transfer and stewardship; and management. A virtual learning network
will provide educators and agricultural technical assistance providers with
evidence-based information regarding women’s learning preferences, peer-reviewed
training materials, evaluation tools, and mentoring from colleagues experienced
in working with women farmers and ranchers.
We will partner with the BFRDP Clearinghouse and the
eXtension Women in Ag Learning Network to determine the most effective way to
house the typology of available materials.
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A Beginning Farmers Program for Socially Disadvantaged and Limited Resource Producers in Arkansas
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Project Director: Henry English (englishh@uapb.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
This project is designed to assist beginning socially disadvantaged and...
This project is designed to assist beginning socially disadvantaged and limited resource producers (BSDLRPs) in eastern and southwest Arkansas. The goal of the project is to provide BSDLRPs with the knowledge and training needed to become successful farmers and ranchers. The objectives are:
To provide BSDLRPs with business planning training and the use of USDA farm loans.
To provide BSDLRPs with Extension crop and livestock production training with the use of USDA Conservation Programs.
To provide BSDLRPs with marketing education with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables.
To conduct a beginning farmers class.
This program will train BSDLRPs to use financial statements when making management decisions and profit margins when determining the economic feasibility of a business plan. BSDLRPs will also know how to apply for a USDA loan.
BSDLRPs will be taught to use the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to improve and increase their yields. As a result of this training, BSDLRPs will have above average yields which will increase profit margins.
Many BSDLRPs who diversify with vegetable crops failed because they lack vegetable marketing experience. BSDLRPs will be trained on early marketing, relationship marketing, and the five Ps of marketing when starting a vegetable business.
The Beginning Farmers Class will include seven modules that provide different aspects of farming and ranching. These modules will include classroom exercises (business planning and structure, heir property), hand-on exercises (calibrations, transplanting) and much more. Graduates of the class will increase profitability in their operations.
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A Collaborative Training Approach for Kentucky's Military Veterans, Underserved and Rural Beginning Farmers
Award Amount: $600,000
Institution: UK - CES/Ag Programs
Project Director: Craig Wood (woodch@uky.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program 2021 Awards
Summary
Key Words: Education, Mentoring, Technical AssistanceThe goal for this project...
Key Words: Education, Mentoring, Technical Assistance
The goal for this project is to bring military veterans and underserved limited resource populations
in Kentucky and surrounding areas a realistic plan for becoming a farmer with a sustainable product
and income. The project will recruit from KY military bases, Fort Knox and Fort Campbell, and
National Guard posts. Help will be enlisted from the VFW, American Legion and other veteran
organizations in order to contact as many veteran participants as possible. For the non-military
populations contact will be made through the state’s 120 county extension offices, local technical
schools and county agencies that assist the underserved, limited resource populations in their area
by utilizing county mailing lists, newsletters, radio and TV media. The educational classes for
business management, including writing a business plan, informational classes on products that are
successful in their area and financial options open to them, grants, low cost loans, etc. Sites for
these educational and informational workshops will be held in three locations though out the state
to make travel to these easier. Farm specialists will provide technical assistance on specific areas
of farming for example livestock, grains, forestry, etc. This will target the classes to topography,
soil conditions and marketing available in the area. Workshops will be presented where the greatest
concentration of military veterans and limited resource farmers are located. Smaller workshops will
be held at working farms within these areas. Mentors will be enlisted to help the participants
become successful and able to sustain the productivity of the farm.
Program Code:BFRDA_____Program Code Name__Beginning Farmer Rancher Development
Program, Standard
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A Collective Approach to Providing Resources, Technology and Assistance to Beginning Farmers
Award Amount: $711,213
Institution: Alabama Extension/Auburn University
Project Director: Ayanava Majumdar (azm0024@aces.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Alabama specialty crop industry has recently experienced significant growth with...
Alabama specialty crop industry has recently experienced significant growth with entry of a large number of beginning farmers. At present, there is no cohesive statewide educational or farm service infrastructure catering to the needs of beginning farms (past efforts were largely regional or county-based). The long-term goal of this project is to develop a sustainable collaborative network and educational model that facilitates beginning farmer success through reliable access to resources, technology, and on-farm assistance for needy beginning farmers. This is supported by three major objectives: 1) facilitate a collective approach for diverse beginning farmers initiative, 2) develop distance-learning resources to support train-the-trainer and educator-to-farmer activities, and 3) provide technical assistance and hands-on training to beginning farmers in conjunction with objective 3. This program also is the first step toward providing training to military veterans and native American groups that has not been attempted before in Alabama.
This project is a collaborative effort of nonprofit farmer organizations, farm consultants, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System through Auburn University. Objectives will be accomplished through a number of activities, including Stakeholder Advisory Meetings, on-line curriculum and phone application development, hands-on training, conferences and individual technical assistance. All projects will be evaluated continuously and modifications may be implemented for maximizing project impacts.
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A Comprehensive Approach to Growing Successful Beginning Meat Producers
Award Amount: $599,020
Institution: NC State University College of Animal and Life Sciences
Project Director: Sarah Blacklin (seblackl@ncsu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The goal of the project is to increase the number...
The goal of the project is to increase the number of beginning farmers and ranchers successfully and profitably raising meat through either pasture-based or silvopasture systems by providing them and their families with novel land acquisition strategies in partnership with land trusts, solar farms, and existing landowners, while also equipping new farmers with targeted knowledge, skills, decision-making tools, and the market and buyer connections that have been identified as needed for these producers to operate profitably and be successfully. CEFS' NC Choices (www.ncchoices.com), working comprehensively to support the meat value chain since 2002, is uniquely equipped to not only identify needs of beginning farmers, in part through their statewide surveys of all registered meat handlers in the state, but to deliver this comprehensive program addressing those identified needs. For this project, we have assembled the necessary partners and subject matter experts, identified key choke points for beginning farmers, and are proposing high-impact solutions that offered together will insure success. This comprehensive support, including introducing and adapting a Meat and Yield Price Calculator and Meat Suite to expand their markets, will result in 250 beginning farmers who will receive training, decision-making, and market development tools plus 15 new cohort farmers who will enter into model land-share agreements with land partners. Finally, through resource development and training to aid CES agents in serving beginning farmers and via the national conference of land trusts to be held in North Carolina in 2019, we ensure that this project will have statewide and national impact.
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A comprehensive new farmer training program for Maine
Award Amount: $709,713
Institution: Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
Project Director: Ryan Dennett (rdennett@mofga.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Success in training farmers is the hallmark of the Maine...
Success in training farmers is the hallmark of the Maine Organic Farmers
and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) Journeyperson Program (JP). During the past
ten years, 240 new farmers have emerged from the program in Maine. Equipped
with innovative production, management, and marketing skills, these farmers
have created more than 140 farm businesses. Providing tomorrow’s farmers with
the skills needed to achieve success in a demanding marketplace remains the
primary objective of the Journeyperson Program. Over the next three years, 150
new farmers will receive training and the help needed to establish at least 75
new farm businesses. This crucial support, aimed at creating economically
viable farms in Maine, can help meet the rising demand for local, more
healthful and sustainably produced food.
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A Pathway to Livestock Farming: Providing Access to Land and A Guiding Hand
Award Amount: $219,274
Institution: Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc
Project Director: WENDY WARREN (wendy.warren@swbadger.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This project offers an opportunity to start farming on...
This project offers an opportunity to start farming on one's own on rented land, with financial coaching from a professional financial advisor, and an experienced livestock farmer-mentor to provide guidance. SW Badger solicited livestock farmers from the region, which resulted in 25 beginning and 18 experienced farmer applicants. SW Badger developed a toolkit and presentation to train mentors and beginners about mentorship. After orientation and receiving the mentors' contact information, 16 beginners and 7 mentors received check-ins. Participants reported that mentorship provided practical insights, support, and inspiration needed to implement grazing best management practices on their own farms.
This project seeks to address land access challenges by promoting the concept of 'contract grazing' which allows farmers to raise livestock on rented pasture. In addition to assisting the 35 participants in the program and 118 participants at the two kickoff workshops, SW Badger provided one-on-one technical assistance on renting land to four military veterans and two experienced farmers. Three beginning farmers received financial coaching from Badgerland Financial about how to get started on rented land. Participants reported that the kickoff workshops were useful to their livestock production goals and increased their awareness of managed grazing.
As part of our outreach to new livestock farmers, special effort is made to engage military veterans. Participants include 7 veterans of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, 1 member of the WI Air National Guard, and 3 family members. Participants are matched with experienced farmers in their field of interest, including beef, dairy, goats, and poultry, and background in military service whenever possible. Regional veteran service officers were asked to refer military veterans; a veteran advisory team met twice to guide outreach efforts. The program has strengthened networks among military veteran farmers and raised awareness of pathways to careers in agriculture for military veterans.
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Accelerating Farmland Access in Vermont
Award Amount: $546,386
Institution: Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
Project Director: Ela Chapin (ela@vhcb.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
The
Viability Program at the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board will...
The
Viability Program at the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board will work in
partnership with the Intervale Center and Vermont Land Trust to develop and
implement a coordinated, proactive approach to accelerate access to land and
growth of viable businesses for Vermont’s next generation of agricultural
entrepreneurs. With funding from the USDA BFRD Program, we will provide business planning, land access technical assistance, and succession planning to over 200 farmers, helping them gain the confidence and skills they need to succeed while matching them with suitable land or successors.
We believe in the power of direct service as the most effective
approach for improving farm viability. Farming is a complicated business that
requires operators to develop diverse skill sets. Each farm business is as
unique as its land-base, resources, and operator’s goals. We will provide
individualized one-on-one technical assistance to new and beginning farmers in
business planning, land assessment, land access, and accessing financing. We will meet beginning farmers where they are at and leverage the specific resources
they need to accelerate their early stage growth into viable commercial
enterprises. In addition we will provide retiring farmers with estate or
transfer planning services, and assistance identifying successors or buyers.
An important innovation is that we will develop and deploy new affordable financing tools at the Vermont Land Trust and collaborate extensively with other affordable financing options, creating alternative pathways to ownership and success.
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Access to Land for New England`s Beginning Farmers: Phase 2
Award Amount: $641,222
Institution: Land For Good
Project Director: Kathy Ruhf (kathy@landforgood.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Access to land is one of the biggest challenges for...
Access to land is one of the biggest challenges for beginning farmers in New England. The long-term goal of this project is for more New England beginning farmers to successfully access land to farm in order to start or expand their farm business. Land For Good, its partners and a broad range of collaborators will enable over 2,000 beginning farmers to access land or achieve more secure tenure. Our goals are: beginning farmers are better prepared to access land to farm; more farms are transferred by exiting farmers to beginning farmers; beginning farmers find and evaluate farm properties and connect with landowners; professionals and beginning farmers have new information about innovative access approaches and methods; and stronger programs help beginning farmers access land and improve the conditions for farmland access in New England.
Coordinated teams and task forces will produce curricula and conduct educational activities such as workshops, a multi-session Succession School, and leasing clinics. LFG will “coach” farm seekers and transitioning farmers. We will improve farm link programs and increase their use. We will produce new tools including an online “build-a-lease” and model legal language for farmland-related transactions. We will promote transfers between farmers without identified successors and beginning farmers. Experts will investigate innovative and best practices, including alternative land financing and affordable farmer housing. We will build capacity in each New England state to better serve and support beginning and transitioning farmers around land access and transfer. A national conference in 2017 will share learnings and build land access and transfer programs to help beginning farmers access land in all regions.
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Access to Land for New England`s Beginning Farmers: Phase 3
Award Amount: $599,197
Institution: Land For Good
Project Director: Jim Hafner (executivedirector@landforgood.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Land access is a top challenge for beginning farmers (BFs);...
Land access is a top challenge for beginning farmers (BFs); land transfer is a
BFRDP statutory priority. The long-term goal of this standard project is for more New England
BFs to successfully access land to start or expand their farm businesses. Land For Good (LFG),
six partners and 13 collaborators in six states will enable over 200 BFs to access land or achieve
more secure tenure. Project goals: BFs are better prepared to access land to farm; more farms
are effectively transferred to BFs; and stronger programs assist BFs to access land. Our
objectives are to: educate, train and coach BFs on land access; help BFs find land and connect
with landowners; educate and coach transitioning farmers on succession planning; improve
succession planning providers and resources; and improve farm link programs.
Collaborators will plan, host, promote, and deliver 60 land access educational workshops and
seeker-landowner mixers, and six Farm Succession Schools. We will develop and pilot new,
more rigorous, targeted coaching protocols to advise BF farm seekers to acquire land, and
transitioning farmers (TFs) to complete plans to transfer farms to BFs. We will create practical
tools to help TFs mentor their BF successors and transfer management to the next generation.
The New England Farm Link Collaborative will make more farm properties available and visible
to BFs on our shared farm link website. Professionals will learn, share and problem solve at a
national farm link clinic to improve programs nationally. We will distribute educational
resources to 5,500 BFs and TFs.
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Addressing the Training Needs of Hispanic and Limited Resource Beginning Farmers in Nebraska
Award Amount: $381,726
Institution: Community Crops
Project Director: Ingrid Kirst (ingrid@communitycrops.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2014 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This
project will enhance urban and rural-based farm viability of 150
beginning...
This
project will enhance urban and rural-based farm viability of 150
beginning Hispanic, socially disadvantaged, and limited resource
farmers in Nebraska. Increasing
numbers of new farmers are immigrant, limited resource, or socially
disadvantaged. They frequently lack financial or production skills,
are unaware of technical resources, or lack English-language
proficiency for accessing technical information. The
objective is to assist these beginners with development of small
scale farm enterprises through training and technical assistance that
will: (1) improve participants’ financial and business skills, (2)
connect them with a network of resources, and (3) gain and improve
production skills. We
will conduct a 4-month course for financial training and resource
identification, field workshops for farming skills, farm tours to
observe practices in place, and will provide individual advising to
participants. Each year the classes will be broadcast to additional
sites to reduce travel for participants, and interpreters will be
available for all activities. A Minnesota organization experienced
with this work will broadcast specific lessons for the course and
will host a site visit by Nebraska participants.
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Advancing Beginning Farmer and Rancher Viability by Expanding Our Effective Educational Strategies
Award Amount: $750,000
Institution: Oregon State University
Project Director: Garry Stephenson (garry.stephenson@oregonstate.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2022 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Education Projects
Summary
The
long-term goal of this project is to (a) support and...
The
long-term goal of this project is to (a) support and educate experienced
beginning farmers (years 4-6 and 7-10) to continue their farming careers on established,
profitable farms, and (b) share our current and proposed program content and
curricula nationally with interested BFR service providers. The proposed
project builds on our previous successful and durable BFRDP-funded work (2010-49400-21756,
2015-70017-22884 2018-70017-28600) that combines instructional and experiential
learning with farmer support networks. This new project untilizes our BFR
development framework and will result in another suite of educational programs,
and networks that support farmers and ranchers as they develop from startups to
mature, profitable farm businesses. Project objectives are:
)
Develop and deliver new advanced-level instructional learning using online,
hybrid, in-person approaches on drought resilient and climate adaptive
strategies. Expand the audience for our busineness mangagement courses. Share
these and current educational resources nationally with BFR service providers
2)
Develop and deliver new advanced-level experiential learning projects
demonstrating drought resilient and climate adaptive strategies at our three
established Teaching Farms.
3)
Facilitate farmer networks organized by farmers around gender, geography, or cropping
system to enhance BFR support and encourage peer to peer learning.
4)
Support and actively engage with the statewide Farming for the Future
(Beginning Farmer and Rancher) Working Group of the Oregon Community Food
Systems Network.
This project is a powerful collaboration with
non-profit partners Oregon Tilth, Inc. (Farm Viability Program), and the Oregon
Community Food System Network (Farming for the Future (BFR) Working Group).
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Advancing Immigrants and Refugees Toward Farm Ownership and Building Learning Networks Thro
Award Amount: $749,548
Institution: World Farmers Inc
Project Director: Maria Moreira (mmoreira@worldfarmers.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2021 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
The long-term goal of this three-year project and beyond is...
The long-term goal of this three-year project and beyond is to move immigrant and refugee farmers along the beginning farmer continuum toward building successful farming enterprises and fulfilling their dream to own, operate their own farms and become a part of the American agricultural system. Through this project, World Farmers will facilitate farmer-to-farmer mentoring and provide customized support and technical assistance to beginning immigrant and refugee farmers to build capacity in business development and financial literacy, production assistance in the New England climate, and to ultimately acquire their own farmland. This project will serve the 322 immigrant and refugee farmers across 25 countries of origin in the Flats Mentor Farm program. World Farmers and each project partner are dedicated to providing individualized support and services to beginning FMF farmers along each stage of their agricultural development journey.
This project covers 10 of the BFRDP priority areas: 1-6, 9&10, 14&15; 100% of the budget is allocated to serving socially-disadvantaged and limited-resource farmers; and is led by and partnered with 100% NGOs, CBOs, and SAEOs. World Farmers will allocate 12.4% of our total budget to our project collaborators – UMass Cooperative Extension (6%), Land for Good (1.6%), Rural Coalition (4%), and the Lancaster Community Center (0.8%) – who will support our project according to the goals and objectives of our project. Previous BFRDP projects awarded to World Farmers include: PD Maria Moreira, 2015-70017-24102 (Standard); and 2018-70017-28601 PD Maria Moreira, (Standard).
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Advancing Next Generation Urban Farmers: Experiential Education, Mentoring, and Employment
Award Amount: $708,700
Institution: Planting Justice
Project Director: Gavin Raders (gavin@plantingjustice.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
This Standard
BFRDP project presents an innovative model to advance economic...
This Standard
BFRDP project presents an innovative model to advance economic viability, land
stewardship, and social equity for beginning and socially disadvantaged
beginning farmers. This proposal directly addresses urgent trends conveyed in
the 2012 USDA Census: the aging farmer population and declining numbers of
beginning farmers.
This project counters these trends by building
comprehensive and culturally relevant training/employment opportunities for
beginning and underserved farmers, while strengthening the mentoring capacity
of experienced farmers to pass on their knowledge. Our target audience includes
120 beginning farmers, including 90 formerly incarcerated, immigrants, and
otherwise socially disadvantaged participants, in 6 cohorts over the 3-year
grant period. Successful program graduates will complete 150 hours of on-site,
hands-on training as part of our Applied Agroecology and Beginning Farmer
Curriculum, and receive the opportunity to be mentored by pioneering local
farmers through paid 3-6 month apprenticeships on local farms in the MESA
network, living-wage employment as urban farmers with Planting Justice, and/or
substantial financial, legal, technical, and administrative support to access
land and launch their own farming startups. These comprehensive services will
spur the next generation to launch and sustain successful careers in urban and
peri-urban farming. Planting Justice is a national leader in re-entry green job
placement and urban farming training for formerly incarcerated people, and this
project will build upon their success helping former inmates obtain
inspirational employment as new urban farmers. MESA is internationally
recognized as a pioneering sustainable agriculture training organization with
18 years running experiential and farmer mentorship programs.
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Advancing the Business of Farming in Connecticut in Partnership with Agriculture Learning Centers
Award Amount: $597,598
Institution: University of Connecticut
Project Director: Jiff Martin (jiff.martin@uconn.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Our project is developed by and for beginning farmers across...
Our project is developed by and for beginning farmers across the state. Instead of duplicating the efforts of great organizations that are already building beginner farmer training programs, this project enriches and aligns beginning farmer training programs via common core trainings and one-on-one technical assistance customized to meet the
needs of beginning farmers in Connecticut. Core trainings for beginning farmers will emphasize: business planning, financial management and record keeping; farmland access; overcoming marketing uncertainties; and small scale production of vegetables and fruit. Programs will be offered in person, with online tutorials developed for many of the modules, including farm business planning, soil health, safe and effective use of pesticides, and marketing for success. One-on-one experts will be available for farmers that need assistance in vegetable production and pest management, farmland evaluation and conservation, and financial record-keeping. Our partners
are: Common Ground High School in New Haven, the Community Farm of Simsbury,
the Green Village Initiative in Bridgeport, Killingly Agriculture Education
Program, KNOX in Hartford, and WRCC-GROW Windham. Training resources will also be used to support UConn's Listo Para Inciar (or Ready-to-Start) training program, which delivers a hands-on, cohort based model of beginner farming training for Spanish-speaking urban market gardeners. Other key
partners in the project are the New CT Farmer Alliance and the Northeast
Organic Farming Association of CT. “With this
investment supported through the USDA, our alliance will further increase
accessibility between agricultural support services, and CT’s budding community
of agricultural entrepreneurs.”said Betsy
Robson, NCTFA Coordinator (a statewide network of over 200 farmers).
The long term goal of our project is for every
beginning farmer in Connecticut who wishes to produce and sell food –
regardless of scale, experience, or language barriers – to have access to
fundamental training to start or continue farming profitably.
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Agroforestry Training For Native Hawaiians To Increase Economic Opportunity, Food Security And Cultural Connection
Award Amount: $598,170
Institution: Halau Kealaokamaile
Project Director: Fred Krauss (admin@kealaokamaile.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
To increase the number and enhance the success of Native...
To increase the number and enhance the success of Native Hawaiian agroforesters in
order to grow new agroforestry projects and improve resource management of existing projects.
This project increases economic opportunity, food security and cultural connection to the forest
in the Native Hawaiian community of Maui.
Abbreviated objectives are: 1) Train 150 new and beginning Native Hawaiian farmers in
agroforestry; 2) Engage 30 new Native Hawaiian youth in agroforestry as a career path; 3)
Enhance the success of 50 beginning agroforesters; 4) Facilitate 20 new farmers in designing an
agroforestry/native reforestation project; 5) Establish a demonstration farm cultivated by 100
new Native Hawaiian farmers; 6) Provide land to 2 Native Hawaiian farmers to cultivate native
crops and enter markets; 7) Develop 10 new markets for agroforestry cultural crops.
To accomplish the goal we will conduct monthly classroom and hands-on workshops for three
years, which are culturally appropriate and targeted at Native Hawaiian adults and youth.
We will establish a new training program aimed at growing new agroforestry farmers (forest management and crop farming practices) and natural resource managers.
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Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Program: Growing Opportunities Beneath the Canopy
Award Amount: $656,903
Institution: Virginia Tech University
Project Director: John Munsell (jfmunsel@vt.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Our goal is to support beginning Appalachian medicinal
plant forest farmers...
Our goal is to support beginning Appalachian medicinal
plant forest farmers by forming a coalition that provides technical,
administrative, and market sales training and improves access to farm resource
inventory and plant habitat management services. Increasing demand for high-quality,
premium herbal and nutraceutical products is improving the financial equation
for forest farmers. Receiving premium prices for medicinal plant products
depends on a forest farmer’s ability to consistently supply forest grown
material. The Appalachian region contains native habitat for more than 15 forest
farmable medicinal plants and is home to rich ethnobotanical connections. We
believe that if trained and connected (forest farmer-to-forest farmer and
forest farmer-to-service provider), beginning Appalachian forest farmers will
be in a better position to capitalize on industry demand and sustain premium
sales of high-quality forest grown organic stock. We will: 1) establish an
inclusive coalition with clear organizational structure and decision making
processes; 2) educate, train, and support beginning forest farmers; and 3) improve
forest farm inventory and medicinal plant habitat management services for
beginning forest farmers. To accomplish these goals we have formed a diverse project
partnership ranging from Georgia to Pennsylvania with four non-governmental
organizations, four universities, extension, three agency partners, forest
farmers, and a forest grown verification program. These partners maintain
sizable networks of beginning forest farmers and have extensive technical and
market-based experience. Long-term
condition change will be an improvement in agroforestry production
opportunities and farming capabilities among forest farmers in Appalachia which
positively impacts families, farms, and communities.
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Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development
Award Amount: $407,995
Institution: Appalachian RC&D Council
Project Director: Susan McKinney (susan@arcd.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2021 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Summary
Through the Field School Beginning Farmer Training Program, the Appalachian...
Through the Field School Beginning Farmer Training Program, the Appalachian RC&D Council (ARCD) will 1) increase the number of new farm startups and enhance the financial sustainability of beginning farm operations; 2) support the creation of communities of support and practice among veteran, women, and socially disadvantaged beginning farmers; 3) increase the utilization of USDA and State farmer support, grant, and cost-share programs; 4) increase the implementation of sustainable production methods by beginning farmers; 5) increase access to affordable farm land and foster the transition of farmland to the next generation of farmers in the Appalachian Highlands region. ARCD will meet these goals through a combination of strategies, including 1) providing education, training, resources and support to beginning farmers through in-person and online workshops; 2) providing free one on one consulting on business and production planning; 3) facilitating opportunities for peer to peer learning and networking through Peer Learning Circles; 4) providing workshops for women and retiring landowners on creating long-term lease agreements, resource conservation practices, and conservation easements; and 5) increasing promotion and outreach about, and expanding the resources/information available on, the TNFarmLink.org website. Through the Field School program, ARCD will foster 25 new farm startups and reach 320 farmers with training and education. Of the beginning farmers reached, 240 will report an increase in knowledge, 160 will report an intention to make changes to their operations, and 80 will report making beneficial changes to their farm operations as a result of attending programming.
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Aquaculture Boot Camp - 2: Enhancing the sustainability of new and limited resource aquaculture/aquaponic farmers with innovative training
Award Amount: $599,000
Institution: The Ohio State University
Project Director: HANPING WANG (wang.900@osu.edu)
Funding Opportunity: 2016 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Aquaculture Boot Camp (ABC) with “3I-level” training
model was an extremely...
Aquaculture Boot Camp (ABC) with “3I-level” training
model was an extremely successful program.
By the end of the ABC-1 project, twenty-four new businesses/farms were
created by the 2013 and 2014 ABC Intensive course graduates. To enhance sustainability of
new and limited resource aquaculture/aquaponic farmers in the Midwest, we are delivering Aquaculture Boot Camp -2 (ABC-2) through partnerships and collaborations of four NGOs/CBOs/SAEOs,
six aqua-farms and three agricultural colleges.
Specific goals include: 1) Provide tools for new and limited resource farmers to enhance
their aquaculture/aquaponic production success by developing and delivering
production curriculum and hands-on practices, 2) Enhance the financial
viability and business success of beginning aquaculture/aquaponic farmers by
delivering business management and marketing
strategies, and 3) Strengthen the success of new aquaculture/aquaponic and
limited resource farmers through the ABC mentorship
and partnership with the industry via OAA, WAA/NPI and other partners.
The ABC
project serve the following Target
Audience:
Beginning and new (less than 10 years of experience) aquaculture/aquaponic farmers.
Limited resource beginning aquaculture farmers; most of aqua-farmers have low levels of farm sales and low household income, as most of them are new and located in rural areas.
Next generation farmers: students and those without a family farming history.
Other new farmers attempting to diversify their existing farming enterprise
Our partners/collaborators include: Ohio
Aquaculture Association (OAA); Riffe Vocational School (RVS); University
of Wisconsin - Stevens Point (UWSP), and its Aquaculture Innovation Center and
Aquaculture Demonstration Facility; Wisconsin
Aquaculture Association (WAA); Nelson
& Pade, Inc (aquaponics; NPI, WI); Hocking College Aquaculture Program;
North Region Aquaculture Center (NCRAC); North Region Aquaculture Extension
Specialist in Michigan State University; Life Aquatic Farm, LLC; Ripple Rock Fish
Farms; Go Fish Farm; Lettuce Head Aquaponic Farm; Fresh Harvest Farm
Aquaponics and Wanner shrimp farm.
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Arcadia`s Veteran Farmer Program
Award Amount: $99,947
Institution: Arcadia Food, Inc.
Project Director: Matt Mulder (matt@arcadiafood.org)
Funding Opportunity: 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Presentation: Click to Open
Summary
Based in Fairfax County, Virginia, but pulling on expertise and...
Based in Fairfax County, Virginia, but pulling on expertise and farms across Northern and Central Virginia and the National Capital Region, Arcadia's Veteran Farmer Program will bring together regional nonprofits, agricultural organizations, veterans, and experienced farmers - including veterans who have made a successful transition to farming - to create a multi-layered farmer training and development program to launch veterans into careers in agriculture. This thoughtful, practical program will increase the number of veteran farmers |