BFRDP Projects

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.