BFRDP Projects

The long-range goal of this project was to develop a robust, comprehensive statewide Beginning Farmer and Rancher (BFR) program that includes business planning, in-depth education on sustainable agriculture practices that increase biodiversity and resiliency and help mitigate climate change, information on accessing land and capital, and support and coping strategies for the physical, mental, and financial stresses.

Activities included

• Four regional BFR listening sessions
• One BFR networking and education conference
• Joining the Farm Beginnings Collaborative, gaining access to their network of beginning farmer educators, curriculum components, and best practices.
  
• Three advisory committee meetings used to refine a Kansas-informed curriculum based on financial and business planning and management. 
  

Primary objective 1 succeeded in developing a Beginning Farmer/Rancher curriculum that focuses on
business and financial preparedness.

Primary objective 2 was partially successful.  The Kansas Rural Center provided a virtual education conference for beginning farmers but was unable to gather input from the target number of 150 beginning farmers and farm training experts.

Due to design issues with evaluation tools and a poor response rate to post-event surveys poor quality data was gathered regarding what beginning farmers who participated in the education conference learned and their demographics. 

The long-term goal of this project is to increase the number of beginning Kansas farmer/ranchers and improve the success of their businesses.  This work is ongoing and efforts will continue after the grant to provide equitable education, mentoring, and technical assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers.