BFRDP Projects

Rogue Farm Corps’ collaborative project Strengthening Oregon’s Beginning Farmer and
Rancher Education and Resources through Collaboration, Outreach, and Inclusion built
capacity to sustain and enhance our state’s beginning farmer education programs, resources, and
service providers through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher (BFR) Working Group of the
Oregon Community Food Systems Network. In October 2019, 25 farmers, educators, and service
providers gathered for a strategic visioning and planning session to define this Working Group’s
short and longer term goals and priorities for better supporting Oregon BFRs. The Working
Group provided a central hub for updated information on BFR education programs and
resources, increase engagement within the BFR community, strengthen organizational
connections and support services, and boost outreach efforts. Top short-term priorities include
increasing coordination to advance collaborative efforts, increasing the diversity of leadership
and participation in the BFR Working Group, forming advisory committees to develop future
strategies, and obtaining additional resources to support unmet needs. Professional coordination,
facilitation and training provided by this project deepened current work; enabled the formation
of a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee; developed a long-term strategy for
the Land Connection Technical Assistance Advisory Committee; updated, improved and
disseminated BFR Resource guides; and convened stakeholders to prioritize action items and
strengthen strategies for a future BFRDP proposal and other funding opportunities that will
increase collective impact. These joint efforts supported enhanced viability of beginning
farmers and ranchers throughout Oregon.

Note for Delivery: Because this was a planning grant, numbers correspond to service provider meetings, trainings, and professional development, not service delivery for BFRs.