BFRDP Projects

Effective Support for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Grounded in a Stages of Development Framework
[Final Report]

Award Amount: $600,000
Grant Program: 2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Awards
Project Director: Garry Stephenson
Email: garry.stephenson@oregonstate.edu
Organization: Oregon State University

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  • Overview
  • Results
  • Materials
  • Delivery Area
  • Comments

Project Overview

The long-term goal of our project is to increase the number of beginning farmers and ranchers in Oregon  who achieve financial and environmental sustainability and “graduate” into their second decade of farming feeling stable, confident, and successful. The focus is on farm profitability and environmental sustainability. Our proposed project is significantly shaped by our research for the past three years on the stages of development of farms and farmers, which identified four distinct stages in which farmers seek and are ready for different types of information, training, and mentoring. Using this framework, the objectives for this proposal build on and expand our current program and will make our educational programs and materials available to other regions and audiences. 1) Develop new advanced-level online modules for instructional learning, online and classroom, and refine an existing basic module based on farm developmental stages. 2) Continue current and add new advanced-level experiential learning demonstration projects at our three established teaching farms located in regions with high demand for BFR programming. 3) Continue successful facilitation of farmer networks organized by gender, geography and cropping system. 4) Support and actively engage with the statewide Beginning Farmer and Rancher Working Group of the Oregon Community Food Systems Network. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we have successfully adapted our approach to educational workshops, field days, and meetings using virtual technology.

This project includes two collaborating non-profit organizations: Oregon Tilth, Inc. and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Working Group of the Oregon Community Food Systems Network.    

Number of Participants: 2004

Results

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