BFRDP Projects

October 2022 - September 2023    The UAPB Staff worked with beginning farmers to carry out the four objectives of the project.

Objectives One – To provide business training and assistance to Beginning Socially Disadvantaged and Limited Resource Farmers (BSDLRF).

BSDLRFs participated in business training with direct assistance from the staff.  Ninety-one (91) participants were assisted with enterprise budgets to develop financial plans. Forty-one (41) submitted financial plans to the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Eight (8) of the plans were funded for $840,000.

Objective Two – to educate BSDLRPs on using the Natural Resources and Conservation Services (NRCS) and the Cooperative Extension Services (CES).

BSDLRFs were educated (through educational sessions and direct assistance) on NRCS and CES. BSDLRPs learned about the NRCS Funding under the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). This program provided an incentive payment (90% of the average cost of the conservation practice) for installing conservation practices. Twenty-five (25) BSDLRPs submitted EQIP Applications and were funded for approximately $500,000.
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To assist BSDLRPs in using the CES, the staff directly informed over 100 participants about the CES and some specific CES services. Consequently, 40 took soil tests to determine their land’s fertility and lime recommendation. Ten (10) took soil compaction tests, and 10 developed weed control plans. 

Objective Three- to provide vegetable marketing training.

To help BSDLRPs identify markets for their vegetable crops, three (3) vegetable marketing workshops were conducted. The workshop participants were vendors who were buying vegetables. These vendors explained their requirements for purchasing vegetables. Fifteen (15) BSDLRPs sold their vegetables to vendors who participated in the workshops.

Objective Four – to conduct a Beginning Farmers Class

Twenty-five (25) individuals completed the Beginning Farmers Class in 2023. The course consisted of seven (7) five-hour workshops conducted monthly. Applicants completing the class met the managerial ability requirement to receive a USDA operating loan.