BFRDP Projects

FVC facilitates a national peer network that develops and provides access to training, education, internships, mentorships, jobs, financial and market opportunities for beginning farmer veterans. We combined new small scale livestock and vegetable production and business planning materials with existing core tools previously created through Risk Management Agency grants (One Page Business/Financial Plan, One Page Monthly Cash Flow Budget, and One Page Risk Management Plan). These tools have been adapted to explain small scale pork and pastured poultry production business, small scale honeybee, grass fed beef, lamb, goat, and vegetable business models. 

Over the grant period, FVC staff engaged with more than 6,000 new farmer veteran members through our headquarters in Davis, CA.

Farmer Veteran Coalition completed 27 workshops focusing on small scale livestock and vegetable production, risk management and financial education.  We have incorporated the new training materials into the workshops that target these farmer veterans and their specific crop and assist them in refining their own financial, production, risk management and business plans.  We held 13 webinars that focused on production and business planning.  Our most successful webinar focused on starting a farm from scratch: land assessment.  Over 140 veterans tuned-in live and the recording has 1,542 views. 

One of the workshops specifically focused on developing, supporting and educating women farmer veterans was held at the Stone Barns Center in March 2016. The women were educated on production, financial and risk management components of small scale livestock/vegetable operations. The 2017 Empowering Women Veterans Conference consisted of twelve hours of workshops in Santa Rosa, California.  This successful event saw many female farmer veterans bonding together to share their experiences and strength. In 2018, FVC partnered with NFU to bring women veterans together with other women farmers in San Diego, CA. Topics included financial literacy, marketing, collaborative farming and agritourism.  

Final

 Approximately 350 individuals participated in this program. The first objective was to provide farm business planning for participants.  Ten farm business workshops were conducted, and 500 attended.

After attending the business workshops, 40 % of participants developed annual business plans. Thirty or 22% of these participants submitted USDA Loan applications and received $2,153,000 in loan funds. Also, after learning about the liability associated with business structures, 45 participants, or 12% of participants, changed their business structure from sole proprietor to a Limited Liability Company LLC.

The second objective was designed to help BPs use the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) to obtain maximum yields and to use the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to improve their land. Approximately 20 educational sessions on CES and NRCS Programs were conducted, and 400 site visits were made.  Approximately 800 individuals participated in the sessions.

After learning about the NRCS Programs and the need for a USDA Farm Number to participate in the programs, 100 participants, or 30%, obtained Farm Numbers. Afterward, 70 participants submitted conservation applications and received $1,785,000 to install conservation practices. 

After learning about the importance of using CES recommendations for maximum yields, participants changed their behavior and started using CES production recommendations. This included 40% taking soil tests, 26% developing resistant weed control plans, and 30% using recommended varieties.

The third objective was to help BPs market fresh vegetables. This was accomplished by having vegetable vendors in the marketing workshops. As a result, 47 BPs sold their vegetables to workshop vendors. 

The fourth objective was to conduct a BFs Class. Approximately 105 individuals completed the class and received a certificate of completion and credit for one year of managerial experience, which is required for a USDA operating loan. Also, two class members purchased a farm.

Land access is a top challenge for beginning farmers (BFs); land transfer is a BFRDP statutory priority. The long-term goal of this standard project was for more New England
BFs to successfully access land to start or expand their farm businesses. Land For Good (LFG),
six partners and 13 collaborators in six states enabled over 200 BFs to access land or achieve
more secure tenure. Project goals were that: BFs are better prepared to access land to farm; more farms are effectively transferred to BFs; and stronger programs assist BFs to access land. Our objectives were to: educate, train and coach BFs on land access; help BFs find land and connect with landowners; educate and coach transitioning farmers on succession planning; improve succession planning providers and resources; and improve farm link programs. LFG recorded over 300 cases of intensive individual technical assistance to farm seekers. Collaborators planned, hosted, promoted, and delivered 60 land access educational workshops and seeker-landowner mixers, and Farm Succession Schools - including transitioning to new formats and online delivery in the last half of the project.  The New England Farm Link Collaborative made more farm properties available and visible to BFs, with 500 new properties posted to New England Farmland Finder alone, any more posted to 3 state farm link sites. We developed more structured coaching protocols around farm succession, continued a rigorous program of staff professional development, and developed new tools and resources. Over the 3 year project period, 86% of all BFs who responded to our annual impact survey found LFG services at least somewhat helpful. 75% of the 270 BF respondents to our annual impact survey during the project took some action, with 38% - or 103 BFs - gaining secure land tenure within the previous 12 months. Overall, over 205 farmers gained more secure land tenure and nearly 50 farmers complete succession plans. 

Finally, we improved the connectivity and performance of farm link programs in our region and nationally. We hosted the first ever national Farm Link Clinic in 2019 involving 27 programs, who then implemented program improvements. Wrote on participant, “LFG hosting the first ever national farm link clinic was a big first step in greater collaboration, networking and professional development for land access and transfer professionals. Ideally these clinics could be annual or every couple of years to continue this work.” 

Our project was developed by and for small scale beginning farmers across Connecticut. Instead of duplicating the efforts of great organizations that are already offering beginner farmer training programs, this project enriched these programs by delivering core trainings, providing one-on-one technical assistance to participants, and implementing unique statewide events to foster networking and learning across the beginner farmer community. The core trainings offered were designed primarily for existing and aspiring sustainable vegetable producers.  All of trainings and resources have been branded as UConn Extension's 'Solid Ground Farmer Trainings'.

Core trainings included the following topics: business planning, soil health, farmland access, small scale production of vegetables and fruit, irrigation, post-harvest handling, tunnel production systems, cover crop systems, profitable meat enterprises, managing invasive species, pesticide safety, welding, business planning, eco-focused farming techniques, tractor and small engine safety & maintenance. Trainings were delivered in person in small group settings of 5 to 30 attendees. Training locations were in Bridgeport, Hartford, Killingly, New Haven, Simsbury, Stamford, and Windham. One-on-one technical assistance was available to producers who requested assistance in: 1) vegetable disease and pest management, 2) farmland evaluation and soil health, 3) farm financial record-keeping. and 4) engineering for post-harvest handling.  In year 1 there were 26 core trainings. In year 2 there were 34 core trainings. In year 3 there were 31 trainings. By the third year our project reached at least 275 unique attendees and drew a combined attendance of 800+ new and beginning farmers. 

Our project also used grant funds and leveraged key partnership to implement 3 statewide events: 1) The Build Your Network, Grow Our Future - brought together new farmers and service providers for a day of networking and training; 2) The Agriculture Re$ource Fair featured grant opportunities that are available to new farmers, co-presented by a producer that had received the grant and a grants program representative; 3) Farm Equipment Day was an opportunity to see vegetable equipment demonstrations.

Solid Ground Core Trainings were delivered at: Common Ground High School in New Haven, the Community Farm of Simsbury, the Green Village Initiative in Bridgeport, Killingly Agriculture Education Program, KNOX in Hartford, WRCC-GROW Windham, and UConn's Ready-to-Start urban agriculture program.  Other critical partners in the project are the New CT Farmer Alliance and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of CT.

Aquaculture Boot Camp (ABC) is an extremely successful program. The long-term goal of the program is to utilize “3-I” levels (Intensive, Intermediate, Introductory), 3 areas (aquaponics, aquaculture, and related business and marketing) and 3 types (hands-on, classroom/mentoring, and internet/webinar) of integrated training and multi-faceted approach, paired with mentoring of industry professionals and previous ABC graduates, to enhance the sustainability of limited-resource new and beginning aqua-farmers in the Midwest and Appalachian region. This has been accomplished through the development and delivery of a multi-phase ABC program in which new and limited-resource aquaculture/aquaponic farmers with different knowledge levels. The specific goals of the ABC program have been achieved through partnerships and collaborations of multiple nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), and school-based agricultural educational organizations (SAEOs), as well as many aquaponics/aquaculture farms and several universities, led by The Ohio State University (OSU) and NGOs/CBOs/NGOs with expertise in new and beginning farmer training and outreach.  

For the ABC-1 project, forty-four new aqua-farms were created by the 2013 and 2014 ABC participates. For the ABC-2 project, forty-two new businesses/farms have been created by the 2017 - 2019 ABC-2 participates. For example, one of the ABC-1 Intensive graduates are now in his seventh year producing over 35,000 lbs fish/year with revenues of more than $125,000; a ABC-2 graduate has built an aquaculture facility that is able to produce 80,000 lbs of tilapia; another ABC-2 graduate is launching a commercial version of indoor shrimp farm in 2019 with a side of aquaponics; one of our ABC students has played important rales in developing Superior Fresh, a multimillion dollar fish farm and aquaponic greenhouse capable of producing 160,000 pounds of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout and up to 2 million pounds of varietal and leaf lettuce per year in Wisconsin.

The success of ABC can be attributed to the “3-I” levels, 3 areas and 3 types of integrated training and multi-faceted approach. The unique Internship program that provides apprentice-type training opportunities for next generation aquaculture/aquaponic farmers also contributed the success. Because of the success of this arrangement, the ABC-3 model can be adapted to other regions and communities in the United States. This model could easily apply to other industries, for example, a Horticulture Boot Camp, where participants would choose a horticulture crop to learn about and conduct a pilot scale project in the future. 

We addressed the primary goal of BFRDP “enhance food security, community development and sustainability by providing beginning farmers and ranchers … with knowledge, skills and tools needed to make informed decisions for their operations, and enhance their sustainability”. This project provided training and mentoring that assisted 48 beginning beef cattle producers from 28 different operations in South Dakota to become economically, ecologically, and socially sustainable. It was a collaborative partnership of SDSU Extension, 4 South Dakota producer organizations, 3 rural banks, and 19 beefSD alumni that served as peer mentors. 
It was comprised of:

• Instructional workshops (topics included livestock production, natural resource stewardship, marketing, finance, legal, and leadership)
  
• Case studies of four alternative beef production systems and management practices
  
• Evaluation of post-weaning performance of participants’ calves 
  
• Mentoring from peers, established beef cattle producers and agriculture professionals 
  
• Web-based interaction using social networking and webinars
• Travel-study trips to study other segments of the beef cattle industry

The intensive 24 month program was highly successful.  It presented producers tools to make wise management decisions that contribute to ongoing agricultural production, land stewardship, and rural community viability. Impacts to the producers are numerous and will have long term implementations and outcomes to the beef industry in South Dakota. Satisfaction with the program was 4.68 out of 5. 

Quotes on the overall impact: 
“Absolutely loved this program and we are so honored that we were chosen to be apart of this program and we can't wait to be able to implement everything we have learned and strive to continue networking, advocating, and improving our operation daily.”

“… I never would have even thought about 75% of the things we've done from going through a packing plant, feedlots, legislative sessions, white table cloth suppers, and the networking aspect....Its broadened my horizons so much” 

This simplified standard grant was used to enhance the activities of the Nebraska Women in Agriculture Program to provide innovative farm business management education for beginning female farmers and ranchers (BFFR), and develop a Land Link service for Nebraska.

This project funded eight Annie’s Project courses and a two-day Women in Agriculture conference to for 289 participants, 21% of which were estimated to be BFFR. These activities will catered to women by encouraging them to ask questions, connect with participants and speakers, and share their experiences. These hands-on programs increased the knowledge and skills of attendees, ultimately leading to greater success of BFFR.

The project supported Nebraska’s Land Link program, which launched Feb. 1, 2021. At the end of the grant funding, the Land Link program had 173 participants, 167 Land Seekers (10 Female)  and 6 Landowners (1 Female).

The purpose of this Educational Enhancement Team project is to develop new resources to help beginning farmers and ranchers improve the financial and business management aspects of their operations, as well as better-equip educators to guide them through this process. This project will:

• Develop and improve delivery of farm financial and business management tools and programs to help beginning farmers and ranchers better understand and manage the financial aspects of their businesses
• Improve the ability of organizations to deliver farm financial and business management training to beginning farmers and ranchers
• Evaluate ways to improve the Farm Answers clearinghouse to make it even more valuable to beginning farmers and ranchers
  

This project will fulfill the two goals of EET projects. It will identify gaps in farm financial and business management tools and programs and address ways to make Farm Answers more valuable to beginning farmers. It will also develop curriculum and deliver train-the-trainer workshops to better equip BFRDP projects to help beginning farmers in farm financial and business management.

Our program creates a positive ecosystem promoting professional and financial growth for beginning farmers in the Atlanta
region through an agricultural incubator immersion program. The 20 beginner farmers per year includes veterans, socially
disadvantaged, limited resource, or farmworkers, including women, African-Americans, Latinx, Asian, and LGBTQ farmers, with
at least 60% of the budget going to serve these groups. Training includes the hands-on application of knowledge as they learn
and work on the farm weekly and all participants will receive training through the University of Georgia. The objectives of the project are to continue training of graduate students, complete the repairs of the training site 100%, and continue to
work toward agricultural sustainability. GIF has submitted request for no-cost extension from March 2022 to May 2023. During the extension period, GIF will continue classes through May 2023. For this, we will continue our advertisement, marketing, and community outreach efforts.

The project milestones are slightly revised based on the following learnings from the first year of implementation: the lesson learned from growing lavender is that it takes about three years to generate income and turn it into a profitable venture. Since three (3) years is a substantial period for the farmer to acquire the desired profitability, the cultivation of this crop cannot be considered sustainable for beginner farmers. In light of this, we adapted the project by designing a specialized program to train beginner farmers in handling, cultivating, and processing hemp. We are rationalizing this based on the development in the state regulation and market. As hemp farming is now legal and profitable, cultivating this crop usually takes farmers 3-6 months to realize. Thus, our activities are designed to expedite the revenue generation and profit-making process through hemp production to sustain farms and livelihoods for beginner farmers.

Hawaii imports 85-90% of its food, making it highly vulnerable to disruptions in food supply. The state’s transition over the last 200 years from a highly diversified indigenous agricultural system to plantation-scale industrial export crops, which have now ceased production, has created an urgent need for revitalization of the agricultural economy. Hawaii has 7,328 farms, but 78% earn less than $25,000 per year. Costs of land, labor, and agricultural inputs are high, and the average farmer age is 60 years old. Hawaii’s governor established a goal to double local food production by 2030, which requires a significant expansion of farms and production volumes. In addition, local farmers need support to meet the challenges presented by climate change. 

The goal of the GoFarm Hawaii (GFH) project is to enhance Hawaii’s food system resilience by increasing the number of viable farm businesses in the state and the volume of food production. This project is working to develop new farmers through 1) a certificate-based farmer training program that integrates conceptual and experiential learning, 2) 1-on-1 business consulting and technical support, and 3) ongoing production, business, and networking support. The program components have been developed and customized based on the unique needs of the local beginning farmer population, who typically have limited experience and exposure to agriculture, and want preparation to operate their own farm businesses. 

This project is a collaboration of six Maryland organizations: University of Maryland, College Park (UMDCP); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES); University of Maryland Baltimore, Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI); Farm Alliance of Baltimore (FAB); Black Yield Institute (BYI); Southern Maryland Agriculture Development Commission of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland (SMADC). 

Our goal is to alleviate what beginning farmers have told us are two of the biggest barriers to their success: land access and market access. 

Thanks to USDA-NIFA funding, we were able to expand our efforts to support urban, peri-urban, and historically underserved beginning farmers. Different organizations in our collaborative team taught about market research, legal issues related to leases and land access, and methods of growing and marketing African heritage crops. We provided one-on-one coaching to agricultural and food entrepreneurs. We built new online resources for realtors, landowners, and land seekers. We trained historically underserved farmers on how to grow and market African heritage crops. We held community convenings and listening sessions to build concensus on urban farmland access and tenure. 

The project applicants represent a regional coalition joined across the Tennessee and Virginia border in a region called the “Heart of Appalachia”. Our coalition represents a 20-year track record of building the local food economy from farm to fork, across all economic classes, across all ages. Through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program we improved start-up opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers to establish and sustain viable agricultural operations and communities. The coalition developed 4 main objectives in response to feedback from beginning farmers served by our organizations.

• Enhance Regional Coalition: The Coalition  increased networking and communication channels through quarterly meetings, an active working relationship between the Program Coordinators, and the development of a mentor learning infrastructure that continues to be successfully executed.
• Whole Farm and Local Market Education: In total 106 students participated in ARC&D's Winter Business Intensive and Field School. An additional 800 individuals particpated in the virtual Summer Field School held in 2020. A demonstration garden showcased the challenges and benefits of wholesale organic production.  Over the grant period,  12,500 lbs. of produce was harvested and approximately 966 individuals visited the sites.
• Internship-Mentorship Networking: Farmer and Rancher Mentoring (FARM) was created for adult and youth beginning farmers. Throughout the project period, 47 interns (200 hour and 70 hour) successfully completed the internship program. 31 farmer mentors participated in the educational experience. 
• Peer-to-Peer Circles: Peer learning circles are designed to create an educational and support network for farmers. A Women’s Farmer Roundtable was established in October 2018 in Tennessee and are still meeting regularly to date in 2020.The group plans to continue meeting after the project period. 

Over the course of Building Farm Foundations and Planning for Success: Beginning Farmer Training for Military Veterans, we have complete 4 -40 hour Armed to Farm trainings with 90 participants from throughout the Intermountain and North Western US. In addition we did a follow up training for Armed to Farm Alumni titled Armed to Farm 2.0 a Lean Canvas Enterprise Planning model with 13 hours of training.  This training had 13 Armed to Farm graduates that wanted to dig into their business plan or try out planning for a new enterprise. Of the 90 veteran participants in the Armed to Farm training, 23 have started farms and our post training evaluations indicate that 60 made positive changes to their business planning and production practices as a result of the trainings. 

In an effort to increase the success of our Armed to Farm graduates, we provided one on one technical assistance at the trainings as well as follow up technical assistance as needed. This included 55 individual technical assistance sessions by NCAT staff and our project partners throughout the course of the project.

We have watched a network of veteran farmers grow and solidify through the efforts of NCAT,  the veteran participants, and our project partners. We have a Montana based email listserve to promote agriculture events of interest for Armed to Farm alumni to attend. 25% of the Armed to Farm alumni in Montana have joined the national Armed to Farm Facebook group and participate regularly.

Our partner Vilivus Training Institute's efforts to recruit a veteran apprentice on their organic grain farm, did not materialize. Vilicus Training Institute, instead, provided mentoring and guidance on organic certification, USDA program participation, and cover cropping strategies to 10 veteran farmers.

Midwest GRIT is a peer-to-peer and professional education dissemination-based, year-long program to provide beginning grain farmers with the production, marketing, and business management resources they need to grow, market, and sell food-grade grains to their local communities in the Midwest region. Midwest GRIT delivers information through monthly webinars, bimonthly peer-to-peer networking and sharing sessions, at least 2 in-person events per year, professional grain grower conferences, direct technical assistance, and through the provision of a resource guidebook at the end of the program. The first cohort of 31 beginning farmers was convened in June 2022 and included 23 female, 7 male, and 1 nonbinary identifying participants. Twenty-six percent of the farmers in cohort 1 identified as an ethnicity or race other than white. The second cohort of 30 beginning farmers was convened in April 2023 and included 13 female, 13 male, and 4 nonbinary identifying participants. Twenty-seven percent of the farmers in cohort 2 identified as an ethnicity or race other than white. Cohort 2 is ongoing, but cohort 1 accomplishments include:

• Five participants from Cohort 1 grew and/or marketed food-grade grains for the first time following cohort participation
• Ninety percent of the Cohort 1 participants reported their access to peer/farmer community increased over the last year due to Midwest GRIT
• On a scale of 1 to 5, 39% of participants awarded their gains in knowledge of growing food-grade grains as a 5, indicating that GRIT programming significantly increased their knowledge of growing food-grade grains
• Participant also cited gains in knowledge in post-harvest handling of food-grade grains, marketing of food-grade grains, and business farming expertise
  
  
  
  
  

In Year 2, activities included 5 workshops and trainings that were conducted by First Nations and/or the three livestock associations. In Year 2, 117 producers attended and/or received technical assistance to advance their knowledge on conservation, ranching, marketing, processing, and much more.

In Year 1, the livestock associations were slow to report as a result in Year 1, 8 trainings were not reported they are summarized in the impact report.
In summary, the project proved to impact the advancement of the three livestock association and their capacity to manage their nonprofits. With technical assistance they increased their knowledge on grants management, nonprofit management, community outreach and engagement, and financial management.

The project also enabled the 3 livestock association to expand their outreach to Native American producers and explore potential new partnerships. As a result of their outreach, ND14R Ranch established a new market for cattle that did not meet the criteria to be deemed source-verified beef. Rather than taking the cattle to a sale barn they discovered a new market that has enabled them to receive higher sales that they would not otherwise receive at the sale barn. They also established a new partnership in the Navajo Agriculture Products Industry (NAPI) to finish off short sale calves to increase their weight and quality.

In addition, as a result of research conducted under the project, Point of Pines Cattle Association increased their cattle sales. In 2017, upon initiation of the grant project, the livestock associations were surveyed to identify the status of their organization, cattle herd, sales, and producers they serve. When surveyed in 2017, Point of Pines Cattle Association indicated that they were receiving $0.88/lb on their cattle sales. In 2019, at the conclusion of the project and through market research their cattle were selling for $1.25/lb.

Unlike private land owners, Native American producers manage their farms and ranches on trust lands. To do so, many are required to obtain a grazing and/or land use permit from the BIA if the permit was passed down to them by parents and/or grandparents. As such, livestock associations provide a means for Native American producers to continue ranching in some instances without a grazing permit because the land has been allocated for the association.  The associations serve in a quasi-cooperative capacity, managing all the producers’ cattle collectively, coordinating cattle sales, and maintaining herd health. While First Nations indicated that ranching startups was not applicable, five agribusinesses were initiated, with four of the businesses engaged in ND14R Ranch.

At time of final project reporting, First Nations learned that the executive director, Colleen Tessey of the Grasshopper Livestock Association was recognized with a Governor’s award for her contribution to Arizona agriculture and her work with the Grasshopper Livestock Association. She will be recognized at the 5th Annual Arizona Ag Roundtable on December 2, 2019 which will be attended by the Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue.

The primary goal of this project was to lay the groundwork for the future Chemeketa Incubator Farm (CIF) Program. The long-term goal of this project was to increase agricultural opportunities and support economic growth by providing land-based education and business planning for new and beginning farmers. 

Planning work has provided direction on how we can best increase equitable agricultural opportunities and support diverse economic growth by providing farm and food systems training that considers future and current beginning farmers' individual needs. Activities completed have allowed us to identify the specific resources and services that are difficult for aspiring farmers to access. The impact of this planning work has allowed us to refine original ideas in the initial proposal and acknowledge the diverse needs of aspiring farmers in our region. It has helped identify the most important topics and skills needed for future farmers to be successful in establishing sustainable farm businesses in the Mid-Willamette Valley.

We have designed a training program which includes options for a non-credit training certificate and access to a variety of community incubator farms in Chemeketa’s Tri-County Service District. We’ve worked closely with stakeholders and partners to survey aspiring and beginning farmers. We’ve also consulted partners and organizations serving similar target audiences in other areas so we can minimize common barriers to new farmers. We’ve designed the proposed training program to include the most needed training and resources related to career exploration in agriculture, farming principles and practices, farm business development and management, and topics in food sovereignty.

The long-term goal of this one year Development project was to build the agricultural capacity among beginning, immigrant, and refugee farmers in Massachusetts to operate their own independent farming enterprises, to increase farmer ownership rates, and to build environmental stewardship. The Flats Mentor Farm (FMF) is a program of World Farmers (WF) which provides land and agriculture production infrastructure for beginning farmers while they evaluate the sustainability of farming as a way of life for themselves and their families. 

This one year development project proposal helped achieve the following objectives: 1) Provide technical assistance to beginning farmers according to their level of capacity in the three phases of the Flats Mentoring Program; 2) Provide tools and develop skills on financial and risk management; 3) Increase beginning farmer participation in USDA programs. In the area of training and technical assistance, this project addressed the immediate needs identified by the immigrant and refugee farmer participants at FMF to better understand the complexities of farming in New England: crop production practices, entrepreneurship and business training, financial and risk management, marketing strategies, food safety practices and outreach to USDA programs.

The FMF beginning farmer training model is built on 30 years of experience in working hands-on with refugees and immigrants. The FMF program is based on a model of assessing and defining farmers in the three identified levels of beginning farmers’ capacity and providing training and technical assistance that respects each culture, and the capacity of each farmer to participate on both physical and emotional level. 

During the 2nd reporting period the NB project team continued to provide opportunities for participants to become aware of the various programs offered by USDA and about ways to grow and improve their operation. 16 efforts were conducted educating participants on food safety, ways to become market ready, how to extend their growing periods, honey bee production and value added. The NB project team is on target in meeting it's project delivery goals. We have been providing demonstrations on how to implement best agricultural practices. The project will continue to conduct on going one-on-one assistance and follow ups to assist participants as they develop their various enterprises. 

During the 1st reporting period, the Native Brand Honey project team provided training, group and one-on-one training  workshops, demonstration to successful farming methods, and connected participants to resource. Overall the project team has been successful in its delivery effort.The Native American and Veteran Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (NAVBFR) being served have expressed they were very grateful for this type of support. Supplies have been purchase for training and support the needs of the participant in the development of their farm operation. During this reporting period, 8 production workshops were conducted educating 180 NAVBFR on seasonal planting, maximum use or land, about what crops to plant and when to plant. 1 estate planning workshop was conducted to introduce and educate participants on topics such as land acquisition and retention. 2 financial planning workshops educated participants on the importance of keeping good records. 2 Marketing workshops educated participants on the importance of finding a market early, and also connecting them to buyers. 3 high tunnel demonstration workshops were conducted to provide hands on training and experience. 2 farm tours to show participants what other successful farmers were doing, and practices they could implement on their operation. Participants also gained knowledge about farmers' market style of marketing. 

In the next reporting period, the project team will continue to educate participant and provide hands-on experience. The team plans on developing relationships with other agencies, extension programs and USDA programs so they could collaborate on trainings participant and enhance the project delivery efforts. 

This project, which built on previously successful BFRDP funded initiatives, provided targeted services
that measurably improved the sustainability of Maine’s beginning farmers. The Maine Organic Farmers
and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) goals were to: 1) Continue enhancing the effective Journeyperson
Program; 2) Develop and launch a program to address the unique needs of “advanced-beginners (5+
years of experience);” and 3) Implement innovative strategies to increase overall reach, accessibility,
and impact of our farmer training programs.

1) Success in training farmers, as well as providing the skills needed for a demanding marketplace,
has always been the hallmark of MOFGA’s Journeyperson Program (JP). During the past ten
years, 240 new farmers have graduated from the program. Equipped with innovative
production, management, and marketing skills, these farmers have created more than 140 farm
businesses.

2) In early 2019 we developed and launched the Maine Farm Resilience Program for advanced-
beginning farmers needing to work through a strategic pivot point in their business trajectory.
Among countless other resources, we provided mentors, technical service providers and an
educational stipend to 24 advanced-beginning farmers to appropriately scale their businesses
and help them get back on track.

3) We capitalized on the success of our peer-learning programs to create a broader network of
support for beginning farmers; what began as in-person “Regional Gatherings” morphed into
online “Producer Meetings” at the advent of COVID. We fostered closer relationships with
military veteran and immigrant farmers by working with related organizations. These efforts
culminated in 431 beginning farmers participating in these programs.

Overall, and as a direct result of BFRDP’s support in the past three years, we trained 80 Journeypersons
on 59 farms. Our Agricultural Services Specialists provided on farm technical assistance to 145 farms.
We conducted workshops, trainings and educational events for a total of 2,232 educational
engagements with farmers.

During this project, we focused our efforts on those individuals who do not have direct access to a farming operation in their immediate or extended family.  Most of our participants were from non-farming backgrounds.  Several of our students were mid-career professionals seeking an alternative work situation.  Numerous intake programs were held to develop interest in and awareness of the program.  Two Farm Skills 101 Sessions were held, each consisting of 3 on farm, hands on, skills based trainings.  Fifteen people participated in these events.  Subsequently, several networking sessions were held around various intermediate and advanced farming concepts.  These networking sessions helped beginning farmers to build confidence in their knowledge gained and skills learned, while simultaneously building their personal contact network of trusted professionals and honest critics.

A mobile Deep Roots Training Pod was developed and stocked with tools and equipment necessary for delivering current and future Farm Skills 101 training.

An online educational platform was developed via social media for fostering deep learning in classic agrarian literature, as well as connecting students with community members, leaders and mentors.

As a result, over 180 people received instruction in beginning farmer skills and concepts.  Specifically, 34 students participated in evaluated portions of the program and affirmed they have or will:

• demonstrate knowledge of resilient business management and marketing.
• understand the skills required for different types of farming.
• apply foundational natural and social science knowledge relevant to establishing and maintaining a farm business.

The results of this program have been published in our e-newsletter as well as our annual report.

Newark Science and Sustainability (NSAS) as training lead, working in partnership with the Newark Community Food System (NCFS) as the community recruitment lead, and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey (NOFA-NJ), formed a
partnership between urban community farms and the state’s organic farmers and addressed some of the barriers that have held back underserved communities from entering organic agriculture. Through the establishment of our beginning farmer and rancher training we directly impacted Distributional Access, Procedural Inclusion, Structural Accountability, and Transgenerational Impact by exposing community members to the world of Urban Agriculture, Entrepreneurship through Agriculture, as well as Health and Wellness. It was our intention to decrease the dependence on the external supply chain and build current and future self-sustaining communities. Our program was the only program specifically targeted:

• Essex County
• Newark, NJ
• urban farming
• historically underserved communities

In addition, through ourextensive network, we reached a diverse population of participants ranging from novice farmers to the city's veterans and formerly incarcerated populations relevant to the program goals. Beyond systemic racism, we affirmed that urban farming was critical to the future of NJ farming since only 9% of the state’s population lived in rural areas and most of the population was in urban areas. Through the creation of avenues for access to training and building the capacity of historically marginalized communities, we increased the knowledge of stakeholders and farming entrepreneurship that led to a greener, more prosperous Newark.

    The overall goal was to increase the number of small to mid-scale sustainable farms in Georgia. To do this, we developed a comprehensive, statewide training program for beginning farmers that can be easily sustained into the future. We leveraged resources through partnerships with UGA Extension, Georgia Organics, Fort Valley State University, Georgia Department of Agriculture, the UGA Small Business Development Center, and the Ag Credits Union of Georgia. The program includes Small Farm Business Planning Training/AgAware Training, a Small Fruit & Vegetable Production Training or Small Ruminant Production Training, and a Hands-on internship/mentorship/incubator opportunity. We have hosted the full program in 10 counties throughout Georgia and two other counties offered just Small Farm Business training, overall we had 447 unique participants take part in the program. We met or exceeded 11 of our 14 goals for the program: 

• Small Farm Business Planning Training/AgAware Attendance: 367 (Goal=350)
• Number that improved business practices: 359 (Goal=350)
• Small Fruit and Vegetable Production Attendance: 117 (Goal=150)
  
• Small Ruminant Production Attendance: 90 (Goal 45)
• Number that improved production practices: 200 (Goal=195)
• Number Hands-On participants: 57 (Goal 69)
• Number that completed all three steps: 43 (Goal 69)
• Number of facilitated webinar courses: 12 (Goal=7)
• Number of courses developed: 3 (Goal=3)
• Number of new farmers as a result of program: 90% CI [31-102] (Goal 35)
• Number of beginning farmers in program: 143 (Goal 35)
• Number of beginning, minority farmers: 139 (Goal 12)
• Number of trainers trained to teach: 20 + 10 assisted (Goal=11)
• Number of farmer networks strengthened: 12 (Goal=7)

The program will continue to run in Georgia and can be used as a frame work for other states as well. 

The Farm Collaborative, in partnership with Western Colorado farmers and technical service providers, is launching a reimagined Western Colorado-based farmer education program focused on aggregating and deploying in-person and web-based resources and trainings to beginning and under-resourced farmers in order to provide them with the fundamental skills needed for long-term farm success and viability.

Our program serves beginning farmers at all levels of experience. Over three years, we will 1) run a heavily evaluated version of our current, unstructured Apprenticeship Program; 2) run two cohorts of beginning farmers with 1-3 years of experience through the pilot apprenticeship training program, 3) link farmers with trainings on finances, marketing, and land access, and 4) provide more experienced beginning farmers with 3-5 and 5+ years of experience an opportunity for growth and expansion of their business via opportunities for 0% loans, financing, guaranteed product purchases, and housing. Farmers with no experience (as well as those at all other levels) will engage with the programming through field days and a web-based hub of resources tailored for Western Colorado farmers, with bilingual materials developed in conjunction with Latinx farmers from our region. At the project’s conclusion, we will have a robust “Ecosystem,” wherein would-be, beginning, and under-resourced farmers are educated on the fundamental skills of farming as well as connected with the region’s multitude of farm service organizations and opportunities, as well as each other.

ISED Solutions started its EET award collaboration with 20 refugee farming incubator projects (RFIPs) nationwide, to review beginning farmer curricula and programs for refugees, identify the gaps and develop, pilot test, and distribute specialized curricula, course workshop modules, and multiple instructional tools and manuals for instructors and technical assistance providers.  We also focused increasingly on specialized methods – skills development that also lacking among RFIPs personnel, and that lacking these can put refugee projects and farmers at a large developmental disadvantage.

Achievements related to the major objectives were:
*Established three EET project teams: Developers, Evaluators (Testers) and Advisory team.
*Collected over 100 existing curricula, identified gaps, and establish development priorities.  Posted onto a Google drive for partner and staff access and use.  Converted / upgraded more than 30 to post to website for brand access.
*Planned and initiated development of 26 new modules incorporating audience content with instructional methods targeting farmers, and/or instructor training or guidance tools targeting trainers.
*Planned and began developing comprehensive skills and capacity development for RFIP trainers / instructors, via written guidance, webinars, conference calls, readings, and meeting presentations.   
*Organized six multi-day meetings to bring together all partners, and also connect with other incubators, in sync with the New Entry/NIFTI annual conference in the fall.
*Supported a Community of Practice development approach via national meetings, webinars, conference calls, emails, resource sharing, and joint planning and development of resources designed for use by any or all interested refugee farming incubators.
*Began dissemination via Farm Answers, New Entry / NIFTI, IRC, and other partners. 
*Attended USDA/BFRDP grantee meetings every year.

As of Years 3&4, we posted over 60 new and expanded resources.  These are available here: https://nesfp.org/new-american-resources. Also, a comprehensive teaching  handbook was developed for staff who are providing (T&TA) in immigrant and refugee farmer-training programs. There have been over 4500 downloads.

ECO City Farms’ Empowering Emerging, Historically-Underserved Urban Farmers in the DC Metro Area 2022-5 is a multi-pronged program to counter the epidemic of food insecurity and diet-related illnesses in our communities by increasing agricultural opportunities and economic growth through developing new and expanded markets, increasing competition and proliferating locally grown food, farms and farmers. We specialize in preparing new and emerging urban farmers with fewer than three-years of experience in farming. Our pool of potential urban farmers is drawn from the diverse populations of the Washington, DC metropolitan area, particularly Prince George’s County, where ECO City Farms has established and run a Certified-Naturally Grown non-profit urban commercial teaching and learning farm on two sites for the past 12 years, and in 2022, launched an incubator farm for new farmers at the County’s Watkins Regional Park. 

In year one of the project, 80% of our trainees met the criteria of limited resource and/or socially-disadvantaged participants from historically underserved populations. We commenced a program that offers our trainees substantial classroom and hands-on learning opportunities; access to a wide network of local farmers, farm educators, and resources for beginning farmers; and everything they needed to ready them for a successful start in the practice of just, resilient and sustainable urban agriculture.

As interest in new farmer training continues to grow across the country, and more new farmer training projects launch every year, it is imperative that we better understand how to design the most effective and successful new farmer training programs, as well as demonstrate the impacts federal investment have on growing the next generation of farmers. 

Since the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) was first created in 2008, over $145 million has been invested to support nearly 300 new farmer training projects impacting farmers in every state across the country.  While each project is required to track and report outcomes and impacts, until this evaluation was conducted, no national-level analysis had ever been completed of BFRDP as a whole.  Our project team developed and published the first-ever comprehensive evaluation of BFRDP funded projects by analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from project reports, surveying BFRDP project leaders, writing successful project vignettes, and assessing the long-term impacts of completed projects. With this project, we sought to better understand both the short and long-term outcomes and impacts of BFRDP as a whole, and to better understand the factors that lead to more successful new farmer training projects.

Project core objectives have been to implement a nationwide community of practice (CoP), expand visually-based content for T&TA providers, and develop trainers’ skills in adult education and T&TA delivery through webinars and an on-site meeting. Core activities have included peer-to-peer engagements through CoPs for incubator farm staff, expansion and dissemination of visually-based farmer education content, and skills development through training-of-trainers.

 Seven refugee farming incubators and 30+ staff improved T&TA content and delivery. 40+ refugee farm incubator programs nationwide will be downloading and utilizing training resources through our new website: www.isedsolutions.net. Via the website, 600 to 1200 beginning farmers will also access hundreds of T&TA resources and thus expand their knowledge of farming and improve farm business outcomes. These resources will also be widely distributed to reach other beginning farmer incubators and help thousands of other beginning farmers.

Due to COVID19, additional funding support we received has been provided to all partners to make up for the uncompensated time and effort put in due to the limitations of COVID19 and the greater workload they shoulder producing high quality T&TA materials. Funds were also used for a one-year extension to allow time to complete the new content development, to pilot it with farmers. and to post these on the new ISED website. The website will continue to expand.

Other collaborating institutions/organizations: ISED collaborated with the following programs: International Rescue Committee (IRC) - US National office – NYC; IRC local program - Charlottesville, VA; Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas, Kansas City, KS; Cultivate Kansas City, MO, Lutheran Services of Iowa, Des Moines, IA. Some added programs also piloted resources.

Percent of total federal funds requested that are allocated to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), or school-based agricultural educational organizations (SAEOs): 100%

This project served 100% refugee participants, who also constitute primarily as low-income and socially-disadvantaged. 

World Farmers' project centered on increasing farmers’ agricultural capacity as they take their operation to the next level, and seek to transition beginning immigrant and refugee farmers onto independent land. The target audience for this project was the  354 immigrant and refugee farmers in our Flats Mentor Farm program. Throughout this project, World Farmers and collaborating organizations achieved the following objectives: 1) Provided farm transition planning assistance for immigrant and refugee farmers; 2) Transitioned small-scale or subsistence farmers to the next phase of their operations; 3) Conducted training and technical assistance in the areas of crop management and pest identification; 4) Assisted in farmer land acquisition efforts. This project and all its partners were dedicated to providing customized support to each farmer as they establish their individual farming enterprise, and to strengthen and enhance a new social fabric that welcomes new and diverse community members.

1. Project Title: Farmer Education and Enterprise Development (FEED) Project

2. Project Director(s): Chris Brown and Nathan Harkleroad of ALBA

3. Project Description: The FEED goal was to educate and train 150 beginning and socially disadvantaged (BSD) farmers to plan, launch, and/or sustainably establish independent organic farm businesses. ALBA exceeded its goal by training 250+ participants through workshops and technical assistance, and incubating 86 farm businesses. Of these 86 farm businesses, 57 continue to farm in 2019. FEED primarily served low-income Latinos in the Salinas Valley – many of whom are immigrant farm workers -- helping them achieve the dream of farm ownership and economic independence.

ALBA was able to achieve this goal with its 100 acres of organic land; a well-qualified team; an intensive, multi-year farmer development program; and, most importantly, the determination of its participants.  Furthermore, ALBA coordinated with four longstanding partner organizations to expand services to farmers, including during the transition off ALBA’s land. FEED’s objectives focused on all stages of BSD farmer development from start-up through farm incubation and transition from ALBA land and finally to maturation.

Obj. 1: Farmers receive intensive education and TA to prepare for and launch farm businesses.

Obj. 2: Farms strengthened through intensive production and business development services.

Obj. 3: Farms receive transition and business consulting services to firmly establish independent farm businesses off of ALBA ground.

The FEED consortium provided a comprehensive farmer development program leveraging the agricultural skills of BSD farmers to capitalize on growing markets for locally-produced, organic food. FEED combined affordable access to resources, intensive production and business assistance and linkages to loans and key business services needed to establish a farm business.

4. Collaborating Organizations:

a. California FarmLink
b. Carlson Food Safety Consulting
c. Community Alliance with Family Farmers
d. Kitchen Table Advisors

Farming for Prosperity (FFP) for Immigrant and Refugee Farmers in south King County,
Washington, initiated services in October 2021 to prepare new farmers who have been
traditionally under resourced to access capital, farmland, and educational resources. South King
County is the most ethnically diverse region in Washington State. The FFP partnership blended
the resources of an established agricultural education program at Highline College with the
cultural and language support of three non-profit organizations: International Rescue Committee
of Western Washington, Living Well Kent, and Wakulima USA. The project partners 
developed a working alliance to meet the needs of the farmers affiliated with each organization.
Monthly topic workshops on organic production and farm business were complemented with
technical assistance on organic production and business planning and business management.

FFP partners worked collaboratively with the King County Agriculture Land Use
Coordinator in providing land access, field preparation, and irrigation. The project addressed
priorities in King County’s Local Food Initiative and Equity and Social Justice Initiative as well
as legislative priorities defined in the 2018 Farm Bill: 1) basic crop farming practices, 2)
entrepreneurship and business training, and 3) resources and referral. FFP is meeting five
objectives: 1) build the agricultural and business knowledge of immigrant beginning farmers; 2)
develop practical farming abilities; 3) assist beginning farmers in creating farm businesses; 4)
create pathways for sharing farmer wisdom; 5) maintain farm business sustainability with one-on-one guidance through the historically inaccessible land, market, and funding processes.
Outcomes included beginning farmers completing farm business and practicum workshops;
managing their own farm incubator plots; receiving in-field technical assistance and one-on-one
business planning; starting new farm businesses; connecting to commercial farmer mentors; and
receiving guidance through land, markets, and funding processes.

As of reporting date project had been on hold due to Pandemic. Only one of 12 planned in person Seminars was held during the period.

Development of future in person meetings and development of on line courses and programs started.

525 Beginning Farmers were educated through a combination of in-person seminars and online educational learning modules.

Enhanced Virtual Educational Training Modules were developed. 333 Beginning Farmers successfully completed the online courses.

97 Mentors were recruited. 82 became mentors to 102 Mentees.

Reached Beginning in Farmers in 18 States (originally planned on 15 states, but through the addition of the online component reached some who were outside the original 15 states)

systems, food safety, farm safety, and farm/financial/risk management. 
It is anticipated that 225 new BFs will start farming and 200
experienced BFs will improve their farm plans.

This application is from Central State University and is a collaboration with Ohio State
University and community-based organizations (CBOs). These CBOs (and the
amount that they will be receive from the budget) are: Urban Green
Farmers’ Cooperative (socially disadvantaged serving, $59,736); Coit
Road Farmers Market (socially-disadvantaged serving, $59,736); Trumbull
Neighborhood Partnership (socially-disadvantaged serving, $59,736);
Grace Community Center (socially-disadvantaged serving, $59,736); 5)
Soldiers To Sawyers (military veteran-serving, $57,441); and Springfield
Ohio Urban Plantfolk (socially-disadvantaged serving, $58,341). 
Overall, 63% of the $538,988 budget is going to the CBOs, with 55.16%
and 10.66% going to train socially disadvantaged and military veteran
BFs, respectively.

We accomplished the following: trained socially-disadvantaged and military veteran beginning farmers in organic vegetable farming, commercial scale hydroponics farming with nationally-renowned Crop King, farm financial training with Fearless Farm Finances (book produced for beginning farmers by MOSES/Marbleseed), and marketing vegetables to independently-owned ethnic grocery stores. 

We plan to bring beginning farmers to start unique specialty crops such as small scale intensive strawberry production and edible mushroom production.

The 2015-2016  of our Beginning Farmer/Rancher Development Project has gotten us off to a great start in fulfilling both the stated mission of the proposal and in meeting our target numbers and diversity of participants. The idea behind this project was to bring together a substantial group of  project collaborators to create a beginning farmer training pipeline for participants with 0-7 years of farming practice and to help them to gain in knowledge, skills and planning capabilities in a consistent way, depending on their point of entry. These potential farmers would help to grow the urban/rural connection within the Hudson Valley of New York.

Aspiring and beginning farmers are not a homogeneous group. They come with particular strengths and challenges and this project aims to meet them where they are at. As we originally planned, this project specifically targeted aspiring and current farmers from socially disadvantaged and veteran communities who often are only marginally connected to existing beginning farmer offerings.

In our first year we were able to bring a greater diversity of aspiring farmers to the Hudson Valley. Interested participants passed through explorer, planner, start-up and enterprise stages of programming according to their farming experience. Specialized training allowed groups with particular needs such as veterans, young African American or Latino aspiring farmers or
formerly incarcerated individuals to enter the farmer training pipeline having already worked through the unique set of issues they face in their own communities.

This project has also allowed the project collaborators to deepen their work together. In this case seven organizations partnered to implement the project goals: Hawthorne Valley Farm, Grow NYC FARMroots,  the Bard Prison Initiative Re-Entry Program, Soul Fire Farm, the Black Urban Growers and Heroic Food. As service providers for target audiences, the more we work together, the more we  can meet specific needs and challenges of our stakeholders.

This year were able to run 4 planning and production skills workshops, to train facilitators and initiate a Community Garden Internship Program for formerly incarcerated individuals, to run two separate workshops for veterans and to have this training culminate in our Farm Beginnings whole farm planning program. Through this 6-8 session program more advanced farmers
were able to plan out their farming enterprises  in order to meet the challenge of providing an ongoing sustainable living for themselves and their families as they continue their farming careers.

Finally, we were able to offer a Farm Mentorship Program so that graduates from Farm Beginnings could spend time with a farm mentor of their choosing to target specific area of interest or skill building they might have.

We continue to be grateful to the USDA Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program for allowing us this opportunity to help bring aspiring and current farmers of diverse backgrounds into the Hudson Valley.

Located 2,200 miles from the continental U.S., Hawaii imports about 85-90% of its food, making it particularly vulnerable to disruptions in food supply. The state struggles with an aging farmer population (avg. 60 years old), lack of farm labor, and declining numbers of sustainable farmers. To address these critical issues, Hawaii’s Governor established a goal to double local food production by 2030.

The goal of the project was to reduce Hawaii’s dependence on imported food and increase the state’s food sustainability. This was accomplished by developing and supporting farmers and individuals who want to establish a business in the agricultural industry. This project developed new farmers through 1) a certificate-based farmer training program that integrated formal classroom and experiential lessons, 2) 1-on-1 business consulting and technical support, and 3) ongoing production, business, and networking support. Incorporating these components increased the likelihood of success for the state’s new and beginning farmers.

Over the past three years, 68% of participants (most of whom began with no farming experiences or connections) have started or improved a commercial farming operations, 13% of participants found employment in the agricultural industry, and 14% plan to use their knowledge to establish a farm in the future. 

During the same period, a total of 2,471 aspiring and existing farmers have attended educational workshops and 189 have received individualized consulting. 

Experiential learning, or "learning through reflection of doing," has proven to be a highly successful method of education, especially in hands-on professions like beekeeping. For new beekeeping farmers, learning how to properly manipulate hive equipment and safely manage hives with minimal disruption to bees is essential. They also need to develop the ability to assess hive needs through sensory observations, such as touch and smell, which cannot easily be conveyed through lectures, online videos, or books. While many experienced beekeepers are eager to become mentors, they often face barriers, such as lacking suitable locations or enough hives for teaching purposes. Through this project, we built upon the Regional Great Plains Master Beekeeping (GPMB) Program (previous BRFD # 2018-70017-28546), achieving several key objectives: 1) We enhanced open apiaries and field training opportunities to promote GPMB level advancement; 2) We improved the GPMB website’s user interface and experience, making it easier for users to track their progress independently and ensuring long-term usability; 3) We developed hands-on training kits and demonstration aids that complemented existing lectures and online materials, enhancing practical field training and experiential learning; and 4) We continued to offer targeted training opportunities for underserved populations. The overall aim of this workforce training program was to expand practical skills and experiential learning for both beginning and experienced beekeepers. This was accomplished through the enhancement of external partnerships, such as local beekeeping groups, which fostered community-level engagement, support, and learning.

Keywords: Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP); Wyoming new and beginning producers; farm management; risk management; financial management; estate transfer and management succession strategies

Summary:

The overall project goal provides education, mentoring, and technical assistance to offer beginning farmers and ranchers the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions for their operations, and enhance their sustainability. In addition, the project seeks to ensure Wyoming beginning producers are well-informed of risk management alternatives allowing them to take full advantage of existing insurance products and other risk controls by offering training and resources covering various financial management, risk management, enterprise assessment, and risk analysis topics.

A multidimensional approach makes available training and resources under four broad objectives: 
• OBJECTIVE 1: Provides educational opportunities directly to beginning farmers and ranchers through regionally-offered on-site programming and on-line resources.
• OBJECTIVE 2: Provides on-site and on-line educational programs to Wyoming’s new, beginning, and limited resource farmers and ranchers via FFA classrooms and other venues. 
• OBJECTIVE 3: Coordinates and provides hands-on internships on working farms and ranches to Wyoming's beginning farmers and ranchers each summer in cooperation with state producer organizations and educational institutions.
• OBJECTIVE 4: Develops and circulates media-based education on various financial management, risk management, enterprise assessment, and risk analysis topics statewide via articles in agriculture-focused newspapers and producer-organization newsletters.

The project has laid the foundation to help aspiring farmers advance to become new farmers through an apprenticeship program, and help early career farmers achieve more success to persist in farming through advanced skill-building educational opportunities. The ultimate goal of this project is to increase the number of organic and sustainable farms in Ohio. For aspiring farmers, we offered intensive on-farm apprenticeships to develop farming skills, and complementary activities such as classroom instruction, network building, field days, and support to assess and address individual learning needs. For early career farmers, we provided workshops at OEFFA's annual conference and farm tours to gain additional farming skills and knowledge of production, business, and financial management. Some took advantage of mentorship with experienced farmers. We offered on-going direct technical assistance to over 600 farmers through phone calls and emails. Through the Farmland of Opportunity event and farm tours, we provided a space for beginning farmers and experienced farmers to ask questions, share ideas, and network. In addition, OEFFA created an online networking platform through Facebook to allow participants to continue sharing and learning through social media. In collaboration with Tecumseh Land Trust, OEFFA coordinated two farm succession and transition planning workshops for landowners to work through legal, tax, business, and communication challenges associated with transferring land to a new owner. In partnership with the National Young Farmers Coalition, OEFFA offered training. OEFFA has been trained as a Land Access Trainer by the American Farmland Trust to deliver land access programs and technical assistance to beginning farmers regionally.  OEFFA joined the Farm Beginnings Collaborative, a national alliance of regional organizations who offer a licensed whole farm planning curriculum to beginning farmers. OEFFA staff and farmer-leaders delivered this Farm Beginnings curriculum to farmers from 13 farms who successfully graduated. 

The Growing Self-Reliant Farmers project serves aspiring and beginning farmers, series about starting and and managing their own small-scale diversified farms through Calypso Farm and Ecology Center's 5-month, immersive Farmer Training Program, Beginning Farmer Council and share curriculum. 

Calypso Farm & Ecology Center, a grass roots, diversified educational farm founded in 2000, piloted the Farmer Training Program in 2012 to equip aspiring growers with the practical skills and confidence to start their own successful farms. The farm-based program offers hands-on training and is unique in its focus on creative, production and business skills through a wide array of topics, including: all aspects of ecological agriculture as well as blacksmithing, mechanics, carpentry, food preservation, wool processing, bee keeping, value added products, extensive whole farm and business planning, animal husbandry and more. Collaboration with the Folk School Fairbanks, a community-based organization focused on hands-on education, brings in a variety of expert instructors to teach many of these topics throughout the program. The Beginning Farmer Council, made up of farmers who have been in production for 5 years or less, serve as an advisory board for the Farmer Training Program and Whole Farm Planning curriculum.  

By 2019, the Farmer Training Program will serve 18 beginning farmers and 100 beginning farmers will participate in the program through hands-on public workshops and the Whole Farm Planning series.

The goal of this project was to expand the Four Corners Training Network for High Desert Farmers (FCTN), offer an immersive experience to beginning and aspiring farmers seeking to establish businesses at high elevations or in dry climates/short seasons by providing skills, knowledge connections and continuing education that will lead to business viability and success.
Our objectives were to strengthen the FCTN; impart knowledge to beginning farmers that enabled them to be successful vegetable farmers in growing conditions across the Mountain West; and increased the number of new independent farms in the surrounding area and in communities with similar growing conditions.

The FCTN created pathways for beginning farmers to receive more training and start their own businesses in subsequent years and regional partner networks in areas with similar growing conditions. The Farmer-in-training (FIT) Program at the Old Fort expanded to include seven Summer Short Courses (SSCs) that emphasized practices designed to be successful in high-elevation conditions. A Spring Farmer Training Immersion (SFTI) was offered remotely to program graduates who continue to farm, and other beginning farmers accessing support through the FCTN. As the FCTN, we believe that beginning farmers need multiple years and sources of support to succeed. Project partners attended the Farmer Training Convergence, and worked to develop and support farmers in second-year placements, including mentoring, incubator programs and land access opportunities.

The expanded FIT program met the demand for hands-on farmer training and coursework, and allowed other programs to focus on helping farm businesses get established by developing and delivering all other components of beginning farmer education.

The Women, Food & Agriculture Network (WFAN) has been coordinating successful aspiring and beginning farmer programming for women and LGBTQ+ people for over 20 years, which has included facilitating one-on-one mentorships, mentor trainings, Learning Circles and other networking and training opportunities. This work began from a noted gap in opportunities for aspiring women farmers to find the inspiration, connections and empowerment they needed to pursue their farm dreams.

Our project proposal, Harvesting our Potential: Training Beginning Women Farmers Through Mentorship will strengthen our existing aspiring and beginning farmer programming in Iowa and extend our reach deeper into seven Midwest states - IA, OH, IL, WI, MN, MO, and NE, where limited to no women-centered mentorship programming exists, and where WFAN has deep roots, a strong and growing member base, and institutional relationships. In addition to the existing program offerings noted above, this project will support HOP participants to attend workshops, field days, farm visits, and short-term "skill-share" mentorships.

Our overall goals for this project include 1.) providing opportunities for beginning and intermediate (category 5 - all trainees with under 10 years of experience) women farmers in IA, OH, IL, WI, MN, MO, and NE to access local mentorship relationships and resources needed to make best decisions for their future business plans and/or current operations, and 2.) giving aspiring women farmers connections that boost interest, confidence and commitment in choosing farming as a calling. Ultimately this project will result in greater success rates for the sustainability of women's farming operations and an increase in start-ups of women-owned and operated farm businesses.  

The Hudson Valley Apprenticeship is a multi-farm apprenticeship program supporting mentors and apprentices across New York’s Hudson Valley. A cross-region collaboration between diversified small and mid-scale farms, farmer training organizations, and educators has come together through the facilitation of Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming in Cold Spring, NY, to meet the following program goals:  

Goal 1: Ensure equitable apprenticeships across the Hudson Valley region that prepare diverse new and beginning farmers to successfully run their own climate-resilient farm operations. Objectives: 1A) Train new climate-resilient farmers, 1B) Diversify apprentice and mentor pools, and 1C) Fairly compensate apprentices and mentors. 

Goal 2: Support regional climate-resilient farm viability with a well-trained apprentice workforce using a replicable system of farmer knowledge transfer. Objectives: 2A) Promote transparency and accountability for replicability, 2B)  Support effective farmer knowledge transfer, and 2C)  Strengthen the social fabric of farming communities. 

The Apprenticeship’s anticipated major outcomes are: 
55 apprentices complete the program “prepared to start farming.” 
80% of apprentices report valuing diversity on farm teams.  
5 new climate-resilient farm startups. 
70 new farmers gain knowledge in: Climate-resilient production, Marketing, Finances, Land acquisition, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and/or Nonviolent Communications. 

The Hudson Valley Apprenticeship supports NIFA BFRDP goals of yielding improvements in, and sustainability of, beginning farmers through mentoring and apprenticeships, and by supporting agricultural resilience to climate change while increasing equitable participation in USDA projects.

During this reporting period, Year 3, Western Oregon's Sustainable Collaborative (WOSA) which consists of 6 different agriculture programs that support farmers of color, accomplished the following outputs:  1) Provided 3 Agriculture Courses in Spanish; 2) Mentored 64 new beginner farmers through specialty workshops and internship programs; 3) Supported 18 minority BFRs via access to local Farmers Markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. Particularly, farmers had access to 10 local Farmers Market across Western Oregon and 2 CSA's. For Year, we served a total of 304 BFRs. 

Furthermore, it trained and provided one-on-one technical assistance to 64 minority BFRs with best practices on how to make risk management decisions related to farm financial and operational benchmarking. A total of 1,778 hours of one-on-one technical assistance or business coaching was offered to participants.

For specialty workshops, the following topics were delivered: Leaf Mulching, Virtual Cooperative Development, Seed Staring, Greenhouse Management, Transplanting techniques, Irrigation System, Seed germination, Brewing Compost Tea, and Farm Law Workshops. 

Successfully planned and hosted Dia del Agricultor Latino 2022 on July 24 at Our Table, where 57 program participants and staff members of the WOSA organizations gathered to learn from subject experts and one other. Ecological pest management and no till agriculture were among the favorite workshops according to an evaluation done at the end of the event.  

Project accomplishments and impacts generated in this second year of the program:
After last year BFRVSC (Beginning Farmer Rancher and Veteran Southwest Coalition) the need of training that focus on veterans was contemplated since El Paso, Texas is home of Fort Bliss where they received approximate 100 deployed veterans every month; NIFI partner with El Paso Verde a small scale hydroponic farm own by a veteran and created VFI (Veteran Farming Initiative) with a Sustainable Agriculture course designed to introduce military veterans and family members to the many areas of interest within agriculture. It is a two-week course offered four times this year, where participants explore career opportunities, tour and work at local farms and learn about different programs designed to assist beginning farmers and ranchers. September 11- 20 was our first completed course with four veteran participants.
Two producer groups were created Chaparral Diversity Growers Associationwith producers from New Mexico; and“Vecinos Unidos”form with producers ofClint, Texas.
During this secondyear of theproject: 145gained important knowledge at events or workshops, beginning farmers, ranchers and veterans learn about NRCS and FSA programs; 25improved their production practices;27 Veterans received support.

Project accomplishments and impacts generated in this third year of the project “Initiating the Paso Del Norte Immigrant Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Network”
NIFI continued partnering with El Paso Verde a small-scale hydroponic farm own by a veteran and VFI (Veteran Farming Initiative) continued with two more courses graduating 21 Veterans in Sustainable Agriculture. Each of them completed over 20 hours of classroom work, field labor and observation, and prepared their own business plan. Along the way, they made connections with each other, industry leaders, technical contacts, and potential customers. NIFI also made available on-going workshops and network forums to connect. A mobile app workshop was hosted just recently this summer to provide more support to budding businesses in our community. 
Where once, veterans wishing to pursue work with their hands in a non-traditional sense now feel connected to their land, the environment, and their community using Agro-prenuer skills and knowledge they received through VFI program. 
In addition to the positive impacts of the participants, we have bolstered good will among the El Paso community as well. Many Veteran-Service-Organizations in West Texas and Southern New Mexico now recognize us as an official training program for veterans. We are listed in the biannually published directory from the City of El Paso Veterans One Stop Office. We continue to receive regular inquiries about the program and many offices are interested in placing more of their consumers in our next trainings. The need still remains. 

Two producer groups were created “Desert Growers” with producers from Chaparral, New Mexico; and “Patas Verdes” from Socorro, Texas.

Outputs in knowledge gains and actions as follows:
#Farmers beginning their own independent farm enterprises = 29
#Farmers starting up with the intent to purchase their own farm operations = 40
#Farmers receiving entry-level production support such as seeds, seedlings, row cover, drip tape or other related training and supplies = 21
#Farmers improving production practices = 29
#Farmers accessing new markets = 12
#Farmers integrating new financial risk management practices = 9
#Farmers accessing credit = 3
#Farmers having new information on how to access land = 80
#Farmers accessing additional land during the project period = 5
#Farmers with new knowledge on improving soil quality = 156
#Farmers with new knowledge on cover cropping = 106
#Farmers with new knowledge on conserving water = 106
#Farmers with improved yields = 29
#Farmers adopting current best agriculture practices of which they had no prior knowledge = 12


During this third year of the project: 156 gained important knowledge at events or workshops, beginning farmers, ranchers and veterans learn about NRCS and FSA programs; 29 improved their production practices; 21 Veterans received support.

The number one challenge beginning farmers face is find and securing affordable, appropriate farmland. To address this issue in Illinois, The Land Connection’s project, “Land Access Solutions for Illinois’ Next-Generation Farmers,” has launched a farmland access program for the entire state – Illinois FarmLink – with a director, three farmland access navigators, and a website.

The Illinois FarmLink team is addressing farmland access challenges through three types of services. First, the program provides free advising services as a way to give farmers customized advice and ideas that will help farmers take useful next steps for their situation. Second, the program directly connects farmers and farmland owners through the website’s online profile system, networking events, promoting farmers and farmland opportunities in our monthly email newsletter, and direct matchmaking. Third, Illinois FarmLink provides education and resources to boost knowledge and insight for farmers.

Because farmland owners are so fundamental to the farmland access success and because farmland succession can make or break farmland’s future availability to farmers, Illinois FarmLink offers those same three groups of services to farmland owners as well. Illinois FarmLink has also begun partnering with other organizations around succession planning education programming so that farmland owners will be able to make wise, informed succession plan choices.

In the coming year, Illinois FarmLink will also convene a statewide coalition of organizations. farmers, and farmland owners with the common goal of addressing key land access challenges in the state in coordinated ways. The program is also committed to making sure it provides the services and resources people of all backgrounds and financial assets will find useful.

To build further awareness of Illinois FarmLink and its services, we will be advertising the program extensively (in print, radio, and online) and conducting outreach to our networks of partners and farmers.

Our 2017 National Young Farmer Survey found land access to be the number one challenge that young farmers and ranchers face. Many of these are first-generation farmers from non-farming backgrounds, who need support to determine how land tenure decisions will impact the financial health of their farm businesses. Although there are a number of financial planning tools available, none are specifically focused on financial decision-making for land access.

The goal for this project was to create educational tools and programs that enable beginning farmers and ranchers across the country to make informed financial decisions during the process of accessing land so that they will have a solid framework on which to build strong, sustainable farm businesses. We achieved this goal by creating the Finding Farmland program, which consists of a unique calculator tool, a companion online course, and a workshop series, all focused on helping farmers approach the financial decisions related to land access.

The Finding Farmland Calculator (http://findingfarmland.org) is a web application designed to help farmers and ranchers across the country make informed financial decisions during the process of accessing land. The site was created in partnership with Fathom Information Design, a technology and design firm that partners with clients to understand, express, and navigate complex data through visualizations, interactive tools, and software. The main feature of the website is a unique mortgage calculator that farmers can use to compare financing costs for different farm properties, or to compare different financing scenarios for a single property. Farmers can also enter financial information from their records and business plans to more comprehensively understand creditworthiness and how purchasing farmland fits into their overall farm financial planning. The Calculator is used by farmers as a business planning tool and by lenders and technical assistance providers as a beginner farmer teaching tool.

The Finding Farmland Course serves as a companion resource to the Calculator, in that it provides instruction, context, activities, and suggested resources that will help beginning farmers seeking land access to confidently approach the financial decisions they will encounter. The Course contains nine lessons, beginning with goal setting and land tenure options, moving into financial planning methods and financing options, then ending with lessons on different land access methods: leasing, buying, and transfers. Each lesson features a blog post and podcast featuring expert guest presenters; an activity; an instructional video for using topic-relevant features of the Calculator; and a compilation of suggested external resources. The whole course is free and can be taken any time at your own pace.

From September 2017 to February 2019, Young Farmers organized and hosted eleven full-day or half-day Finding Farmland Workshops for beginning farmers with partner organizations in regions across the country. These workshops reached 269 farmers, and developed an internal staff capacity to present on topics related to financial decision making for land access at conferences, on webinars, with our chapters, and by request from partner organizations.

This project reached more than ten thousand individual beginning farmers during the grant period, and has enabled the Coalition to develop an educational platform that will serve farmers and ranchers seeking land access for years to come.

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. 

ORIS’s long-term goal for this project is to improve beginning farmer success and food security among refugee and immigrant communities in New Hampshire. We do this by supporting beginning farmers with the knowledge, skills and tools they need to make good farm business decisions and enhance sustainability. The target audience is 100% immigrant farmers who have operated a farm or ranch for fewer than 10 years. This funding addresses the needs of limited resource beginning farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged beginning farmers and immigrant farm workers planning to become beginning farmers or ranchers.

Year 1 progress:
Hosted thousands of hours of orientations, informational meetings, and technical workshops.
Expanded farm stands and CSA pickup sites; developed two new contract wholesale customers
4 farmers attended the 2017 Community Food Systems Conference
6 farmers from attended NASAP workshops
Purchased 56.8 acres in Dunbarton; 7 acres actively cultivated
Secured access to 4 acres in Concord for incubator farmers. Installed washing station and 12 gravity fed drip irrigation kits for beginning farmers.

Year 2 progress:
Through 2,072 hours of training and technical assistance on 3 incubator farms, ORIS facilitated culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach, business planning, peer-to-peer mentoring, and access to 9 farmer’s markets, 5 farm stands, 6 Mobile Market sites.

Year 3 progress:
Through 2,054 hours of training and technical assistance on 2 incubator farms, ORIS facilitated culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach, business planning, and access to 11 farmer’s markets, 1 farm stand, 20 Mobile Market sites, and CSA program that grew exponentially.

COVID-19 challenged ORIS’s training, recruitment, and ability to connect refugee farmers other food systems players. Still, farmers embraced COVID-19 safety, while significantly increasing their sales. Farmer independence grew significantly. All farmers are eager to leverage the successes of this year, invest in their plots, and continue building their businesses.

Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas (CCNEK) in partnership with Cultivate Kansas City (CKC), is using BFRDP funds for a successful incubator training farm called New Roots for Refugees, and for new activities that support the scaling up of refugee farmers to meet wholesale demand in the Kansas City area. The long term goal is that refugees farm in Kansas City independently on land that they own or lease at a scale that they desire and manage. To reach this goal, we have identified the following objectives: Removal of Barriers to Marketing, Adapted and Increased Agricultural Skills, Financial Management and Farm Capitalization, and Whole Farm Planning.

The incubator farm program provides non-traditional lease agreements to gain access to land that require refugees to complete trainings and establish a path toward managing their own farm business. For each year of the program, refugee farmers take on additional responsibilities, taking the refugee farmer from dependency to independent farm business operator in 4 years. Specific emphasis is put on using equipment to maximize efficiency and profit, as well as teaching farmers how to plan infrastructure for their future farm sites. 

In our first grant year, we graduated 2 farmers onto their own land and helped them establish infrastructure at their new farm sites. We are on track to graduate another 7 farmers by helping them acquire land and develop infrastructure as well. From August 2016 to July 2017, New Roots farmers sold over $124,000 in produce to Kansas City metro area residents.

CCNEK and CKC have been working together since 2005 to help refugees start farm businesses, providing infrastructure, training, technical assistance, and marketing support. CCNEK has a long history of working with refugees, while CKC brings agricultural expertise, making an effective partnership for serving refugee farmers.

Project Summary


The goal of the proposed work is to increase the number of successful beginning farmers
who can access land and operate economically viable farms utilizing organic and sustainable production practices in Ohio.

In year one, this project began to (1) increase the readiness of aspiring farmers to begin farming independently through Farm Vision and conference workshops; (2) increase farm viability and profitability of established early career farmers to improve their success with workshops, mentorships, and individual technical assistance; (3) increase access to farmland for beginning farmers with development of Heartland FarmLink and Heartland Farm Beginnings course; and start to (4) evaluate, report, and disseminate results of our work.

In year two, the project deepened support for farmers starting and sustaining their farms in a pandemic. Largely this was accomplished through reworking existing content into virtual offerings such as Farm Vision and Farm Beginnings program. OEFFA increased farm viability and readiness to start farming through our online conference and ongoing phone and email technical assistance. Supporting farmers and land owners to create successful land transfer to ensure the continuity of sustainable farmland in Ohio was a major focus of year two. We developed and facilitated a three-part workshop series for land owners to write succession plans. Additionally, the Farmland Specialist worked closely with several farm seekers and land owners to clarify and enact transfer plans.

In year three we officially launched our Produce Farm Manager Apprenticeship program and enrolled out first apprentice, expanded the number of host farms enrolled in the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program, and settled into offering many of our courses (including Farm Vision and Heartland Farm Beginnings) in an online format.  We also resumed some in-person components of our work, including our annual conference, a beginning farmer meetup, and a farm tour focused on beginning farmers.


Year 4 concluded our grant term, and gave us the data needed to evaluate, report, and disseminate the results of our work. We concluded much of our programming and sought feedback from participants in the form of surveys, meetings and conversations with stakeholders, and data analysis. All programming that continued, such as Heartland Farmlink, was analyzed and refined by our Begin Farming and Land Access Educator. While we were able to get some very valuable feedback, we observed a low rate of participation in surveys and similar feedback opportunities from our participants. We suspect there is an over-saturation of this type of data collection in our participants’ lives and we are brainstorming ways to encourage higher participation in the future. However, the information we collected reflects an increase in knowledge, confidence, and readiness from our participants. The pandemic had a notable effect on our programming and outreach, and made it necessary for everyone to pivot, and adapt to an unpredictable situation. Although it affected the number of farmers we reached, compared with our original proposal, we are proud to say that at the end of this grant, were operating again at full capacity. We saw several new farm owners through their initial education, and their first years of business operation, involving them in training the next cohort of new business owners, most of whom use sustainable and organic practices. We observed a positive reputation among our graduates and in the wider community, as many new participants have expressed interest and excitement about our 2024 programming, specifically in Begin Farming. We’ve formed lasting relationships with new farmers and scores of professionals, all with the shared goal of supporting the next generation of farmers who will feed us while stewarding our invaluable farmland into the future.

Project Summary
USDA NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Project RFA 2018
Somali Bantu Community Association (SBCA)
Project Director: Libah, Muhidin; SBCA
Co-Project Director:Sarah Robinson, SBCA

The Somali Bantu Community Association (SBCA) of Lewiston, Maine, is a rare organization with a farming project completely led by a community of socially disadvantaged limited resource African refugees. With the majority of the community directly experiencing food insecurity, we have taken it upon ourselves to produce food while building the sustainable agricultural capacity of the region. SBCA is planning for its fifth season of in the field, with farmers currently numbering 220. Our intent is to reconnect to our agricultural heritage.
SBCA's three year small standard BFRDP grant is underway with a target audience of refugee farmers who have not operated a farm, or have not operated a farm for more than 10 years in the US. SBCA is applying for the funding set aside for projects that address the needs of limited resource beginning and socially disadvantaged beginning farmers or ranchers. One hundred percent of SBCA’s project will be allocated to serving that group.
The primary expected outcomes during the three-year project timeframe are:
- 40 farm start ups established by New American producers
- 10 cooperative farm enterprises launched involving 60 beginning refugee farmers
- 60 farmers generated income by sales at either farmers markets or to institutions via wholesale
- 40 farmers demonstrated significant skill development with competency-based self assessment
- 100 beginning farmers and ranchers made beneficial changes in farm operations
- 20 beginning Bantu farmers established livestock operations

Collaborating organizations include:
- Cooperative Development Institute
- Cultivating Community
- Cumberland County Food Security Council
- Good Shepherd Food Bank
- Land for Good
- United Veteran Farmers of Maine
- USDA Farm Services Agency
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- World Farmers

The Organic Farming Certificate Program is a hands-on, comprehensive internship training program ranging from 9 to 22 months in organic agriculture designed for new and beginning farmers, with an emphasis on military veterans. The program is an extension of the Rodale Institute Farmer Training (RIFT) with elements that enhance the current Veteran Farmer Training Program (VFTP) at Rodale Institute. Interns who successfully complete the program receive a Rodale certificate.  The program serves the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond through activities aligned with the following goals and objectives:

Goal 1: To equip new farmers, including military veterans, with the knowledge, skills and practical experience to be successful in operating their own organic farm enterprises. Objectives: Deliver and refine comprehensive, immersive classroom and field curriculum; enhance entrepreneurship support and farm business training; expand training in organic animal production and handling; expand opportunities for practical training on regional organic farms; offer additional internship opportunities on regional organic farms. 

Goal 2: To increase the number of successful organic farm enterprises in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Objectives:  Expand post-graduation organic production and business support; create online resource for Mid-Atlantic equipment loan programs; continue informal regional land access and job opportunities network; continue introducing participants to diverse organic farmers and networks.

Goal 3: To support military veterans in their transition to the civilian workforce. Objectives: Institute a National Organic Farmers network; continue providing dedicated recruitment and support for military veterans.

We provided over 2100 person hours of technical farm training, business management training, and general assistance to more than 40 socially disadvantaged urban farmers in the Houston, TX metro area. The training and assistance was delivered through one-on-one meetings, group workshops, demonstrations, field trips, and farmer conferences.

Participating farmers received training in business financial & risk management, credit scores & how to access credit, personal & business budgeting, financial record keeping & analysis, creating business plans, assessing profit potential, accessing financing, crop planning, new tools, soil health, pest management, fertilizing, cover cropping, irrigation, curing, pruning, wholesale readiness, marketing, snap/EBT, and food safety. 

Over the course of three years we saw our efforts result in participating farmers adopting new practices and tools that increased their production, reduce labor, improve their business management, access new markets, and expand their businesses. Though we had challenges along the way and had to adjust how we allocated our available resources, overall, the project was a success in improving the business health our our targeted farmers.

The Rend Lake College (RLC) Advancement of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Program allowed RLC to engage with beginning farmers and ranchers throughout the eight Southern Illinois counties we serve and the surrounding region. The goal of the project was to provide twenty participants yearly interested in becoming farmers and ranchers with resources that will help them succeed in becoming operators or owners of farms and ranches. A series of five days workshops and field trips were planned and conducted yearly for participants that will focus on basic livestock, forest management, crop farming practices and financial risk management planning (including the acquisition and management of agricultural credit). Farm safety and hands-on experience with farm equipment repairs and basic options were offered as part of the educational days planned.   The workshops and field days covered a range of topics, including mental health resources, new farming technologies, diversification and marketing strategies, as well as other areas requested by participants.  We were able to offer these workshops with the cooperation and matched in-kind resources of a variety of committed regional professionals. We proposed that 60 participants will take part in the program with 48 participants completing by the end of the three-year grant cycle. The goal was for 16% of the completers to start or take possession of a farm and 20% of new farmers will make positive changes to farm operations. Those goals were reached with 75 total participants completing the program events and field trips.  Of those 75 participants, 12.5% have already started or acquired a farm while 40% are in the planning phase. 30% agreed that they have made a positive change to the farm while in the program with 40% saying they foresee positive changes will be made.

The overall goal of "Securing a Future on the Land" was to connect beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) to land access options in Colorado and prepare them for secure land tenure to support a diverse agricultural future. There were four objectives for this goal: 1) increase the pool of certified Land Access Trainers (LATs) by completing American Farmland Trust's self-paced program, 2) improve and expand BFRs knowledge of land tenure options and how to execute secure land transfer agreements by offering LAT courses in various formats to increase participation, 3) improve land owner knowledge of BFR's land access issues and recruit more landowners/retiring farmers and ranchers to the Colorado Land Link database and, 4) establish a system for evaluating land link "matches: each year.

We accomplished the following project goals: 1) fulfilled the criteria for the LAT certification- Project Director Amanda Laban became the first self- paced certified Land Access Trainer in the American Farmland Trust Land Access Trainer Network,  2) 62 beginning farmer and rancher participants completed a land access training that was relevant to their current situation and improved their skills and knowledge of the tenets of secure land tenure, 3) strengthened partnerships with organizations to enhance recruitment of landowners, 4) initiated the formation of a Land Access Advisory Team for Colorado, 5) expanded the listings in the Land Link/Land Access online database for a total of 18 listings in 2022, a 125% increase from 2021, and 6) created a baseline matrix for evaluating land link "matches".

Despite the delay and disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic the ABFFC was still able to begin addressing many of the goals set forth in our vision. We added to and continued BFRDP-sponsored services for new and beginning forest farmers. Our vision, developed by project partners during a NIFA-sponsored retreat in 2014, remains the same: To support beginning Appalachian forest farmers by forming a coalition that provides technical, administrative, and market sales training, and improves access to farm resource inventory and plant habitat management services. 

From 2015 to 2021, the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition (ABFFC) trained hundreds of new and beginning farmers on production, processing, and sales, and improved value-added opportunities and elevated forest farming’s national profile in the United States. There are more than 1,300 ABFFC members with over 760 self-identified as new and beginning forest farmers. The ABFFC has provided more than 60 technical training and outreach programs from New York to Tennessee and reached in excess of 9,000 people at conferences, keynotes, special panel sessions, webinars, virtual events, and other invited events. In year one of this project there was a focus on virtual outreach due to COVID-19, which has increased our expected outreach efforts. In year 2 and 3, the project expects to move to a more in-person setting.

For “Seeding and Growing” we: 1) increased membership, stakeholder support, partnerships, and networking; 2) deepened technical assistance in herbal NTFP cultivation, processing, and sales; 3) launched technical assistance in edible NTFP cultivation, processing, and sales; 4) expanded value-added farm verification, post-harvest assistance, and sales connections; 5) improved access to affordable planting stock; 6) increased mentorship between experienced and new and beginning forest farmers; 7) will host a regional or national conference in 2021; and 8) will inform development of the American Forest Farming Council (AFFC). The AFFC is a separately funded project that will cement the ABFFC’s legacy in the form of a professional forest farming association. The Project Director for “Seeded and Growing” is Project Director for the AFFC project and will manage inter-project communication.

Throughout this project, CADE has worked to increase the number of beginning farmers who operate successful, profitable farm enterprises in New York and maintain New York’s role as a leading agricultural State in the Northeast. This goal fulfills CADE’s 30 year mission to increase the number and diversity of successful farm enterprises and related businesses in New York. By the end of the second year of this three year project, CADE implemented its goals in the following ways: 

1) supported the establishment of 9 new farms with high impact, deep touch “A-Z” business development services from farmland access to landowner/producer matchmaking, to business planning, product development, access to capital, and support with markets and sales; 

2) enhanced, strengthened, and ramped up operations of 423 beginning farms Statewide our mid/light touch services using business development and management workshops and webinars, on-farm events, facilitating networks/peer connections, interactive online content and resources, and referrals. 

3) offered 12 digital webinars and courses and 6 in-person intensive training sessions with mentor farmers in the Catskills (primarily Delaware, Schoharie, and Otsego counties) on climate smart farming practices. 
With a range of partners, our project has delivered relevant, “farming for a new era” content: 

• facilitated access to farmland in the Schoharie, Otsego, and Delaware counties;
• technical assistance on securing farmland; 
• educational training via peer-to-peer mentoring, apprenticeships, skill shares; 
• legal and business support; 
• business development;
• financial planning;  
• product development;
• assistance in accessing capital;
• market R&D, market planning;
• producer/buyer/distributor matchmaking to secure market share;
• social support.
  

This Standard Renewal Project included 28% sub-awards to a community-based organization, the Texas/Mexico Border Coalition CBO, and to an NGO specializing in sustainable agriculture, the National Center for Appropriate Technology. It also subcontracted the National Immigrant
Farming Initiative and collaborated with Cooperative Extension Service to provide technical support. 100% of the project budget was allocated to serve Limited-Resource Hispanic and Veteran beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs); providing them training, technical
assistance, and mentorship. This project served an area with the highest numbers and concentrations of Hispanic producers in the U.S., and an area with some of the highest numbers of separating military personnel and Veterans.
The goal of this project was to enhance the sustainability of BFRs in a 84-county, USDA StrikeForce region of South-West Texas, targeting Hispanic and Veteran producers, by helping them to successfully grow and direct market their agricultural produce and products. Objectives included:
1. Promote the awareness of
direct-marketing options and agricultural programs available to
beginning farmers and ranchers through coordinated outreach efforts.
2.Assess each individual or group of beginning Hispanic and Veteran
farmers seeking assistance and develop individual Training &
Assistance Plans.                                                                                                                                          3. Train and assist each individual or group of beginning Hispanic and Veteran farmers during the start-up or expansion of their farm or ranch operations.
4. Develop the direct-marketing options and skills for each individual or group of beginning Hispanic and Veteran farmers interested in growing and selling their produce.
5.Evaluate the success of each individual or group of beginning Hispanic
and Veteran farmers to determine the additional training and assistance
required.
Since 2001, UTRGV (Formerly known as UTPA) has developed,
implemented, and/or operated over 50 collaborative USDA-sponsored
projects that have helped to address the needs of beginning farmers and
ranchers.

The Cornell Small Farm’s Northeast Beginning Farmer Project (NBFP) has aimed to ensure access to resources, education and supportive networks to all who are interested in farming in the Northeast. The project, Strategic Investments to Ensure Long-term Success of Veteran-owned and Advanced Beginning Farms, has built on the vibrant NFBP network to create focused, community based training programs and farmer-to-farmer networks for addressing the needs of two underserved groups: military/veteran farmers and individuals who have been farming for 4-7 years (aka “advanced beginners” or “re-strategizers”).

We designed two main project objectives to increase and sustain the number of farmers in these groups by delivering training and infrastructure to target their specialized needs. Through a Farm OPS program for veterans, partnerships were developed across the state, enabling training and networking opportunities - including three Armed to Farm intensive trainings, workshops, and a New York State Veterans in Agriculture Conference. Additionally the project established On the Job Training opportunities for farming and a statewide Veterans in Agriculture listerv. A Profit Team Project offered advanced beginning farmers funding to work with consultants and focus on improving profitability for long term operational sustainability. Additionally, through the development of new online courses, wholesale readiness training, and tractor safety courses, re-strategizers were offered an opportunity to enhance skills for success.

These new resources have been developed within New York State to leverage our experienced network of agricultural professionals and expanding new farmer community.  However, the model and best practices for implementing it can be distributed widely through the NBFP infrastructure and customized for other target populations (e.g. farm workers, under-served minority groups interested in farming, women, new Americans). This project represents a broad strategy to build upon the strong, established platform of the NBFP, while growing and adapting to the changing needs of all beginning farmers.

Alabama A&M University (AAMU) has been providing training and technical assistance to rural residents since the time of the visionary, Dr. George Washington Carver. Opportunities in agriculture abound for the next generation of farmers, but many veterans, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged individuals are unaware of these opportunities and/or experience a myriad other barriers to equitably accessing available programs and services. The goal of this project is to grow the next generation of farmers, and assist them overcome the said barriers so they are able to develop, operate and own profitable and sustainable farm enterprises. AAMU is partnering with Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Agricultural A+ Marketing Association, Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, JD Booker Farm, Staysail Group, and Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund to develop a comprehensive training program and disseminate videos, curricula and decision-making aids structured to engage veterans, minority populations and those who aspire to advance farming opportunities. Over 36% of the requested funds are allocated to partner community-based organizations; 8% of the funds are budgeted to recruit and assist veterans; and 41% will be used to assist limited resource, socially disadvantaged beginning farmers. The Center begin the promoting  the program through partnering with several community-based demonstration farms throughout Alabama.  The Center has used various training methods such as  demonstrations farms, field days, workshops and group meetings. The project will continue to provide year-long programs of classroom and hands-on in-field instruction and demonstrations on essential skills and information to empower new farmers with the knowledge to be successful. The project has recruited and reached nearly 2,500. This year the project has assisted 187 new farmers, 65 veterans, and 200 beginning farmers, and reached over 3,300 farmers through effective outreach delivery and information dissemination.  Based on strong partnership, target audience support, and the proposed innovative approach including online resource development, this project will be self-sustaining.

Leading Pennsylvania's economy with $7.4 billion in sales each year, Pennsylvania's future depends on agriculture. Yet, the farming population is aging, and 16,000 Pennsylvania farmers are projected to retire in the next ten years. This project was designed to increase the number and success of beginning farmers in Pennsylvania. Our focus was on a group previously not specifically served -- new farmers in years 2 to 10 who are establishing their businesses. The program consisted of four main program areas:

• "Models for the Future" On- farm Demonstrations
• Study Circle Networks
• New Commercial Fruit Grower Courses
• Support for Women in Ag and for Hispanic/Latino Growers
  

Seven on-farm demonstrations provided living classrooms where new farmers learned cutting-edge best management practices in the context of working farms. Six study circle learning networks provided opportunities for new farmers and educators to learn from each other and from on-farm demonstrations. "New Commercial Fruit Grower Courses" provided new producers with in-depth knowledge on starting a fruit business. Additional study circle networks provided support specific to the needs and learning preferences of women and Hispanic/Latino farmers. Information gathered and demonstrated through model plots and study circles was used to create new farmer-specific educational materials and reach a national community of new farmers.

Case studies and interactive budgets for the model plots are posted at the project website to expand outreach to new farmers on rotation cover crops and other sustainable production practices. Seventy-one Study Circles were held for 702 establishing farmers, and 70% of participants who completed post-program surveys (n=454) said they planned to adopt a new practice. Seventy percent increased knowledge in an area that will increase crop productivity; 25%, environmental sustainability; and 75%, profitability. Surveys of adoption rates were 61% for Women in Ag  (n=254), 90% for Latino growers (n=32), and 100% for new commercial fruit growers (n=30).

The mission of HAP’s SFUM program is to enhance food security and community development by providing beginning farmers and their families with the education and resources needed to make informed decisions to enhance their farming success and sustainability.
During the three year project period, HAP collaborated with respected partners to deliver more than 49 professional development workshops to 50 beginning farmers which impacted not only the farmers, but their extended families and networks.  Beyond the cohort members, the SFUM program was instrumental in supporting annual farmer conferences that provided networking and professional development opportunities to benefit the entire Hmong farming community and their food production abilities in the St. Paul and Minneapolis metropolitan area in Minnesota.  Outreach and networking reached over 700 members of the Hmong farming community over the three year project period.
Professional development workshops provided information critical to success in agricultural entrepreneurship, as well as current topics of interest to the farmers each year.  Farmers learned about the business aspects of farming needed to increase their ability to support themselves in the U.S.  For example, they learned about marketing fundamentals and were able to create marketing strategies and plans including signage, product display and social media to impact their sales and income as they expanded into new farmers markets and community supported agriculture (CSA) co-ops.  Through mentorship, technical assistance, and field visits, they also learned about organic farming techniques that influenced their decisions regarding pest and weed management and the potential earnings related to producing organic certified produce.  Nearly all of the cohort members reported learning new strategies about business planning, budgeting, marketing, farm law and new techniques that improved their ability to grow and sell quality produce.

Sustaining Rural Communities Through Beginning Farmer Mentorship, Training and Marketing:

Project Summary - The goal of the proposed project “Sustaining Rural Communities through Beginning Farmer Mentorship, Training and Marketing,” is to support New Entry Farmers to improve their economic success and the sustainability of agriculture and the food system in two historic African American farming regions in Alabama and South Carolina.  

The overall goal of this collaboration is to elevate the next generation of farmers and keep it going, building the essential network of relationships to sustainably support, share and learn from one another. The Project Goal is to expand and sustain the economic success and sustainability of New Entry African American and other socially disadvantaged beginning farmers in South Carolina Alabama and beyond, improving access to fresh food in their historical African American communities and other communities like theirs. The project will result in an innovative and replicable to create a new generation of economically independent farmers who support their communities, with focus on African American New Entry Farmers, including veteran women farmers. The project will increase both respect and capacity within the target population with regard to agriculture as a career option, strengthen the infrastructure to help New Entry Farmers succeed, and improve food security within the low-income communities where they work. The Rural Coalition will coordinate the project with The Rural Advancement Fund of the National Sharecroppers Fund (working with African American Young Farmers groups in three counties in South Carolina) and Cottage House, Inc. (in two counties, with African American women veterans forming the Advisory Team).

The project goal was to develop a highly collaborative network between stakeholders in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands to increase the efficiency of training and extension efforts and to share information and knowledge. The network was led by the Marine and Environmental Research Institute of Pohnpei (MERIP) in the Federated States of Micronesia, in partnership with the University of Hawaii – Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (UHH-PACRC, an 1862 Land Grant Institution), the Hilo Aquaculture Cooperative (HAC), Kua'aina Ulu ‘Auamo (KUA) and the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) and aimed to increase the number of beginning aquaculture farmers in their respective regions in addition to providing new farming practices and diversification to existing beginning aquaculture farmers.  The collaborative partners,with MERIP as the lead applicant were awarded a large standard grant totaling $397,668 over 2 years which was supplemented by a COVID-19 response grant of $197,970 for a total of $595638.

Objectives were as follows:
1. Increase the number of beginning farmers participating in sustainable aquaculture through traditional extensionpractices such as hands on training and workshops.
2. Increase the scale and effectiveness of beginning aquaculture farmers already operating through a multi-tiered approach to extension and training;
3. Conduct cross-site visits for trainers with aview to diversifying commodity production and techniques across regional
entities.

Outcomes of the project were projected have 35 new beginning farmers participating in aquaculture and 40 existing farmers acquiring new production or marketing skills. Twenty existing farmers were projected to have increased production and 1000 people were to have access to publications and outreach on engaging in aquaculture. Ten agency or educational institutional personnel (trainers) were estimated to have improved aquaculture technical capacity.

We worked with 5 beginning Indigenous farmers in the New Mexico Pueblo communities of Isleta Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo and Zuni Pueblo. 

We recruited through our partnership with the NM Farmers Marketing Association during food safety training and provided direct assistance in risk assessments. We built trainings designed to expand Indigenous farmer production through training in product diversification, product specialization and value-added production opportunities to provide year-round marketing opportunities for farmers, and to provide consistent access to locally produced foods for food insecure community members. We partnered with a marketing expert to create basic training in branding and marketing and direct support in logo and packaging development; provide an in-depth business and marketing strategies webinar to guide Indigenous farmers through the process of outlining a 3 – 5 page executive business plan summaries. Farmers were given stipends for their time which could be used to buy software, marketing materials, food safety supplies, etc. CSC also provided ongoing technical assistance to graduates of the program and gained new recruits through word-of-mouth support from year 1 participants. 

This grant allowed Farmer Veteran Coalition to connect with thousands of beginning farmer veterans through one-on-one assistance, in-person and online education, and national outreach.

Over the course of the year, project staff dedicated the vast majority of their time to directly communicating with beginning farmer veterans: helping aspiring farmer veterans to discern their goals and next steps; connecting beginning farmer veterans to local agricultural experts, regional farmer advocacy groups, and fellow farmer veterans; and providing all with a sense of common purpose and camaraderie. These conversations and connections resulted in the veterans feeling more confident, equipped, and supported as they navigate their way into a new farming career, and resulted in the Farmer Veteran Coalition identifying a suite of program improvements and ideas for future services.

Responding to the veterans' most common questions and needs, project staff organized webinars and workshops to teach beginning farmer veterans about financial literacy and the variety of USDA programs that can help beginning, small, and direct marketing farmers, including Microloans, working lands conservation programs, disaster assistance, and the Value-Added Producer Grant.

Furthermore, project staff rallied support for farmer veterans and continued to expand the Farmer Veteran Coalition's network around the country by attending and speaking at numerous gatherings of farmers, veterans, and their allies. This national outreach effort inspired peer-to-peer relationships and organizational partnerships that will continue to serve beginning farmer veterans for years to come.

Through this grant project, Farmer Veteran Coalition helped hundreds of veterans prepare to start farming and fortified a network of organizations and individuals across the country to support them in their endeavor.