BFRDP Projects

“Growing Our Own: A New Sonoran Desert Farmers Incubator Program” is piloting a community-based multi-tiered collaborative approach to increasing the number and capacity of market growers, farmers and ranchers in a remote tri-national community of Ajo, Arizona and the surrounding region. The program will 1. Expand the capacity and skills of the existing beginning farmers through providing education, mentoring and technical support; 2. Incubate a minimum of 15 new growers through providing paid apprenticeships, and/or access to land, knowledge, materials and markets; 3. Raise a new generation of Sonoran Desert farmers and ranchers through a school campus-based “education intervention” (“Ag Club”) for high school students at the Ajo Unified School District.

After Year 1, the outputs include 90 hours (out of projected total 150 hours) of classroom style instructions for adults; 275 hours of individual mentoring and technical assistance (projected total hours for three years were 210); 13 field trips (projected total: 9); 5,440 hours of paid apprenticeship (projected total: 6,750); and 57 hours of high school level agricultural education (projected total: 60).

In Year 1, the project served unduplicated 35 local beginning farmers and ranchers (projected total: 30) and additional 85 regional beginning farmers (projected total: 70); or a total of 120 in Year 1 alone (projected total 100), out of which 95% improved their production practices and decision-making abilities, based on their surveys and reports. 15 local growers and ranchers completed a business plan in Year 1 (total projection: 15), and 30 (total project projection was 24) designed a farm (garden) operating procedures including a food safety handling plan. 20 local growers entered new markets (projected total: 10). In Year 1, no new / beginning farmers have used the services of NRCS or Farm Service Agency yet (projected total is 3), however, introductions were made and several farmers are looking into the programs, grants and loans offered. 20 new beginning farmers (projected total: 15) transitioned backyard growing into market growing or started a market growing or a farming operation over the first year, which represents a 66% increase in local number of growers (projected total number: 50%).

In Year 1, the project also installed an urban 1-acre Incubator Farm, added additional youth activities (agricultural club at the Tohono O'odham High School on the Tohono O'odham Reservation and summer ag internship), and started offering mini grants, matched savings accounts and loans to beginning farmers as a part of a community-based partnership program called Kickstart Ajo (funded by the Freeport McMoran Foundation).

As the numbers of beginning farm and ranch women has increased there has been a corresponding increase in programs providing education and technical assistance to them. While these programs have developed tools and curricula for addressing the learning needs of beginning farmers there remain many areas of the country where women farmers are still chronically underserved. In addition, while many tools, assessments and curricula are available there is no central repository for these materials. Nor is there a typology, or catalog, that can be used to determine which materials would be most useful given the needs of a specific target audience. 

The goal of this project is to assemble a national learning network to evaluate existing curricula and materials targeting beginning farm and ranch women of all ages, ethnicity, and agricultural production interests. Content teams will identify information gaps; develop corresponding learning modules, and train peers and colleagues in their delivery and evaluation. Our project focuses on subjects of special importance to beginning farm and ranch women: legal issues; business scale and profitability; farm safety, mechanization and ergonomics; land access, transfer and stewardship; and management. A virtual learning network will provide educators and agricultural technical assistance providers with evidence-based information regarding women’s learning preferences, peer-reviewed training materials, evaluation tools, and mentoring from colleagues experienced in working with women farmers and ranchers. 

We work closely with the BFRDP Clearinghouse and the eXtension Women in Ag Learning Network to determine the most effective way to house available materials and create functional search strategies to help users find support.  

The project develops opportunities to start farming on rented land with financial coaching and guidance from experienced farmer-mentors. Mentors in the program could be paid hourly for time spent mentoring or in a lump sum upon accomplishing the program goals. Notably, the mentors who pursued the lump payments helped two mentees to learn how to fence and seed cropland, based on the experience that the mentors gained as mentees in the program. Overall through the program we documented 14 successful mentorships between beginning and experienced livestock farmers. According to participants’ exit surveys during the past three years, six people started farming, total herd size increased by 107 cows, farm acreage increased by a total of 222 acres, and gross farm income by $144,300 or ~$5,300 per participant.

SW Badger promoted contract grazing, or grazing livestock for other people to get cash income. The grazingbroker.org website helps livestock producers to connect with landowners to rent land. Fifty-three producers and 66 landowners completed profiles. The Grazing Broker Handbook that describes how to rent land for managed grazing was downloaded 72 times and was used as training curriculum during 13 farm visits and four workshops that reached 185 beginning farmers and landowners.

The Grazing Broker was invited to speak at several conferences in Wisconsin during the final year of the project. We used the information from these speaking tours to develop two tools: the land investment assessment and land rental assessment. These new tools were used during 6 farm visits and 5 workshops that reached 196 beginning farmers and landowners. Participants reported that the tools helped them to better understand their options for raising livestock and renting land. The Mentorship Program for Future Livestock Farmers has helped the Grazing Broker program to better serve the needs of landowners and farmers in Southwest Wisconsin.

Access to land is one of the biggest challenges for beginning farmers (BF) in New England. In this project, Land For Good, its partners and 40 collaborators enabled over 2,800 BFs to access land or improve their tenure situation in six New England states. Our goals were to: improve BFs’ readiness to successfully access land to farm; enable effective farm succession and transfer to BFs; improve how BFs find and evaluate farm properties and connect with landowners; educate professionals and BFs about innovative approaches and methods; and strengthen programs that help BFs access land and improve the conditions for farmland access in New England and nationally.

Through coordinated teams and task forces, we developed a curriculum for our 3-session Succession School conducted in six states for 18 farms. We launched an innovative online Build-a-Lease tool and updated our 8-module online Acquiring Your Farm course. We produced a comprehensive Farm Access Guide and decision tool explaining and comparing land tenure methods. We produced a land access guide for commercial urban farming, a farm property posting guide, a Farm Succession School instructors’ manual, 11 fact sheets, and a blog report on affordable farmer housing.

We conducted 46 land access and transfer workshops for 2,536 trainees, and a 2-day cross-discipline succession professional training for attorneys and other advisers. LFG provided direct “coaching” to 887 farm seekers, landowners and transitioning farmers.

We improved the region's farm link programs, revamped our regional online New England Farmland Finder Farm Transfer Network of New England websites. We held three project convenings for over 40 collaborators. In cooperation with USDA, we held a national conference in June 2017 for 220 service providers, agency personnel and advocates from 40 states. A conference report summarizes collected policy and program suggestions for all regions. 

The goal of the project, Advancing Equity in Capital Access for Beginning Farmers BFRDP Project is to build the strength and resilience of socially disadvantaged beginning farmers and ranchers through increasing their knowledge, skills, experience, and network accessing capital to grow their businesses. 
In the first year of this project, we have begun developing and delivering a thorough and practical financial literacy and capital access curriculum combining one-on-one coaching, workshops, and peer-to-peer learning and mentoring. This has resulted in 82 farmer participants attending 7 workshops and receiving 314 hours of one-on-one coaching and 212 farmer participants attending 13 peer-to-peer and short course events.

We have also begun strengthening a collaborative network of business and farm support organizations to participate in curriculum development and delivery, including networking and funder matchmaking events. With 10 partner organizations and 5 committed as key partners, we have held 12 meetings to discuss project progress and curriculum development. We also planned a funder <> business technical assistance meeting that occurred at the very beginning of Year 2.

Development and execution of a rigorous evaluation plan to track outputs and outcomes, and regularly communicating with and gathering the network of project partners to share learnings, make improvements to ensure project success and sustainability is underway. A project director was onboarded and group partner meetings were supplemented by attendance to state and regional meetings of farm support organizations. Improvements to evaluation included incorporating partner and participant feedback into data collection and tracking tools.

Our work continues to be well regarded by federal and state agencies, community-based organizations, and farm and business technical assistance service providers. So far, this project has resulted in 37 underserved RI farmers receiving individualized technical assistance , allowing them to overcome barriers to accessing capital and funding programs.

We increased the number and enhanced the success of Native Hawaiian farmers to grow new agroforestry projects and improve resource management of existing projects. This project increased economic opportunity, food security and cultural connection to the forest in the Native Hawaiian community of Maui.

Objectives completed:

1) Trained 150 new and beginning Native Hawaiian farmers in agroforestry

2) Engaged 30 new Native Hawaiian youth in agroforestry as a career path

3) Enhanced the success of 50 beginning agroforesters

Future objectives to be fulfilled:

1) Facilitate 20 new farmers in designing an agroforestry/native reforestation project

2) Establish a demonstration farm cultivated by 100 new Native Hawaiian farmers

3) Provide land to 2 Native Hawaiian farmers to cultivate native crops and enter markets

4) Develop 10 new markets for agroforestry cultural crops.

To accomplish the goal we will conduct monthly classroom and hands-on workshops for an additional two years which are culturally appropriate and targeted at Native Hawaiian adults and youth.
We have established a new training program aimed at recruiting new agroforestry farmers (forest management and crop farming practices) and natural resource managers.

Based in Fairfax County, Virginia, but pulling on expertise and farms across Northern and Central Virginia and the National Capital Region, Arcadia's Veteran Farmer Program brings together regional nonprofits, agricultural organizations, veterans, and experienced farmers - including veterans who have made a successful transition to farming - to create a multi-layered farmer training and development program to launch veterans into careers in agriculture. This thoughtful, practical program increases the number of veteran farmers and helps to ensure their success by providing them with farming skills; business development and management training; and ongoing technical support. This program also provide continued support through ongoing mentorships from the business, agricultural, and veteran communities.

Arcadia's Veteran Farmer Program was successful in its goal to increase the number of military veterans operating new, successful farm operations in the Washington, D.C. region. Within 3 months of the end of the first year of the program, six program participants have already started to farm, while another four have gained experience and or/employment in agriculture and agriculture related jobs. Interest in the 2017 program was high, and Arcadia is expanding the size of the class to accommodate the additional interest.

The project’s overall goals were to increase the number and enhance sustainability of veteran and other beginning farmers and ranchers, through an innovative, holistic model for education, training, technical assistance, and outreach, reducing self-employment barriers for veterans and other beginning farmer/ranchers (particularly those with disabilities). To accomplish the above referenced goals the project: 1. Provided a holistic and relevant educational experience to support farm enterprise education and sustainability through access to: a) face to face and online educational training in farm management and production specific agriculture practices; b) individualized educational planning and guidance to support diverse agriculture business interests; c) hands-on learning opportunities connected to online course content; and d) follow-up mentor support, 2. Established peer-to-peer learning through a Community of Practice, and 3. Offered an array of veteran transitional and disability support services. Outreach efforts were targeted toward military veterans and socially disadvantaged beginning farmers/ranchers with and without disabilities. The project provided participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions regarding entering, establishing, and managing successful agriculture enterprises. The activities were designed to enhance participants’ success in agribusiness startup, business expansion and sustainability augmented by peer-learning and support services and experiential learning opportunities. Formative and summative evaluation measures for program improvement and overall evaluation were included. Program sustainability was addressed through strategic partnership engagement beyond the life of the project. Ease of replicability of the program has been engineered into the design of the program. Even though the project grant period has ended, the program is still being delivered.

Through the program 572 individuals increased their awareness and understanding of business and strategic planning, value added enterprises, conservation, economics decision making, risk management, animal production, vegetable production, and soil and pasture management. The program has held 80 hands on learning/field days with 1034 attendees. The program has held 9 one day workshops across the state with 531 individuals in attendance. Hours of agriculture production course work attended in excess of 440 hours and 1300 hours of hands on hours completed. Webinar attendance for the 3-year period was 4926 participants. The website page was viewed/accessed          107, 751 times. One thousand six hundred and six unique individuals were directly served through the program. One hundred and twenty-six individuals started farming, 725 individuals were helped to prepare to start farming and 126 improved their farming success.

The purpose of this project was to continue to develop and maintain Farm Answers, the existing BFRDP Clearinghouse to help beginning farmers and ranchers be more successful. Farm Answers will continue to assemble educational materials, online courses, software tools, project reports, and educational programs along with developing new features and resources in a single well-organized website where beginning producers and the organizations that work with them can quickly obtain the information, training, and connections that they need.

1. Overall Goals
   Maintain and expand the online Farm Answers library that provides beginning farmers and ranchers a one-stop source of information materials and programs that will help them succeed in their chosen agricultural endeavors.
2. Work with BFRDP Standard and Educational Team projects to facilitate collaboration, communication and sharing of educational materials between projects to amplify the effectiveness and reach of the assistance provided to beginning farmers and ranchers.
3. Collaborate with NIFA to help BFRDP projects improve outcome-based reporting that will help BFRDP projects effectively communicate accomplishments, provide valid data for stakeholders, and the allow the public to learn more about BFRDP projects.

This project has developed a Clearinghouse that will help beginning farmers and ranchers be more successful. The Clearinghouse has assembled educational materials, online courses, software tools, stories, and the ability to connect online into a well-organized website where beginning producers can quickly obtain the information, training, and connections they need. 

FarmAnswers.org has had over 86,000 individual visitors since it was launched, with those visitors viewing documents on how to get started farming through improving their farming success. Other BFRDP projects have used the Clearinghouse to share educational materials both with beginning farmers and other projects. And finally, the Clearinghouse has established an outcome-based reporting system to enable BFRDP projects to share the results that they have achieved with their BFRDP funding.

This renewal Standard BFRDP project built upon a successful Development Grant (PD: Kelly Coleman, award 2012-49400-19591). The lead agency (CISA) managed this state-wide project through an established network of five collaborating agricultural community-based organizations (CBOs): Berkshire Grown, Central Mass Grown, Northeast Harvest, Southeastern MA Agricultural Partnership and Sustainable Nantucket. One hundred percent of federal funds went to CBOs.

The long-range goal of this project was to improve the sustainability and profitability of beginning farm businesses in Massachusetts by providing tailored technical assistance. During this grant we served 521 beginning farmers in the following topic areas: entrepreneurship and business training (priority C), financial and risk management training (priority D), and diversification and marketing strategies (priority F). Activities included 81 workshops, 19 networking events, and 343 one-on-one assistance consultations, plus detailed program evaluation. After participating, farmers continued to have access to on-going technical assistance and peer support through the collaborating organizations. As a result, 92% of participants (520/568 surveys) “moderately increased” knowledge and 66% of participants (374/568 surveys) “substantially increased” knowledge in the areas of marketing, business planning, financial analysis, diversification, or value-added production. By the end of the project we had collected data to confirm that 119 farmers implemented a change (78% of the 134 respondents) and 23 have already seen an increase in their income by at least 5% (45% of the 51 respondents to this question).  We believe the success of these outcomes will improve the economy and food security of the region.

As a collaboration of organizations, coordinated and led by Clemson Extension, we are working toward the continuation and further development of the South Carolina New and Beginning Farmer Program (SCNBFP). Clemson Extension launched the SCNBFP in 2011-2013 with the assistance of BFRD funding; an abbreviated program was reintroduced in 2015 without federal assistance.

The long-term goals of the SCNBFP are to increase the initial success and long-term viability of new and beginning farm businesses --- and to build long-term statewide and sub-state regional program delivery capacity --- in order to help create and support the cadre of next generation farm operators in South Carolina. The target audience for our proposal is new and beginning farmers in South Carolina (27 of 46 counties are Strike Force communities), including those considered socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers, with a particular focus on non-conventional, specialty crop, and value-added operations at both the novice and intermediate levels.

We recently completed the first two years of our three year grant-funded program serving 92 program graduates and 1,163 others through our regional network of workshops across the state.  The program continues to attract a diverse array of entrepreneurial beginning farmers interested in learning how to create successful farm businesses and we continue to provide the service or providing the resources they require to the best of our abilities.  

Montana's farmers are under significant climatic and market pressure to create success from limited resources and opportunities. However, with new partnerships developing across the state to assist beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs), support for start-ups is poised to be greater than ever before. This project has prepared BFRs to take advantage of this expanded support and enhance on-farm success by providing them with the variety of business, production, financial, and networking resources they need.

Over the past three years, our network has offered 96 workshops and field days for BFRs focusing on business and production topics, reaching 1,335 participants over 2,500 hours. Of these participants, approximately 64% had limited resources and 20% considered themselves socially disadvantaged. Our state-specific online clearinghouse, FarmLinkMontana.org has had almost 90,000 page views by over 14,500 users. The site includes more than 50 pages of business, legal, financial, marketing, and production planning resources, as well as tools to connect beginning farmers and ranchers with land, mentorship, and on-farm employment. We have connected five BFRs with community-based financing through Kiva loans with those farmers raising $33,600 altogether. Through these and other tools supported by this project, at least 52 new farms have been started in Montana.

These programs are tied together by a focus on developing collaborative partnerships with organizations from around the state. Together, our network has developed Montana-specific resources to increase use, by both producers and service providers, of the tools and strategies available to assist BFRs in making informed decisions for their operations. This project has created a sustainable platform to ensure a positive future for Montana's next generation of farmers. 

Capturing Momentum: Growing Urban Farmers and Farms was a multi-pronged program to counter the epidemic of food insecurity and diet-related illnesses in our communities through proliferating locally-grown food, farms and farmers. Our potential urban farmers were drawn from the diverse populations of the DC metropolitan area where ECO City Farms has run a non-profit urban farm on two sites for the past 12 years. The project offered a one-stop learning environment with a self-paced competency-based curriculum, where the earning of Community College certification and tracking of individual progress through a learning plan signals mastery and awards achievement. We offered a collaborative and supportive hands-on setting with passionate and empathetic practitioner educators where all voices heard and respected. The goal of this project was to increase the number and quality of urban farmers and farms in Prince George's County, where access to nutritious healthy food is still scarce, open space for farming is still abundant, and many diverse cultures and food traditions coexist. We built on our FY2016 BFRDP (2016-70017-25342) which trained 51 farmers (90% limited resource, socially disadvantaged and/or new immigrant) to grow healthy food for themselves and the market. In this first year of the program, we successfully began our program in January with three months of classroom training at the Prince George's Community College with local farmers (including ECO farmers) covering a range of critical farming theory and practical knowledge, followed by 6 months of hands on training with a dedicated training plot on site at ECO City Farms. During this reporting period, all but one trainee, or 20 out of 21, successfully completed the classroom training and received a certificiate in commerical urban farming from ECO andPGCC. However within a week of the end of class, the entire state and County was shut down due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. While ECO was deemed an essential farm business and our work was allowed to continue,it was prudent tocontinue face to face, hands on farming education for the first few months of the shut down.
Our staff worked hard to reconfigure our training and offer on-line meetings and classes, and eventually provide limited individualized hands-on training. However our original plans for creating an intimate and collaborative setting for collective training and labor was not possible this entire year to date.
Despite these unanticipated constraints, all of the 20 trainees attending the program were highly satisfied with the intensive classroom training, the dedication and generosity of the instructors, and the supplemental on-line training they received. In a change of approach, ECO has decided to supplement its offering in the coming year to provide advanced training for those who completed the first year, but may not be ready to begin farming on their own. Moreover, once the
initial sequestation was eased in late Spring 2020, more than 10 of the trainees began to regularly train at the Bladensburg farm for individualized instruction and together with staff they managed to create and maintain a significant plot of ECO's farmland for growing vegetables. Given the difficulties and challenges facing this 2020 cohort, the accomplishments of trainers and trainees alike was most impressive.

In 2021 and 2022 we experienced similar restrictions due to COVID, but each year navigated them more easily than the last, having more fully developed our online learning and COVID-safe in person training opportunities with each passing year.

The VSU BFRDP team has been successful in accomplishing the stated objectives of the project. The VSU Small Farm Outreach Program conducted over 2000 efforts during the 3- year life of the project. These efforts included one-on-one on-the-farm visits, tours, phone calls, emails, and Agricultural educational training workshops/events (in-person and online). Participants received information about farm business planning and financial management, risk management education, production and marketing methods/techniques, demonstrations and farm tours. All evaluated events rated at a 90% percentile and higher indication that participants gained knowledge about USDA and other state agricultural agencies resources that are available to them. Participants indicated that they gained knowledge on how to create a business plan; gained knowledge that will help them to make an informed decision; and plan to use in the information gained in the future to enhance their farm operation. 150 beginning and veteran farmers were recruited, 84 participants have started and are operating a farm business. Twenty-one (21) applicants received Cost Share from NRCS. 98 participants increased knowledge on accessing FSA and other loan programs; forty-eight (48) developed a business plan and Thirty-two (32) applied to FSA and other loan programs; eleven (11) gained farmland.

The New Farmer Orientation sessions provided participants with a step-by-step guide of the many resources that are available to them, as well as connecting them to their assigned small farm State Program Assistant, and their local USDA Agency. It also provided snapshots of what a business structure looks like and things to consider when starting a farm business. 

Workshops such as USDA Information Sessions, Estate Planning and Land Transition, Agribusiness Production & Financial Management allows participants an open forum where they can communicate directly with USDA and respective representatives and gain first-handed information about the resources they need to become successful farmers.

Our Small Farm Program Assistants (PA) will continue to provide outreach, training, technical assistance and provide producers with direct assistance when completing applications, providing hands-on guidance and education relating to their needs.

The purpose of Cultivating Success: A Comprehensive Beginning Farmer Training and Mentorship Program for Idaho, is to increase the number and success of beginning small farmers and ranchers in Idaho. Methods include comprehensive training (in-person and via site-hosted interactive webinars), facilitating access to land and capital (via networking and meaningful online resources), and coordinate ongoing farmer-to-farmer mentoring (on farms). This system combined with the 42 county reach of University of Idaho (UI) Extension will allow the project team to reach nearly all of Idaho.  Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Idaho’s farms and ranches are working on less than 180 acres. Many of these farmers are women. UI Extension’s Cultivating SuccessTM Sustainable Small Farms Education program has been the primary educational resource for the target audience in Idaho for nearly 20 years. Since 2001, 575 people have completed one or more Cultivating Success courses in Idaho.  Participants identified land costs, land availability, start-up costs and access to capital as barriers to small farm success. This project proposed to re-invigorate the existing Cultivating SuccessTM program to address current needs. Key partners include Rural Roots, an existing farm networking and education non-profit organization, and several farmers who are already trained and experienced farmer mentors.  The program is providing needed education, mentoring and resource information to Idaho’s small-acreage farmers and ranchers. Post-workshop evaluations measured behavioral change and the effectiveness of the delivery formats. The project activities are in alignment with USDA-NIFA’s priorities addressing hunger and food security.

Indigenous Roots Forever: A Business Support Program for Tribal and other Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Beginning Farmers was a one-year collaborative program executed by the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust in Cranston, RI under the USDA-BFRDP FY2021-2022 Simplified Standard Grants initiative. The project ran through September 1, 2021, to August 31, 2022, and involved collaboration with Global Village Farms in Grafton, Support and outreach focused on historically underserved Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) beginning farmers in Massachusetts, where few educational resources for this population exist.

The project utilized outreach and individualized educational services as well as intensive learning and technical assistance to increase understanding of sound business practices. Thirty-eight beginning BIPOC farmers participated in the program with over twenty showing some gains in business planning and marketing knowledge. Two farms (representing 8 farmers) saw an increase in revenues as a result of implementing this knowledge into their own businesses.

In the second project year, Delta Farming Start delivered technical assistance, mentoring, and intensive, targeted training in farming start-up, farming practice and management, AG related business, and other critical areas to 45 selected participants. Participants are 100% African American, limited resource, socially-disadvantaged, small farm and ranch or are currently farmworkers. Participants are also 100% focused on specialty crop production. Participants completed quarterly 2-day training, received and will continue to receive ongoing one on one coaching and visits to their farms, soil testing with financial resources for soil preparation, tilling, row creation, and precision seeding equipment through the Delta Farming Start program for the life of the project. Participants were either prepared to start small independent farm operations or other agriculture-related self-employment, or to grow and diversify their existing limited resource farming operations.

In addition to 1,698 hours of training, coaching and mentoring, the MDC Delta Farm Start, BFRDP project year 2, Delta Farm Start has provided 1) 45 micro grants of $500 to participants for start-up or expansion expenses covering 102 acres of participant land, 2) access to 44 acres of donated land, 3) access to tractors, tilling and precision seeding equipment, at low or no cost to participating farmers, 4) connection to irrigation and hoop house resources, 5) connection to processing plant, 6) MDC cold transportation and cold storage for product, and 7) secured aggregate buyers for participants. (*Note: Please See Steps section below for additional detail on services provided to participants.)

Individual participant earnings project year 2 ROI:
Delta Farm Start project year 2 return on micro grant investment to farmers (ROI) = 812%
Of 45 funded micro-grants of $500, a $22,000 investment, grant recipients as well as an additional 10 participants who were not grant recipients but existing farmers have jointly increased their total annual earnings by $178,636.

Underserved New and Beginning Producers face eight (8) major challenges: access to land, capital, labor, markets, risk management, weak leadership, managerial capacity, digital inclusion, and Heirs’ property issues.  The Pandemic intensified these, showing loss of land/farms, labor shortages, inadequate financing, loss of outputs, marketing contractions, and decline of producers’ health and operations.

The Institute and Partners implemented solutions using clustered approaches, building Beginning Veteran and Small Farmer Village Models of agricultural producers. Four (4) Beginning Veteran and Small Farmer Agricultural Group (VSFAG) Village Models of agricultural producer sites were established. To date, two of the four VSFAG sites were consolidated due to residential development of the original site and relocation. The VSFAG sites in Treasure Coast and North Florida are confirmed for implementation in year 3.  This three-year project supports building four (4) agricultural groups of 20 - 40 New & Beginning Veterans and Small Producers in Florida to receive training, technical assistance, direct financial and disaster assistance for on-farm resilience and risk mitigation.  The long-term goal shows these groups transitioning from pre-cooperatives to cooperates in five years.  

The Institute’s partnership includes mentoring farmers & ranchers, and subject matter specialists from Universities/Private Industries.  The objectives: (i) Target and build satellite groups of the most vulnerable producers and provide training and technical assistance regarding BFR program priorities, (ii) Provide financial support directly to producers to stimulate production and marketing; and (iii) Expand these intervention models to other producers in the target areas and the rural South.

Expect outcomes: Four integrated Veteran and Small Farmer Village Growers groups established; 75% BFRs demonstrating how to create Resilient Farms & Ranches; 90% BFRs building their capacities to create self-insured risk management systems to be able to recover quickly after a disaster; 100% BFRs receiving USDA programs support to develop their small farm or ranches/groups.

This project has recruited and enhanced the sustainability of new and beginning farmers and ranchers in Texas by helping them develop successful farm and ranch operations using the "Model Farm Concept". 

(1) We have established and in the process of starting model farms on our campus farm and in several of the counties that we have agents located.  The model farms includes High Tunnels for year round vegetable production, one acre commercial gardening plots (43,560 Initiative), strawberries, grafted cucumber production, sweet potatoes and peas production.  We have also conducted workshops and field days to expose producers to these production areas and to connect them to mentor farmers/ranchers as well as USDA personnel. 

 (2) We have provided scale-appropriate instructional and experiential training in production, business management and marketing; via field days, bus tours and workshops. We have engaged producers in hands-on-learning some examples of this have been the Agriculture Field Day, Small Farm Outreach Workshop, Soil Health Series, and Agroforestry Workshop.

(3) We have developed an effective partnerships between Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (BFRs) and USDA, State agencies, CBOs and other successful farmers by creating mentorship opportunities and facilitating information sharing on programs and services available to them.

(4) We have developed a BFR database in which we delivered targeted program and marketing information  as well a disseminated  information to our target audience.  This has been a joint effort between the Agricultural and Natural Resource (AGNR) unit of our Cooperative Extension Program (CEP) and the two prominent CBOs working closely together.

The project goal includes implementing a program to arrest  the decline of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (BFRs) and expand new producers in the lower twelve (12) Florida counties, through education, outreach, technical assistance, training, and access to Federal programs over three (3) years. This is achieved by building their capacities and strengthening their skillsets leading towards the development of viable farms and ranches.  The project targets forty (40) BFRs consisting of Socially Disadvantaged, Veteran, Women Tenant, Urban and Limited Resource farmers and ranchers engaged in Specialty Crops, Small Livestock, and Honeybee Enterprises.  To date working with forty five (45) BFRs the shocks from natural disasters and lack of access to capital have been minimized with initial steps taken to develop sustainable markets.  

The objectives and corresponding activities are (i) development and adoption of two Quick Response Tools for Rapid Farm Redevelopment and Expansion; (ii) training and (iii) technical assistance in farm business planning, leadership, management, climate-smart farm production (specialty crops, small livestock, and honey bee), food safety, recordkeeping, marketing, land leasing, microlending, cooperative development, postharvest and processing technologies.  The expected producer outcomes are (i) 12% [5] develop a pre-cooperative cluster; (ii) 30% [12] develop profitable farms as defined by stabilized annual incomes; (iii) 30% [12] are engaged in enterprises that show improvement in cash flow on an annual basis; (iv) at least 25% [10] develop Individual Small On-Farm Resilient Funds; and (v) 30% [12] utilize the Small Farm Update and Communication App (FarmTalk-Forum).

The goal of this project was to enhance the viability of new and beginning farmers (NBFs) in WNC by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to start and/or grow successful farm operations focused on direct market opportunities. In achieving this goal, project activities provided NBFs with training, technical assistance, and resources to develop and implement direct marketing strategies in four key areas:

• Marketing - we helped NBFs build and establish their farm brand (farm identity, values, story), and develop and implement a marketing plan (through communications and direct market channels). 150 NBFs learned and implemented new direct marketing strategies, project goal was 160.
• Farm business planning - we helped NBFs use farm business financials and recordkeeping to manage and develop direct market business plan. 112 NBFs learned business planning/recordkeeping strategies, project goal was 100.
• Production for direct markets - we helped NBFs develop applicable production planning and management strategies including crops/varieties to grow, food safety, post harvest handling, and pest/disease control options. 77 NBFs developed and/or implemented crop plans for direct market channels, project goal was 90.
• Development of market opportunities - we helped drive consumer demand for, and connection to, direct market channels (CSA, agritourism, farmers markets). 231 NBFs participated in (and benefited from) print and radio direct market promotions featuring CSAs, farmers markets, farm tours, upick, and other direct markets, project goal was 160.
  

Despite the challenges introduced by the advent and continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to adapt workshop and resource content and format to meet the demands of an unprecedented time, it is apparent this approach to assisting New and Beginning Farmers (NBFS) in western North Carolina was ultimately successful as the majority of project deliverables were met or exceeded.

Over the past year we held 12 fact sheets and 12 webinars. During the webinar series over 678 people attended the webinars series. 

Due to getting this BFRDP grant, we were able to leverage the work for additional funds to run a test pilot for the agritourism regional networking series that will happen in the BFRDP in 2025. We held four agritourism regional networking events bringing in 80 participants from agritourism operations, tourism, and extension. This program was very well received and we are excited to hold the 6 regional networking events in 2025. 

Our overall goal is to deliver high-quality training to underemployed, beginning farmers that prepares them to start farming businesses or enter careers as farmers. In Year 1, we provided provide agricultural, professional, financial, and business skills training to 16 beginning farmers in the KNOX Urban Farming Program through our newly-redesigned three-level program model. In Year 1, 4 participants have scaled up their existing farm businesses, 4 adopted a new marketing practice, 1 developed a business plan, and 7 adopted a new production practice. We also provided training to 10 non-program participants, focusing on low-space, high-yield growing. In Year 2, 1 participant created a new farm startup, 3 adapted a new marketing practice, 3 developed a business plan, and 5 adopted a new production practice. In Year 3, 1 participant created a new farm startup, 2 adapted a new marketing practice, 1 developed a business plan, and 8 adopted a new production practice. 

Additionally, we leveraged local partnerships to meet needs of participants not covered through the program and promote the importance and community value of urban farming in Hartford. Hands on Hartford provided access to their commercial kitchen, enabling participants to create value-added products. reSET provided basic business model and marketing trainings. Farm Credit East provided agribusiness and financial literacy trainings.

We also increased access to healthy, locally grown food in Hartford by leveraging KNOX’s partnership with local organizations and farmers markets to engage participants in growing produce to sell to the community. KNOX sold produce grown by participants to organizations such as Hartford Public Schools, Foodshare, My Local Chefs, and Hartford Healthcare’s Food FARMacy Program.

Our goals align well with USDA’s program goals to educate and mentor beginning farmers to improve their successes in farming and provide them with knowledge and skills to make informed decisions for their operations. 100% of total federal funds requested are allocated to nongovernmental organizations. 95% of the budget is allocated to serving socially disadvantaged farmers.

The High Desert Food & Farm Alliance continues to collaborate with Oregon State University staff and regional and state-wide partners to improve and ensure farm and ranch viability in Central Oregon through targeted educational activities, mentoring, improved market access, and diversification. This project is currently being implemented in the tri-county region, and serves primarily small family farmers and ranchers who grow and raise food for local markets.  The project is improving farming practices and market diversification through educational, networking, grant, and mentoring opportunities; has developed and implemented a regional agri-tourism project (the High Desert Food Trail); is providing assistance to the Central Oregon Veterans Ranch to develop and sustain a livestock program with a dual therapeutic and economic focus; and improving farmer and rancher understanding and engagement in public policies that affect their operations.

These objectives are being accomplished through a number of activities including: in person and virtual workshops and hands-on educational demonstrations at regional farms and ranches, butchering facilities and grocery stores; a farmer/rancher mentorship program; on-farm pasture and greenhouse management for veterans; and publishing of print and online materials for consumer education and engagement. These activities are designed to enhance participants’ success with sustainability augmented through peer-learning, support services, and learning opportunities. With the supplemental funding to the original award, HDFFA distributed On-Farm Efficiency Grant (OFEG) funds to 15 Central Oregon farms and ranches, 13 of which were supported by this grant. This financial support has enabled BFR to make substantial improvements to their operations, including season extenders and enhanced irrigation. HDFFA takes an iterative approach, evaluating each project to inform program improvement and overall success and impact. The target audience is 250 individuals with a direct impact on 60 beginning farmers and ranchers. The project is collectively impacting regional farmers, ranchers and consumers, while simultaneously informing regional and state-wide organizations.

According to the 2012 Census of Agriculture, of Maryland's 12,400 farms, 20 percent are owned by people 65 years or older - a percentage that rises with the addition of farms owned by 55-65 year olds. With agriculture the largest industry in Maryland, contributing 350,000 jobs, the mass loss of farmers and their expertise in the upcoming 5-10 years, coupled with land-access obstacles for new farmers, could create a labor and farming vacuum with grave effects on the state's economy. What's more, agriculture remains the single largest source of sediment and nutrient pollution to the Chesapeake Bay, contributing 40% of nitrogen and 50% of phosphorus, according to the Chesapeake Bay Program. Much of this can be reduced by farmers well trained in cover cropping, drip irrigation, buffers, rotational grazing, and other conservation innovations that also allow them to remain profitable.

The Ensuring New Farmers' Long-Term Commercial Success: A Comprehensive Beginner Farmer Training Program for Maryland project collaborative developed and implemented a comprehensive program for first-year and intermediate-level farmers that included: 1) a supportive mentor community and resources for farmer success over the long haul; 2) specialized training in grazing, urban farming, and restaurant marketing for those interested; 3) a market outlet for new Baltimore area farmers, Chesapeake Farm to Table, which is set up to work with and train new farmers; and 4) needs-based mini-grants and flexible apprenticeship scheduling to meet needs of socially disadvantaged and low-income farmers. The project played a critical role in growing a new farmer workforce well-trained in practices that ensure long-term economic success, reduce agricultural pollution to the Chesapeake Bay, and build soil health. 

The long-term goal of Entrepreneurial Small Farmers of Southern Illinois (ESFSI) is to increase the number of beginning farmers from underrepresented and low-income groups who farm using sustainable farming practices in southern Illinois. ESFSI is modeled after the original Southern Illinois Farm Beginnings program with an expansion of objectives into skills development components for specialty crops, humane animal husbandry and a critical discussion about land access for farming and resources for conservation management. The newest component, Cottage Food Training and Certification, was developed and delivered, helping farmer trainees to generate cash flow through value-added foods using their own or locally sourced ingredients during early farm development. Mentorship and Farming Alliance field days assisted new farmers in skills development and regional farming practices for success.

In Year 1, we recruited 12 farmers with with less than 10 years experience, and provided holistic farm financial education for beginning farmers, sustainable farming skills development, and assistance navigating land and resource access. By reducing common barriers for entry into farming (ie, lack of knowledge and access to resources), ESFSI has supported Food Works in recruiting people of color, women, veterans, LGBTQ and low-income farmer trainees into agriculture. 92% of trainees began actively farming by the close of Year 1 (9/2024).

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

Activities included

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

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

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

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

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

The long-term goal of this project is to support the development of strong, effective, and long-lasting farmer and rancher training programs to ensure that beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) can enter the field and establish successful farming businesses. This educational enhancement team project aimed to meet this goal by equipping BFR training organizations nationally with tools and skills to effectively conduct evaluations that clearly document program impact, improve programming, and enable program staff to identify and respond to farmer needs. Such documentation and program improvements was intended to increase participants' success and provide the accountability needed for the long-term viability of BFR programs.  Over the entire project term, from September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2022, the project served over 222 unduplicated individuals (not all sessions could be assessed) who attended 7 webinars and 18 learning community sessions (there were 577 including duplicates). Additionally, many more have accessed our online materials.  From post session surveys, 95% at least somewhat agreed that the knowledge gained was useful, and 88% reported they at least somewhat agreed they were inspired to make changes or improvements to their program’s evaluation efforts. There were 49% that reported that they used something they learned from engaging with the GREW project sessions or resources.

In the "Expanding Integrated Solutions to Achieve Farmland Access for New Farmers" project, Jan Joannides, Executive Director of Renewing the Countryside with Co-PDs Lori Stern, Executive Director, Marbleseed, and Martha McFarland, Farmland Viability Coordinator, Practical Farmers of Iowa, along with Nathan Aaberg of The Land Connection in Illinois are expanding the services and network of the Farmland Access Hub to assist beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) in obtaining secure access to land in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois.

Through this project, we have: 1) Helped BFRs become prepared to seek land; 2) Assisted these BFRs in obtaining improved leases or purchasing land; 3) Worked with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) BFRs to reach these same goals; 4) Grew the network of Farmland Navigators and Support Service Providers (SSPs) to support the work; 5) Created a thriving network of dozens of organizational Hub Partners in the Upper Midwest to integrate our work and sustain longevity (https://www.renewingthecountryside.org/farmlandaccesshubPartners); 6) Engaged farmland owners to raise awareness about transitioning land to beginning farmers. Specifically, we helped 164 BFRs purchase farmland or obtain favorable lease or use agreements. An additional 300-plus BFRs made progress towards accessing farmland. We supported and provided training to a network of 17 Navigators, who are providing 1-on-1 assistance to BFRs, including referring them as needed, to specialized expertise from a network of more than 150 Specialized Service Providers. We educated 325 landowners about transitioning land ownership to beginning farmers. We held the 2023 Upper Midwest Farmland Access Summit, attended by 215 farmers, farmland access advocates, technical specialists, and policymakers, which strengthened partnerships, build strategies, and heighten awareness of BFR farmland access issues and opportunities. 100% of the funds requested are allocated to nongovernmental organizations.

The overall goal of the Farm Management Educational Program (FMEP) was to recruit, train and equip 300 new, beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) with the tools and resources necessary to generate and implement a feasible farm plan, becoming sustainable in vegetable and meat goat production. The objectives for year 1 were to provide educational training and hands-on demonstration in basic crop and livestock production; financial management and risks mitigation; market diversification and risks mitigation; food safety and biosecurity; and to bring awareness of programs and services of the current farm bill. 

In year one, we proposed that 300 participants would learn the fundamentals of farming. However, we exceeded our goal by 58% and serviced 513 participants who learned valuable farm fundamentals in the 5 risk management areas of production, financial, marketing, human resource and legal risks. As a result of these training modules in year 1, participants have utilized farm management tools to sustain their operations, which we did not expect to see until later in the program. Some of the farm management tools utilized by participants was how to organize and set up their farm record system, implementing strategies learned from the hands-on training (developing and implementing a vaccination schedule, checking animals for anemia using the goat famacha chart). Another outcome from year 1 (Cohort I) was the number of participants who were concerned about their land and property rights. They were given valuable information on how to clear up issues with heirs property with a direct contact to the Mississippi Center for Justice.

In year two, there was 154 NBFRs (Cohort II) signed up for the online course in the summer of 2020, and 100 participants successfully completed it.  The participants received their user names and passwords and proceeded with the course activities. The first set of modules were offered June 1 - July 3, 2020 and provided participants with insight on Farm Fundamentals of Livestock and Vegetable Production; Financial Management; Marketing; Food Safety, and available USDA programs and services.  The current modules on Farm Business Plan Development were offered during the period of July 23, 2020 - November 27, 2020 and provided individuals with educational resources to generate and implement a feasible farm plan.  The participants rated all virtual zoom trainings through a real time evaluation zoom poll that instantly tabulated results shared at the end of each session.

In year three, participants will have the opportunity to implement their Farm Business Plans, utilizing accessible resources. To date, participants have developed over 60 Farm Business Plans that are being reviewed and prepared for implementations.  The year three training schedule is complete and the virtual training dates are February 4, 2021 - July 29, 2021.  The outputs for this project include farm management tools necessary for viability. The outcomes will enhance the capacity of new farmers and ranchers to implement a realistic farm plan, market a quality product, explore the many beneficial opportunities in the farm bill, and have a more productive workforce.

During Farm School NYC’s three-year USDA BFRDP grant from 2016-2019, we achieved the following objectives:

• 257 students gained knowledge and skills through courses to produce food sustainably and develop and manage innovative marketing activities. We organized over 55 Citywide Certificate courses—1,197 hours of instruction—at more than 20 farms in New York City and the Hudson Valley that improved participants’ knowledge and skills to produce food sustainably and manage marketing activities. We also conducted 24 workshops and immersive trips.
  
  
• 29 students gained more intensive on-farm training through our Farm Intensive Certificate Program.
  
  
• 41 students gained in-depth, hands-on experience through 140+ -hour apprenticeships to produce food sustainably and develop and manage marketing activities at 17 different farms in urban and rural settings.
  
  
• 45 alumni gained additional information, skills, and networking opportunities to support their entry into farming. We developed a variety of networking and continuing education events for alumni, including two new advanced skills courses – Soilless Production and Mushroom Production, two sponsored conferences, Farm School NYC’s CRAFT programming, two Summer Solstice Food Justice gathering, and end-of-season gatherings and student graduations. Moreover, we engaged alumni as teachers for courses – more than 25% of our teachers by the last year of this grant.
  
  
• 99 Regional farm apprentices and junior farm staff participated in our urban-based Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) program. We launched the first urban CRAFT program in the Northeast, with 99 participants at 22 events.
  
  
• 21 low-resource students eligible for our two most subsidized tuition levels completed Farm School NYC’s certificate program. This low resource group is 76% female, 5% gender nonconforming, 43% African American, 24% Latinx, and 14% Asian. This comprises 75% of those graduating, reflecting Farm School NYC’s demonstrated commitment to serving limited resource and socially disadvantaged New York City communities, and our outreach, selection and tuition strategies.

The Tilth Alliance Farm Works (TAFW) Agricultural Training and Incubator Project expanded opportunities for farmers in the Puget Sound Region (Washington).  Beginning farmers, including socially disadvantaged and limited resource farmers, veterans, and   immigrants have been recruited through strong partnerships with community groups, as well as other social service providers and young farmer networks. Project participants completed a 20 week farming and business operations course with hands-on and classroom components, tailored to meet the cultural background and language of the participants. At the end of the training, participants had access to land leased at heavily subsidized rates, as well as on-site technical assistance at the nearly 13-acre incubator site.  Beginning farmers benefit from the shared infrastructure and learning community that is maintained with farmers working alongside each other as well as from socializing and sharing at communal meals. Farmers also benefited from support in developing markets, including selling their product to Tilth Alliance Produce, a food hub operating a CSA and subsidized CSA for low-income participants.

This project is a collaboration between Kentucky State University (KSU) and multiple community-based organizations (CBOs) in Kentucky who provide agricultural training to serve veterans and the socially disadvantaged.   We just completed the first year of this project and trained 175 BFs.  We trained them in how to start farms, production, and business planning.  Most BFs started farming operations: 35 refugee BFs started a market garden at Louisville Grows CBO's 5-acre farm and sold their crops to a nearby grocery store (called Save-A-Lot Store).  Another CBO, the International Center at Bowling Green, Kentucky, received a multi-year lease for a 5-acre farm from the city government.  This farm will be used next year to teach refugee BFs about commercial-scale produce farming by Mr. Tehran Jewell, Kentucky State University 1890 Land Grant Extension Area Agent and veteran commercial produce farmer.

During 2017, we experienced much success in refugee BFs starting vegetable production, sales, and, in essence, making money.  Several refugees were surprised at the income potential of small-scale and urban farming, in conjunction with direct-to-consumer sales.  Some realized
that they could earn more through this type of farming than from their minimum-wage jobs.

This year, refugee BFs at the International Center started an intensive hydroponic salad greens project: they learned how to construct a high tunnel, start seeds in Rockwool cubes, mix the correct amount of hydroponic fertilizer, etc.  These BFs have developed marketing plans and found two local outlets for their products. 

Another CBO, serving minority and impoverished BFs in the Appalachian Kentucky, started a catfish enterprise.  Local catfish farmers were struggling with marketing because they did not have wholesale outlets and did not have the resources to make retail sales.   This created an opportunity for this BFRDP project to collaborate with another NIFA 1890 Capacity Building project which was investigating fish transportation and holding systems.  BFs at this CBO were provided with a fish tank, and they started holding and marketing catfish locally.  This provided a means of risk management via enterprise diversification for BFs who were only selling produce.

According to USDA’s 2012 Census of Agriculture, the number of beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) reached a 30-year low in 2012 – down 20 percent in just five years. One key reason for the decline is finding, affording and securing appropriate land to purchase or rent. More than 40 percent of U.S. agricultural land is owned by principal operators and principal landlords over age 65 years . While this land is likely to change hands in the next 20 years, according to the 2014 Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land Survey (TOTAL), agricultural landowners only plan to transfer about 10% of their land in the next five, mostly through gifts or trusts. Only about 2 percent is projected to be sold on the open market.

The future of American agriculture hinges on the successful transfer of farm and ranch land to the next generation. While many resources are available to support BFRs in production, marketing, and business planning, relatively few exist to help BFRs gain access to land. Farmland for the Next Generation is filling this gap. Its goal is to help BFRs secure land tenure from retiring producers as well as institutional and non-operating landowners. So far, we have evaluated existing curricula and resources, drafted a curriculum map, course outcome summary and comprehensive curriculum to meet the needs of diverse populations, regions, and agricultural systems. We selected 25 Land Access Trainers (LATs) through an open and competitive application process who will work with us to pilot the curriculum with 500 BFRs, help evaluate, validate and ultimately extend to other trainers.  We delivered a first training on the curriculum to the LATs. Based on their feedback and input from our Educational Enhancement, we revised and refined the draft curriculum for the LATs to pilot with 500 BFRs in Year 3. 

Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable Farms seeks to increase the number and success of limited resource and socially disadvantaged beginning farmers in the state. Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) accomplishes this goal by leading an experienced team to undertake four objectives: provide training and technical assistance, manage multiple incubator sites, offer on-farm apprentice training, and facilitate a land transfer working group. Partners include RI Department of Environmental Management, Brown University, RI Land Trust Council, Nature Conservancy RI Chapter, Northeast Organic Farming Association, Northern Rhode Island Conservation District, Young Farmers Network, and University of Rhode Island. 

Through this program, the organization leverages the experience and relationships of program partners into meaningful outcomes that would otherwise take years to achieve. Technical assistance and training for urban and rural farmers launches them onto their own farms. It moves urban farmers onto larger plots of land. It leads to new behaviors that increase production and strengthen co-operative marketing while improving sales and boosting Rhode Island's economy. Support for an expanded apprentice program increases the number of people who are prepared to begin their own farm businesses. Effective management of incubator space, combined with execution of a broadly supported land transfer strategy creates new independent farms in a state where land values are astronomically high. Feed Rhode Island: Growing Sustainable Farms helps SCLT create significant change quickly in Rhode Island. 

Final Project Summary:
Our three-year training project amplified, deepened and extended the knowledge and experience ECO City Farms acquired over the previous six years of offering intensive on-farm internships and apprenticeships, urban agriculture continuing education certification courses, gardening and master composting courses, nutrition education workshops, herbalism trainings and summer-long youth education programs. We test-drove a replicable curriculum and methodology and over three years trained 54 new and aspiring farmers, 88% of whom fit the USDA classification of "socially or economically disadvantaged," and we worked to transform these novices into confident and competent urban farmers. ECO's educational approach included extensive practical hands-on experiences, one-on-one mentoring/training, farm visits, and a comprehensive culturally-appropriate curriculum incorporating the crop production, farm management, business, and marketing knowledge needed for graduates to roll up their sleeves and farm.

ECO's project consisted of all the elements required to become a successful sustainable urban farmer:
Intensive beginning and more advanced classroom training on a wide range of relevant farming and business topics; Certification of successful completion of the intensive classroom training by Prince George’s Community College and ECO City Farms; Extensive hands-on experiential training in actual farm work; Witnessing farming in all seasons and at a variety of scales; Training in the use of a variety of farm implements and construction tools; Experience of processing and marketing of crops grown; Supportive cohort and a network of local farmers and mentors; and Opportunity for employment at ECO City Farms with an experienced farmer close at hand and salary.

Free-range and pastured poultry operations are gaining increasing popularity and are particularly attractive to beginning farmers because of the relatively low start-up costs. However, there are significant challenges associated with economic viability, animal welfare, food safety, environmental management and training. The UC Davis Pastured Poultry Farm has created the Pastured Poultry Producers Training and Outreach Innovation Hub (3P I-Hub), which focuses on multiple training opportunities for beginning farmers including interested military veterans with respect to five areas: 1) husbandry, 2) housing, equipment and predator management 3) food safety,  4) environmental management and 5) business management and marketing. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA/NCAT) helped facilitate recruitment of beginning farmers in California and Oregon.  Further recruitment of military veterans who are new or beginning farmers was done via collaborations with the UC Davis Veterans Affairs Office and the Farmer Veteran Coalition. ATTRA/NCAT was involved in course development and teaching in addition to UC Davis faculty. The efficacy of the training program was evaluated via surveys, and Social Network Analysis was used to identify successes and gaps in recruitment. Based on our Social Network Analysis (SNA) surveys, our 2017-2018 workshops resulted in 40% of the attendees increasing their knowledge sharing network following our workshops. One of the primary challenges of beginning farming is developing a knowledge sharing network, so this result is encouraging.

Global Garden Refugee Training Farm (GGRTF) developed and delivered 2 six-week courses to
prepare displaced refugee farmers for farming and farm business management in the Midwestern U.S. Fifteen farmers participated in the training, which was a first stage toward preparing them to develop farm business plans in preparation for establishing successful vegetable farms. Lesson plans were developed for another two topics: Season Extension and Soil Management.  Teaching materials were designed to be appropriate for displaced refugee farmers with limited or no English and potentially low literacy in any language. In-class interpretation was provided for all sessions. Course content addressed both the prior experience and knowledge gaps unique to newly arrived displaced refugee farmers.

During the 2015 growing season which followed this project's conclusion, participating farmers increased their income from produce sales at market by 214% over the previous year.  Other factors besides this project contributed to this increase, especially participants' improved English language skills, but the farmers also grew a wider variety of cool season crops, and improved both their produce displays and customer service.

Since the conclusion of this project, lesson plans developed for this project have been improved, expanded, and contributed to ISED Solution's 'Educational Tools and Methods for Beginning Refugee & Immigrant Farmers' which is developing and testing curricula and instructional methods for assisting displaced refugee farmers with continuing their careers in farming here in the United States.

Our Project Goal is to increase the number, diversity, profitability, and environmental sustainability of beginning farmers (BFs) in the central New York region. Prior BFRDP support established Groundswell as an outstanding regional center for new farmer training, technical assistance, and business incubation.  Having substantially exceeded all our target numbers of trainees and new businesses launched in that Project, we are expanding our programs and audiences to:
1. Increase the technical, business management skills of BFs.
2. Provide intensive business incubation support to selected BFs and increase regional incubation capacity. 
3. Connect BFs to existing wholesale markets, and develop new marketing opportunities.
4. Support cooperation among farm businesses, and develop cooperative models for farm business ownership, management, and business transfer.
5. Increase the impact of farmer-to-farmer mentoring by increasing farmers' skills as educators and mentors.
6. Provide entry-level, on-farm learning experiences for diverse “Explorers,” with priority on immigrants, refugees, people of color, veterans, and limited resource trainees.

Our 2015 Programs included:

• Farm Business Incubator Program (year-round)
• Farm Business Planning Course (10-weeks)
• Finger Lakes CRAFT (6 months)
• "Year-Round High Tunnels" technical course (10 months)
• Draft Animals Practicum (2 days)
• Single-session workshops (Farmer Educator Training, Explore Your Farm Business Idea, Get Ready for Market, Landseekers Meeting)
• Finger Lakes LandLink (ongoing)
• Farmer Networks (Cooperative Farming Network, Finger Lakes Orchards Exchange, Homestead Farmers & Gardeners Network, Farmer-2-Farmer Network)
• Individual mentoring in production, marketing and business management (year-round)
• Press Bay Holiday Market Days (new market serving mostly BFs)

In 2015 we served a total of 176 unique individuals who participated in our programs and/or received individual consultations and mentoring. 39 of those individuals participated in more than one program. At least 15 of our trainees began farming commercially in 2015, and at least 8 new farm businesses were launched.

Stone Barns Center's beginning farmer training program, the Growing Farmers Initiative, focuses on preparing new farmers to pursue economically and ecologically resilient farm enterprises in a rapidly changing world. We have sought to strengthen the rigor of our ecologically based farming curriculum so that we develop perceptive, adaptable farmers who will also champion sustainable agriculture and help others succeed. Our programs include apprentice training, workshops, conferences, and online learning.

We delivered high-quality, experiential-based technical training in the science and business of agriculture for our group of nine to twelve apprentices during their nine-month training here. Apprentice workshops met weekly and covered essential topic including soil science and management, plant botany, landscape design and ecology, engine mechanics, animal husbandry, and farm business planning. These sessions, open to young farmers from throughout the region, were taught by Stone Barns staff and other experts.

Our conferences and online learning platforms exposed farmers from across the U.S. to the principles of resilient farming. In total, the 2015 and 2016 and 2017 Young Farmers Conferences welcomed 850 young farmers from 38 states, 22% on scholarship, and covered topics on crop production, business management, animal husbandry, land access, and more. Each workshop was approximately 90 minutes and the majority of participants requested that the workshops be offered again the following year. We also hosted Poultry School in these years for 350 farmers.

Last, our E-Learning tools have reached a wide audience, with 105,286 unique views in the past three years (average 25 minutes viewing time).

Building on the successes of two prior BFR projects, the Growing Roots project provided in-depth, culturally- and regionally-appropriate training to support the economic and ecological viability of the next generation of diverse California farmers and ranchers. Our focus was on five Northern California regions comprising ten counties.

There are five core partners: UC Berkeley, National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE), Sustainable Agriculture Education (SAGE), and Alameda County Resource Conservation District (ACRCD), who collaborate with ten “learning hubs” (farmer training sites) and Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs and NRCDs) to offer workshops, field days, farmer tours, networking events and one-on-one technical assistance.

Our key outcomes were (see Progress Notes for some context on statistics):

• Improved ecological production practices, business planning and marketing strategies, food safety programs and sales among our target farmers and ranchers.
• Increased BFR networking and access to resources, assistance and farmland itself.
• Increased knowledge among at least 521 BFRs, with 75% planning to adopt one or more new practices after attending our workshops, and 44% having done so within 6 months.
• Increased knowledge of at least 87% of all participants in our education programs, where 70% intended to implement what they learned.
• Increased knowledge and access to culturally-appropriate resources for Latino, Mien and Hmong farmers.
• Increased the farm success of at least 921 unique farmers and ranchers. 
• Increased capacity of 4 new agricultural learning hubs.
  

This project emphasizes the priority topic areas of basic crop farming practices, entrepreneurship and business training, financial and risk management training, diversification and marketing strategies, curriculum development, resources, vocational training for veterans, farm safety and awareness, and in the other subject areas advanced training for soils and irrigation, hoop house operation, and food safety. Our target audience includes Native American tribes in Arizona and New Mexico, limited resource producers, youth, veterans, and other beginning farmer participants. This grant is based on successful partnerships with University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and tribal agents, and NGO/CBO partners who were identified during the previous BFRD project. About 40 percent of the budget is allocated to support our NGOs/CBO partners.

Lessons learned and feedback from participants of our previous grant indicated a need for more in-depth science-based curriculum to address plant production topics including soil and fertility management, salinity, irrigation, crop selection for different seasons, and integrated pest management. On the business and marketing side participants wanted information on farming as a business first, conducting market surveys, economics of equipment selection, working towards organic certification, tax information and strategies, zoning and regulations for farmers, and farm workers and food safety. This Standard BFRDP empowers beginning and limited resource producers to learn these skills through ongoing hands-on demonstration, instruction, and curriculum. The third year of our project emphasizes individual mentoring to better enable participants to adopt production processes learned to their own operations and implement their proposed business plans. We have engaged over 250 participants to date in our current project and are building on our previous experience to assist participants in adopting the skills and knowledge gained through the program. Our project goal is to have participants complete a production and/or business plan for a specialty crop small farm enterprise. 

PFC's Growing Tomorrow's Farmers project addressed intractable issues of fresh food access, farmland access, and access to agricultural and small business education for low resource individuals in the Western New York region. With farming and business mentorship and hands-on training and technical assistance, beginning and aspiring farmers acquired skills and competencies essential for sustainable crop production and small farm business management to ensure their success. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected throughout the 3-years of this project through surveys and interviews (presented in each participant's native language) assessing participants' skills acquisition; quality of life improvements such as improved access to culturally relevant foods and improved mental health and well-being; farmer's vegetable yields from years 1 through 3; farmer's sales and earnings records from years 1 through 3. Through the provision of free farmland and farming education to low-resource populations, PFC is building a more inclusive and equitable food system in Western New York. This project is helped otherwise land-less farmers gain a foothold in the local food system, develop farm businesses for supplemental income, increase culturally relevant fresh food access for their communities and ultimately, experience an improved quality of life for themselves and their families.

The goal of this grant was to address food sovereignty (and security) for three South Dakota Reservations, through increased producer capacity in production and marketing, enhanced access to/utilization of local produced foods by individuals and organizations on the 3 targeted reservations. Initially written as 60 individuals trained in consumer horticulture 30 individuals trained in ranch management/livestock systems and 180 individuals trained as "new beginners." Although the original project director and program manager primarily focused on beef cattle livestock in year one, the current project director and his team adjusted the program to include smaller acreage systems (both livestock and horticulture) to reflect the fractionated land access realities on the ground for 98% plus of tribal populations on these reservations. The end result is as follows:

2015: just 18 participants looking to become producers or start farming or improve their success were involved in the program (11 in livestock and 8 in commercial horticulture) across all three reservations.
2016: increased to 49 (through the transition towards a small acreage agricultural systems to replace "commercial horticulture."
2017: increased to 503. (218 in BFR small acreages and/or Introduction to Bison; 151 in home growing (gardening); another 63 in BFR stakeholder meetings and public events, and 47 youth participated. Additionally 24 non-native adults participated in our small acreages program. The math alone tells the story. The corrections we made to the program in 2016 set the stage for a fully functioning BFR program in 2017.

Helped to Prepare to Start Farming: 863 tribal individuals (home growing/gardening)

Started Farming: 403 (small acreages ag system participants plus commercial horticulture and large livestock/ranching participants who had never farmed or were just getting started).

Improved Farming Succcess: 16 (participants who had been a producer for more than 3 years before the program began).

Total: 1,282

With this project, Renewing the Countryside is completing a comprehensive, multi-year
project that addresses farmland access challenges facing beginning farmers in Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Iowa. We and our partners have developed an integrated process that assists new, resource-limited farmers in accessing farmland that is a good match for their operation and offers secure terms.

Throughout the project our collaboration has:
• Conducted eight farmland access literacy trainings (including 1 webinar) reaching 299 farmers. An abridged version was also presented to 360 college and university students.
• Convened 44 farmers to attend in-depth farmland access bootcamps to become better prepared for pursuing their land access goals. (Three more bootcamps are scheduled.)
• Connected 710 beginning farmers and 582 people who work with farmers to farmland access resources and information.
• Launched the Farmland Access Hub, with eight Farmland Access Navigators that have provided in-depth support to 188 beginning farmers, 65 of which have achieved farmland tenure with support of a Navigator.
• Initiated a media campaign reaching 40,000 people. This media campaign has helped to build awareness around the systemic farmland access barriers for beginning farmers and rally supporters together to help identify and implement regional initiatives to overcome such barriers.
• Held a successful Farmland Access Summit, where 87 stakeholders including, policy makers, service providers and farmers discussed farmland access models, issues and solutions. 
• With support from Partners and our Steering Committee, we have participated in discussions leading to government financial and legislative support for beginning farmer land access support in both Iowa and Minnesota. 

The Land for Farmers project is assisting aspiring and beginning farmers in New England, and across the country, to gain knowledge and skills to make farmland access a reality for their farming endeavors. This project revised the New England Farmland Finder website, the region’s largest farm link website, with added features and improved functionality. Additional guidebooks and resources were developed and distributed freely on the newly improved Land For Good website and Resource library. Acquiring Your Farm - a new six-week course - was offered annually to provide in-depth support to cohorts of farmers ready to make next steps. Webinar series for farmland owners was offered annually on Making Your Land Available for Farming to increase availability of properties and ensure their suitability for farming. Land For Good staff and partnering organizations provided educational workshops and individualized technical assistance on farmland access, tenure and transfer across the six New England states.

With gratitude to our project partners: American Farmland Trust, Connecticut Farmland Trust, Vermont Land Link/Intervale Centr, Maine Farmland Trust, Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust, Southern New England Farmers of Color Collective and World Farmers.

The purpose of the renewal Legal Aid of Nebraska (LAN) Beginning Farmer and Ranchers Development Program (BFRDP) Standard Grant was to increase the number and enhance the sustainability of farm and ranch enterprises in Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming and the eastern Colorado StrikeForce area. The project provided education and skills to beginning farmers and ranchers with focused outreach to returning veterans; deliver business succession planning to beginning farmers and ranchers engaged in transition with established landowners; and provided information for beginning farmers interested in small-scale, direct marketing operations. The project addressed the following Priority Topics for Standard Grants: 1) financial and risk management training (including the acquisition and management of agricultural credit); 2)  diversification and marketing strategies; 3) assisting beginning farmers and ranchers in acquiring land from retiring farmers and ranchers; and 4) agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training for veterans.

Program Need: The target audience included all Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and eastern Colorado transitioning landowners, beginning farmers and ranchers and prospective beginning farmers and ranchers, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. LAN will provide additional outreach to veteran farmers and ranchers in this region. For over 45 years, LAN has worked with a diverse range of farmers and ranchers including disadvantaged, underserved, and veteran groups and has the experience and expertise to address their concerns.
Since the early 1980’s, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado have experienced a dramatic decline in the numbers of beginning farmers and ranchers and an increase in the number of landowners over the age of 65. According to the 2012 US Census on Agriculture, in these states, the number of operators age 65+ is at least triple the number of operators age 35 or under.

In the New Organic Stewards: Expanding Community, Resources and Financial Knowledge project the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), Renewing the Countryside (RTC) and local collaborators brought 1,130 new and beginning sustainable farmers in Wis., Minn., Iowa and Ill. together for learning opportunities. New and beginning farmers in communities throughout the Midwest met, networked, learned from each other, viewed successful organic operations, gained access to additional programs and resources, and learned basic sustainable farming and financial management practices.

The emphasis of our offerings was creating a safe, comfortable, accessible, engaging environment of exploration to those just beginning their path to farming. Although according to the 2012 Ag Census the number of people entering farming continues to drop, we continue to see new entry into small, diversified farming systems by people with no farming background, or a gap in their farm history. With support, we feel that there is opportunity for these people to succeed in creating sustainable farming systems.

We held four regional 2-day New Farmer U events, and numerous conference workshops and activities for new and beginning sustainable farmers. The book, Fearless Farm Finances, was updated and expanded and used as a training reference. One-day financial workshops, supported by the book, optional add-ons at the New Farmer U events, provided in-depth financial basics to strengthen the financial literacy and sustainability of beginning farmer attendees. A 15-lesson online course was developed, based on the book and using video and presentations from the one-day trainings, and offered as both a free access and fee-based teacher supported course.

As a result of the project attendees chose to participate in additional educational programs, implemented new production methods, initiated financial recordkeeping and analysis to make their farms more profitable and sustainable and felt a greater sense of community and support on their path to farming. 678 of those involved made progress in their dreams of beginning to farm or further improved their existing farm operations.

Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas (CCNEK) in partnership with Cultivate Kansas City (CKC), used BFRDP funds for a successful incubator training farm called New Roots, and for new activities that supported 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 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. 

We achieved removal of barriers to marketing by placing farmers' at markets across the city and increasing the amount of customers who purchase farmers' aggregated produce. Additionally, we provided education about sales and sales support to remove barriers. We supported farmers to achieve adapted and increased agricultural skills through workshops, field trips, and in-field support. Financial management and farm capitalization were achieved through education, record keeping support, and planning. Our graduates worked towards whole farm planning with the support of our Graduate Specialist through workshops, conferences, grant application support, and site visits. 

North Texas Farm Success: A Series for Beginning Farmers provided a series of educational opportunities for new and beginning farmers and ranchers in North Texas and East Texas who direct market their products. The project also surveyed area farmers and ranchers about their needs and barriers for building or growing successful agricultural operations in order to develop a continuing education program through El Centro College’s Agriculture department.

The project targeted a section of Texas in an approximate 100-120 mile radius from the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) metropolitan area. Through 18 virtual and in-person educational events, the project served 149 unique farmers and ranchers, as well as some gardeners eager to learn more. The project leveraged local expertise as well as resources at FarmAnswer.org and other sources.  Farm Success grew the base of known new and beginning farmers and provided feedback from participants that will inform future education and training event and started building a community of practice within the target area. Collaborators included Shine’s Farmstand, Texas Worm Ranch, Good Local Markets, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, and GP Ranch.

The Open Books: Open Farmland project is led by Angelic Organics Learning Center, Liberty Prairie Foundation and Upper Midwest CRAFT farmer alliance. The project will bring farmer-led services to 217 beginning sustainable agriculture farmers and trainees. As requested by farmers, the project addresses two major barriers for beginning farmers: financial management training and land tenure. The long-term goal of Open Books: Open Farmland is to help beginning farmers in their first ten years of startup develop viable, financially robust farm businesses in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. The objectives of the project are to:

• Create and launch farm finance working groups and a mentoring program that enhance farm financial management and improve the economic viability of at least 40 farms.
• Increase access to capital and related financing training for 24-48 farmers.
• Increase land access for beginning farmers using innovative farmland transfer strategies and create a link program to match retiring farmers with beginning farmers in need of land, resulting in at least 6 successful matches over the project period.
• Build the collective knowledge of best practices in improving farm economic viability; disseminate results with others.

Our primary approach to achieve these objectives is to design and integrate farm economic viability programs into established farmer-led farmer training programs. The collaborating farmer alliance and nonprofits are the leaders of innovative farmer training in the region and provide the only training that is farmer-led, focused on sustainable agriculture, and aimed at expanding the local food economy.

The Organic Farming Program is a collaboration between Rodale Institute and Delaware Valley University to train and support the next generation of organic farmers, with an emphasis on military veterans. Over the past three years, we have had success and received additional funding to continue our work in training the organic farmers of tomorrow.

The one-year certificate program mixes practical, experiential on-farm training and classroom-based curriculum to achieve three goals: (1) Equip new farmers, including military veterans, with the knowledge, skills and experience to operate a successful organic farm enterprise by developing, delivering and refining practical and classroom-based organic farming curricula. (2) Increase the number of successful organic farm enterprises in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond by providing business training for new organic farmers, introducing students to existing farmer-to-farmer networks and supporting farmers post-graduation through social and web-based media platforms. (3) Support military veterans in their transition to the civilian workforce by providing a dedicated program coordinator who is a military veteran, coordinating an informal mentoring network between established military veteran organic farmers and students, and ensuring all program costs for military veterans are covered.

The Organic Farming Program has graduated 13 students, 7 who were military veterans, in the past 3 years. Over all 22 students applied and attended at least one semester of the program. Most did not continue due to having their own farm and being to busy, or not being able to afford the program, financial aid was established for civilians in year two. Nine of the graduates have gone on to start their own organic farms in local region. The past 3 years we listened to the students and changed some aspects of the program, one significant change is having implemented an accredited organic livestock class to the Fall Semester. 

Through a partnership between the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT), Nichols College, Global Village Farms (GVF), and the Massachusetts Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA/MA), this project supports beginning farmers and ranchers (BFR's) with training in financial literacy, business planning, soil health assessment, and climate smart management practices. Over the last year, we focused our outreach efforts on Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) BFR's in Massachusetts and Rhode Island (with small expansions into Vermont and Connecticut). Per the 2017 Agricultural Census, there are approximately 3,500 BFR's in Massachusetts and 500 BFR's in Rhode Island. In addition, there are approximately 550 BIPOC farmers in these two states. As our our capacity grows over the next two years, we work to reach BIPOC BFR's in all or part of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut, where there are hundreds, if not thousands of potential candidates for this program.

Given the high regional population density and land development, many of our farmers have small-scale operations. As a new organization providing outreach and programming for BIPOC beginning farmers and ranchers, our first year was focused on conducting intentional outreach (with a clearly defined process) that would benefit and amplify all our future offerings and the organization as whole. As such, PPLT planned, developed, and continues to expand our regional farmer network database via Salesforce. Our second year of this BFRDP project, we have had time and capacity to develop our 2024 strategic plan, which include expanding our indigenous food sovereignty programming, BIPOC producer support, and improving our outreach processes for both. We have successfully supported 74 Beginning Farmers and Ranchers expand their business, develop their production skills, and expand their network. 

During each 1:1 meetings with producers, PPLT provided funding access navigation, production TA, grant writing assistance, USDA resources, and community building facilitation. Over the past two years, our team (NOFA/Mass, Nichols College, Global Village) has provided a 1 six-day intensive business planning, nine soil health training workshops, nine soil health webinars, a community building and USDA resources workshop, a "Financial Literacy 101" course, an "Excel for Farm Business" course, 84 1:1 TA sessions, and many more individualized experiences for farmers and ranchers. 

We deeply appreciate the support of NIFA and look forward to our third year of our BFRDP project. 

This proposal targets beginning farmer refugees and people of color in the urban areas of Tucson (IRC & University of AZ Cooperative Extension, UACE) and Phoenix (Spaces of Opportunity & UACE) plus Indigenous Peoples and other limited resource beginning producers in rural areas of northern (Flagstaff Foodlink & UACE), central (San Carlos) and southeast (UACE) Arizona. We were able to conduct trainings in 4 of the 6 areas proposed this year.  Difficulties in delivering education were incurred due to the health of one of the agents and other scheduling conflicts. Six BF refugees started growing on the UA Campus Ag Center this fall (October 2024) and we are arranging for them to utilize some high tunnel space this winter.

Making small-scale agricultural production more economically viable is addressed by providing education and assistance on BFRDP priority areas of business and entrepreneurship training, innovative land acquisition strategies, basic production practices, diversification and marketing strategies, climate smart agriculture, acquiring ag. credit and risk management, recordkeeping and food safety, and mentoring. We have currently reached about 100 of the expected 270 unique beginning producers proposed.

In the third year of the project, HOPE engaged over 869 BFR individuals in person and virtually, providing farming and
ranching training. Adding our digital imprint, including our website and socials, expanded our reach up to 73,969 (869
engagements + 73,100 digital engagements). These numbers were obtained through various channels including social media, workshops, conferences, and our cohorts. An example of the positive impact we have had on our participants is Sandy Woods. Sandy Woods, a new permaculture micro farmer in Harlingen, Texas, passed by the HOPE farm while running
errands. Her curiosity led her inside, where she consulted with HOPE's founder, Diana Garcia-Padilla. With the
encouragement and instruction on farming techniques in the LRGV provided during her consultations, Woods learned valuable techniques about growing in the Rio Grande Valley that have allowed her to now sell her organically grown dragonfruit, bananas, berry jams, and many other value-added products at HOPE's indoor farmers market.

In the second year, our program has engaged over 1,150 BFR individuals in person, providing farming and ranching training. Factoring in our digital outreach, including social media and online lessons, our reach expands to over 79,000 individuals. These numbers were obtained through various channels including social media, workshops, conferences, and our 6-week BFR cohorts, the latter of which has seen the participation of 68 individuals.
The number of individuals participating in our cohorts did not significantly increase in our second year, however, HOPE saw an increase in the number of participants who were committed to learning on a higher level and found greater success in their farming ventures.
An example of the positive impact our practical skills workshops are having is the success of Daniel Reza, the owner and operator of Green Wing Microgreens. Shortly after Reza started growing microgreens for his family, he happened upon HOPE’s social media post for an “Intro to Growing Food” workshop. Reza says he learned more about the magic of soil, about proper tool usage, and the importance of the foundation he is using to grow his microgreens. With his enhanced knowledge and opportunities found at HOPE, he has now added an additional source of revenue to his household. He not only sells his organically grown microgreens at area famer’s markets up to four times each month, but now, here at HOPEs indoor market, his products are available for sale to the public four days a week.
As we move into the third year, we plan to invite more guest experts to speak at our workshops, provide more individualized training and personal visits with growers, and offer more online resources for farmers across the region to be successful in the field, as well as in operating their farming businesses.

At the time we developed the project plan and grant application the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was still unclear. As a result we were unable to do some of the activities we’d planned, particularly those requiring travel or large gatherings. Other activities were adapted for virtual delivery.

We did assess the food sovereignty programs offered by tribal colleges in North Dakota and concluded that partnering with an existing program would be more effective than launching an entirely new food sovereignty program.

We recruited students in the northeastern region of North Dakota for our Farm Beginnings course and served 15 students of which seven were from the northeastern region and six were Native American Beginning Farmers. The Farm Beginnings class met nineteen times starting January 28 and ending April 22. The course included 40 hours of online material plus readings, worksheets, podcasts, pre-recorded videos and a digital resource library. Nine new Whole Farm Plans were created as a result of the course.

We also held a focus group to assess the demand for beginning farmer education on the Spirit Lake reservation. We found that there is interest in education on farm business planning, production methods, and especially Native American led education on traditional farming methods and uses of plants.

The North Dakota Local Food Development Alliance met monthly and doubled in membership and engagement. The Alliance gained several new members from the northeastern region. A food security initiative serving the Spirit Lake Tribe called Wana Wota joined the Alliance. The Alliance launched a Tribal Food Sovereignty working group with tribal members, NDSU Extension's Tribal Liason and USDA Rural Development's ND Tribal Liason all participating.

Recognizing the challenges of starting any type of business, the Corporación Juvenil para el Desarrollo de Comunidades Sostenibles (CJDCS), through its AgroInnova program, successfully provided a comprehensive training experience with both conceptual and practical components. The program implemented innovative outreach and recruitment methods and delivered meaningful hands-on technical assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers.

The program was designed for 140+ participants, including 10% Military Veterans and 70% socially disadvantaged individuals. It aimed to develop five formal value-added enterprises using locally grown products and enlisted five experienced farmers/ranchers as mentors to empower the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs. Participants were expected to complete the 6-month training cycle, including five specialized certifications, followed by hands-on mentorship and an apprenticeship component supervised by agricultural experts.

During the first two years of the program, it exceeded its targets, recruiting 203 participants and achieving 94 completions—surpassing the goal of 91. Four training cycles were conducted, offering 95 workshops and 21 farm visits, including practical experiences that reinforced theoretical knowledge. Twenty-two participants have completed business plans with marketing components. The Universidad del Sagrado Corazón facilitated 20 certificate courses, equipping participants with critical skills for agricultural business success.

Additional achievements included the incubation of four value-added enterprises, focused on products such as local coffee, medicinal plants, hot sauces, and vinaigrettes, and the active engagement of eight experienced farmers as mentors. Despite challenges such as weather disruptions and scheduling adjustments, the program adapted to ensure that all goals were met and that participants were well-supported throughout their training journey.

By the end of the reporting period, AgroInnova had made significant progress in fostering agricultural innovation, sustainability, and economic development in Puerto Rico.

The Regenerative Poultry and Vegetable Farming in the San Luis Valley for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers project built on Rio Grande Farm Park (RGFP)'s existing Farmer Incubator program. This program supports farmers in starting their own small farming enterprises, generate economic return from farming, and attend workshops on regenerative farming and business development practices. The majority of RGFP’s incubator farmers are immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala and operate as a cooperative. 

The goals of this project were to 1) introduce poultry farming as a new income pathway for farmers in the San Luis Valley, improving their economic health; 2) ensure that farmers have the knowledge and skills to launch successful food-related enterprises; and 3) increase farmer income and consumer access to fresh local produce by creating a direct-to-consumer farm stand model selling fresh, local, organic goods.  Through this project, RGFP increased local farmers' capacity to generate income and offer local food to the community. 

The project focused on three key elements:

1. Poultry Farming. RGFP introduced a new poultry farming model based on Minnesota's Main Street Project. This model uses poultry as the centerpiece of production while integrating diverse regenerative agricultural farming practices.
2. Enhanced Education. In conjunction with partners, RGFP offer in-depth education on   new markets, financial management, regenerative agriculture, and poultry farming. Additionally, incubator farmers convened regular meetings with support staff to plan, and evaluate the season and programming. 
3. Farm Stand Pilot. Incubator participants started a farm stand pilot run by the cooperative that they created and operate. The farm stand was set up in Alamosa, CO and operated for three days/week for seven weeks.  It provided a new market channel while gauging capacity for and community interest in a permanent stand that could sell chickens and produce. 

The overall activities on the first year were limited by the pandemic mandatory curfews, and the political unstable environment during elections and related transitions.  These factors refocus our strategies from direct contact with farmer and ranchers in public settings to online tools, phone conversations and email communications. The government directives for no public gatherings limit public events attendance (e. g., produce market places, social/public events, farm visits, and others). Also, there were delays during the Christmas holidays, from November 2020 to February 2021 in which businesses and farmers became unresponsive to our attempts to outreach and set up meetings. However, we were able to:

• plan strategies for year 2022,
• educate employees about the grant requirements,
• draft powerpoint presentation to share with the public,
• create and record a BFRDP grant program introduction video,
• research educational information from USDA library and other private sources to be use as educational materials,
• research and evaluate educational printing material affordable options,
• attend USDA seminars about the BFRDP grant requirements,
• secure a collaboration contract with the University of PR-Mayaguez Agriculture Department to provide agriculture subject matter experts during the grant implementation to meet the education deliverables,
• translate BFRDP information and educational documents for future distribution,
• market BFRDP grant in our organization website,
• meet with other organizations to assess the local agriculture community,
• meet with other organizations to acquire local agriculture data collection,
• develop internal documents to onboard farmers and ranchers,
• create online information seminars, 
• create online registration and survey tools,
• contact other community organizations to inform about the BFRDP services and seek collaboration (e. g., Farmers Bureau, University of Central Florida),
• meet with a handful of farmers in person that were willing to overcome covid-19 concerns

You can summarized the first year as a period of preparation. Also, as a period of initiating the BFRDP grant implementation plan. 

New Jersey boasts productive, high-quality farmland located near some of the most densely populated and diverse markets in the world. Fruit and vegetable, nursery, floriculture, and greenhouse operations exist, along with strong public commitment to farmland preservation and agricultural industry development. However, successful continuance of agriculture in the “Garden State” depends upon developing a skilled next generation of farmers. The RU Ready to Farm: Getting Rooted in the Garden State program has expanded on the existing Rutgers Cooperative Extension RU Ready to Farm initiative, turning this program into a multi-year, statewide program providing technical education, mentorship, and land access opportunities to beginning farmers. Over the past four years, the RU Ready to Farm program team has worked to address the continuing viability of the agriculture industry by providing this hands-on training and education to a diverse audience of 188 new and beginner farmers across the State of New Jersey. With the support of the program and its team, at least 22 farmers have started a farm business, and 11 have found employment on active farms. The three-phase program is structured as a comprehensive educational resource that takes beginner farmers through (1) learning foundational knowledge (soil selection, pest and disease, farming regulations, etc.), (2) hands-on farm growing, management, and marketing, and finally (3) operating their own farm business with continued program support. The waitlist for the program has grown by over 300% between the first and fourth year that this program has been offered, an encouraging sign that there is a strong force of beginner farmers excited to begin their journey into the world of agriculture.

A partnership of Easter Seals Wisconsin (ESW), Wisconsin Farm Center (WFC), and University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX), the Securing Beginning Farmers Through Succession Planning project, in keeping with BFRDP goals, addresses the need of Wisconsin farmers who do not have succession plans in place (56% of farmers over the age of 55) to ensure the successful transition of farm operations to the next generation of beginning farmers, over a three year period. We successfully completed the three-year grant period by exceeding all project goals.

The long-term goal of the project was to increase the number of beginning farmers in Wisconsin and to enhance their sustainability, with the primary objective to provide the outreach and individualized, on farmsite, guidance, information and technical assistance necessary for farmers and farm families to develop and implement effective and sustainable succession plans for their farm business operations to transition to the next generation of beginning farmers.

UWEX provided statewide outreach to farmers and families; WFC Facilitators and ESW FARM Specialists provided senior farm operators and beginning farmers with the guidance, knowledge and tools needed to make informed decisions on continuation of the farm business, retirement plans, and financial, tax and inheritance issues.

During the three years of the project, 123 farmers were guided and encouraged to complete a succession plan by FARM Specialists, resulting in 62 individuals completing and finalizing an effective, sustainable plan for the next generation of beginning farmers to assume management of their own farm business operation, with the assistance of WFC Facilitators. Twenty-three others are in process.

The Southern New England Farmers of Color Collaborative (SNEFCC) is a collaboration of beginning farmers of color and collaborators who work to increase the success of farmers of color in the New England states. SNEFCC aims to position farmers of color for new opportunities, and to provide them with the necessary skills and resources to build and sustain successful farm enterprises now and in the future. This work requires a solid foundation of education and training; ongoing mentoring and coaching; skill and resource sharing; and other forms of mutual support and relationship building. Through SNEFCC's Land Access Course for Farmers of Color in Southern New England Project, as well as SNEFCC's management of peer-to-peer learning groups (called Farmer Circles) in each state, SNEFCC is helping to meet these unique needs and is building a strong network of beginning farmers of color across the region. 

In our first project year, we hired a Project Coordinator and Project Assistant. We assembled a Steering Committee (originally called our Core Team) of 10 individuals representing several leading BF service providers in the CT-RI-MA region; nine members identify as BIPOC. We launched a subcommittee focused on Curriculum Development.  An Executive Committee of four members  met monthly (and sometimes bi-weekly) to monitor steps toward project activities and give staff guidance. SNEFCC's Land Access training program that is structured to engage a cohort of farmers of color (and aspiring farmers of color) with a curriculum focused on pathways to land access for both urban and rural farmers. The course launched in Feb 2022 and was offered again in spring 2023. In addition to land access training, SNEFCC is supporting peer-to-peer learning through Farmer Circles which has proven to be an exciting strategy to build farmer networks and resilience. In 2022, SNEFCC distributed stipends to 23 farmers for the purchase of seeds, tools, and other small inputs. Moving into our final year, SNEFCC is taking steps to support BIPOC farmers in their access to tools and equipment. SNEFCC will distribute stipends to BIPOC farmers to purchase tool inputs, and also explore the development of shared equipment libraries. SNEFCC is also supporting the professional development and learning of BIPOC farmers through participation stipends to cover registration and travel costs to attend farmer training opportunities.

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

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

With the nation’s need to foster a new generation of farmers, beginning farmer education must go beyond simply offering training to get them started farming and instead create educational programs and tools that keep them farming. This project created a learning progression from basic to advanced education—based on farmer developmental stages—to support beginning farmers and ranchers successfully through their first 10 years and beyond. The project built on Oregon State University’s established basic beginning farmer education programs, adding advanced
education in business management and sustainable farming methods. The program and the new advancements created an education pathway that includes experiential and instructional courses. The project is a powerful partnership between Oregon Tilth, Inc., and the Oregon State University Small Farms Program.

Progress related to project objectives:

1. With extensive farmer participation, we identified four key developmental stages
of farmers and farm businesses. We continue to use this information to inform and develop basic and advanced curriculum that is ready when the farmers are ready.

2. We developed one online course (25 hours of content) and two topical online modules (3 hours of content each) influenced by objective 1 as sophisticated online education offered in a hybrid face-to-face and online format.

3. We established Teaching Farms at three Oregon State University research farms. These Teaching Farms offered a variety of field-based educational events. In addition, each farm has a focus area for curriculum development for adoption at other sites in Oregon and nationally. Examples include: dry farming demonstration and grower collaborative, and basic hands on training in farm production.

4. We created and support four women’s farming networks in high demand areas of Oregon serving and connecting over 400 beginning and experienced women farmers. With our other approaches to networks we now maintain a total of seven farmer networks that include nearly 800 farmers.

The Urban Growers Leadership Program (UGLP) supports limited resource and socially disadvantaged beginning farmers within the urbanized areas of northern Rhode Island by decreasing community learning program participation barriers, providing learning and networking experiences and resources, and empowering beginning farmers to be successful and become leaders in their community. The Northern Rhode Island Conservation District (NRICD) will continue to collaborate with local and regional partners to administer training, technical assistance, networking opportunities, and funding for leading urban and community gardeners and farmers. Partners include African Alliance of Rhode Island, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, Groundwork Rhode Island, Green Circle Design, RI Health Equity Zones (HEZ), Mt. Hope Community Health Innovations of Rhode Island: Plan4Health Initiative, Providence Healthy Communities Office and Providence Parks, Sankofa, Southside Community Land Trust, University of Rhode Island, What Cheer Flower Farm, Master Gardener Program, and the Young Farmers Network. Utilizing the knowledge base and skill sets of NRICD’s partners to facilitate the UGLP has promoted diverse agricultural practices and developed a network where participants will share knowledge, experience, resources, and assistance well after their participation. The 2024 UGLP provided multilingual training in English, Spanish, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda, along with a technical assistance program consisting of workshops, farm tours, and hands-on farm days that will enable the long-term ability of program participants to provide technical assistance in their communities. NRICD is currently working to develop a multifaceted tool to support the program participants while developing video training resources for the participants and their communities from the 2023 and 2024 workshops and will expand upon these resources in future project years. Limited resource and socially disadvantaged beginning farmers have and will continue to increase their agricultural, social, cultural and economic knowledge, while becoming ambassadors in their communities.