USDA announced on Tuesday a $24 million investment to “teach and train” beginning farmers and ranchers through the National Institute of Food and Ag’s (NIFA) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP).
The funds will be dispersed across 45 organizations and institutions to help food and ag “flourish from the ground up,” according to Chief Scientist Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA undersecretary for research, education and economics.
BFRDP’s mission is to implement activities that focus on:
• Managing capital
• Acquiring and managing land
• Learning effective business and farming practices
Dr. Dionne Toombs, NIFA acting director, says this investment will build upon that mission by benefitting the next generation of farmers and ranchers that “reflect the tapestry” of American ag.
“Their [beginning farmers and ranchers] success, especially in the first 10 years, often hinges on access to reliable, science-based information and the latest educational resources so they can improve their operations’ profitability and sustainability long-term,” says Dr. Dionne Toombs, NIFA acting director.
According to the press release, BFRDP’s new funding will go toward projects such as:
• Mountain States Group, Boise, Idaho
Global Gardens, a land-based urban ag training program rooted in the Idaho Office of Refugees, will be awarded $500,000 to provide land, water, infrastructure, training and expertise to Idaho refugee farmers.
• Entrepreneurial Small Farmers, Southern Illinois
The Entrepreneurial Small Farmers of Southern Illinois (ESFSI) will use their $256,246 grant to increase the number of beginning farmers from underrepresented or low-income communities. Thirty beginning new farmers (fewer than 10 years’ experience) will be selected for the program.
• North Carolina Ag and Tech State University
Local beginning or military veteran farmers and ranchers will reap benefits from the University’s $704,885 through free marketing, finance, climate-smart skills and entrepreneurship courses.
In fiscal year 2022, NIFA’s total investment was $2.2 billion.
More on ag funding:
$100 Million Grant to Renewable Fuels Will Bring ‘New Wave of Growth’
How USDA’s $2.8 Billion Climate-Smart Investment Might Impact Your Operation
