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Over $50M in funding will enhance teaching and training opportunities across the U.S.

Compiled by staff

October 28, 2021

2 Min Read
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will invest over $50 million in 140 organizations and institutions that teach and train beginning farmers and ranchers.

“This investment will support curriculum creation, as well as informational materials and professional development on a wide range of important topics for new farmers and ranchers, such as managing capital, acquiring and managing land, and effective business and farming practices. These projects will benefit a rising generation of beginning farmers and ranchers regardless of their age or production choice,” says NIFA Director Carrie Castille.

NIFA’s $50 million in Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grants include 85 newly funded grants and 55 continuation projects. The projects funded by NIFA provide training, education, outreach, technical assistance and more.

Examples of the newly funded BFRDP projects include:

  • Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation will recruit and provide training and technical assistance to new and existing beginning farmers and ranchers throughout rural Arkansas. This project will exclusively serve military veterans, socially disadvantaged, and limited-resource farmers and ranchers.

  • First Nations Development Institution in Colorado will launch a Native Farmer and Rancher Apprenticeship Network to provide training, technical assistance, and networking opportunities to Native American beginning farmers and ranchers to expand business capacity, improve agricultural operations and strengthen the local and regional food supply chain in Indian Country.

  • Kansas State University will provide start-up resources to develop the Center for Farm and Ranch Transition within the Department of Agricultural Economics to provide critical services for beginning farmers/ranchers in Kansas. Resources will include a land-link program to match existing landowners with beginning farmers/ranchers; technical services to facilitate farm transitions; and training programs.  

For more information about NIFA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, visit https://nifa.usda.gov/program/beginning-farmer-and-rancher-development-program-bfrdp.

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