The U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced an investment of $27.9 million across 45 organizations that teach and train beginning farmers and ranchers.
“The next generation of farmers and ranchers hold the promise for future American agriculture and rural prosperity,” said Small. “Under the Biden administration, USDA is providing our newest producers with the support they need to succeed and the educational resources to guide their operations on the path toward long-term sustainability and profitability.”
Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service of Spring Valley is one of the 45 newly funded projects for FY2023. This funding will go towards their Farmer Advancement Program: Enhanced Mentorship and Business Technical Assistance program. The Farmer Advancement Program will support a continued increase of successful beginning farmers, including underserved farmers, by supporting their learning needs in farm business management, product marketing, professional development, access to land and capital, and mentor relationships with more advanced peers. The project will have a general focus on socially disadvantaged and underserved organic farmers and ranchers. This includes farmers on leased and or in incubators, where higher concentrations of BIPOC and other socially disadvantaged farmers exist.
This investment is part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), which supports a wide range of professional development activities and topics, such as managing capital, acquiring and managing land, and learning effective business and farming practices.
