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USDA NIFA Invests Over $50M for Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development

Beginning Farmers

USDA NIFA has announced an investment of over $50 million to 140 organizations and institutions that teach and train beginning farmers and ranchers.

In fiscal year 2020, NIFA awarded $16,783,829 in Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) grants. In fiscal year 2021, thanks to enhanced funding from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, the total award investment for this program was $50,026,684, which included 85 newly funded grants and 55 continuation projects.

Funded projects from USDA EPSCoR jurisdictions include:

  • Knox Parks Foundation, Inc. (PI: C.D. Goodwin), Enhancing Sustainability and Success of Beginning Farmers through Expert Training and Support in CONNECTICUT. Award amount: $355,537.
  • Rural Coalition (DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA) (PI: L. Picciano), Sustaining Rural Communities through Beginning Farmer Mentorship, Training and Marketing. Award amount: $600,000.
  • Hoʻōla Veteran Services (HAWAI‘I) (PI: E.E. Emmons), Bridging the Gap: Growing Veterans. Award amount: $749,979.
  • Malama Kauai (HAWAI‘I) (PI: M. Fox), Kaua‘i Beginning Egg Farms Peep: Poultry & Egg Education Project. Award amount: $226,947.
  • Central LOUISIANA Economic Development Alliance (PI: B. Nightengale), Opening Pathways to Scalable Farming in the Rural Deep South. Award amount: $491,212.
  • MAINE Aquaculture Association (PI: C. Brayden), Maine Aquaculture Business Training: Strengthening a Sector of Beginning Farmers. Award amount: $27,763.
  • Somali Bantu Community-Lewiston of MAINE (PI: M. Libah), Opening New Land and Opportunity for the Somali Bantu Farmers Agricultural Future. Award amount: $416,652.
  • University of MAINE (PI: D. Handley), Equipping New Farmers with Practical Skills and Knowledge. Award amount: $582,399.
  • Alcorn State University (MISSISSIPPI) (PI: E.B. Myles), New Beginning Farmers, Rancher and Veterans (NBFRV) Program at Alcorn State University. Award amount: $600,000.
  • SR1 (MISSISSIPPI) (PI: G.T. Green), Community Oriented Opportunities for Learning (C.O.O.L.¢) Farming Project. Award amount: $250,000.
  • Tri-County Agricultural Cooperative (MISSISSIPPI) (PI: R. Gates), Advance the Sustainability and Growth of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers through Training Exercises, Mentoring and Outreach Programs. Award amount: $600,000.
  • Bar 88 Enterprises, LLC (MONTANA) (PI: S.L. Wingard), GOATMT: Enhancing Montana Beginning Producers Knowledge and Practical Experience with Goat Production and Marketing. Award amount: $145,535.
  • Community Food and Agriculture Coalition (MONTANA) (PI: B.R. Buckingham), Sustaining On-Farm Success: Building Resilience through Farmer Led Training. Award amount: $564,862.
  • National Center for Appropriate Technology (MONTANA) (PI: J. Schahczenski), Preparing a Resilient Future: Beginning Farmer and Rancher Training for Organic Field Crop and Livestock Producers in the Northern Great Plains. Award amount: $599,740.
  • Stone Child College (MONTANA) (PI: C. Monteau), Stone Child Cattleman’s College. Award amount: $319,440.
  • Land For Good (NEW HAMPSHIRE) (PI: J.A. Hafner), Land for Farmers: Training and Technical Assistance to Achieve Farmland Access for Beginning Farmers across New England. Award amount: $749,856.
  • Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (PI: A. Munene), Limited Resource Socially Disadvantaged Beginning Farmers in NEW HAMPSHIRE. Award amount: $595,516.
  • Foodshed Alliance, A NEW JERSEY Nonprofit Corporation (PI: E. Derby), Launching Beginning Farmers: Long-term Preserved Farm Leases and Farm Success Training. Award amount: $307,732.
  • Georgia Women in Ag. Association, Inc. (OKLAHOMA) (PI: N. Whitehead), Vegetable Production Training and Farm to Market Access Opportunity. Award amount: $590,538.
  • Northern RHODE ISLAND Conservation District (PI: M. Allard), Supporting Urban Growers through the Providence County Urban Growers Leadership Program (UGLP). Award amount: $492,930.
  • Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust, Inc. (RHODE ISLAND) (PI: G. Spring Buffalo), Curriculum and Tool Development for Beginning BIPOC Farmers in Massachusetts. Award amount: $49,486.
  • Clemson University (PI: B. Boyles), Towards a More Robust Portfolio of Entrepreneurship and Production Training for SOUTH CAROLINA’s Emerging Farmers. Award amount: $599,740.
  • SOUTH CAROLINA State University (PI: J. Idassi), Providing Outreach and Assistance through the Incubator Program to Enhance the Sustainability of Beginning Farmers, Ranchers and Veterans (BFRVS) in South Carolina. Award amount: $750,000.
  • UTAH State University (PI: K. Curtis), Enhanced Farming and Marketing Opportunities for Refugee and Native American Farmers in the Mountain West. Award amount: $599,604.
  • University of VERMONT (PI: B.S. Holtzman), Building Labor Management Know-How Among Beginning Farmers. Award amount: $594,372.
  • Sprouting Farms Corp. (PI: A. Koenig), Growing the Education to Market Pipeline: Meeting WEST VIRGINIA Beginning Farmer Education and Training Needs. Award amount: $596,681.
  • University of WYOMING (PI: J. Hewlett), Growing Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in Wyoming. Award amount: $750,000.

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