Description
The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) provides funding to support new and established local and regional training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives for beginning farmers and ranchers. The program aims to help beginning farmers and ranchers enter and/or improve their successes in farming, ranching, and management of nonindustrial private forest lands. The primary goal of BFRDP is to increase the number of beginning farmers and ranchers and enhance their successes and sustainability by providing them and their families with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions. Some key areas of focus include:
* Basic livestock, forest management, and crop farming practices
* Innovative farm, ranch, and private, nonindustrial forest land transfer and succession strategies
* Entrepreneurship and business training
* Technical assistance to help beginning farmers or ranchers acquire land from retiring farmers and ranchers
* Financial and risk management training, including the acquisition and management of agricultural credit
* Natural resource management and planning
* Diversification and marketing strategies
* Curriculum development
* Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships
* Resources and referral
* Farm financial benchmarking
* Agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training for veteran farmers and ranchers
* Farm safety and awareness
* Food safety and recordkeeping
Applicants must identify the target audience of beginning farmers and ranchers they aim to serve, describe their characteristics and needs, and propose an ambitious yet achievable plan of work that will accomplish meaningful and measurable success in enhancing the number and success of beginning farmers and ranchers.