Beginning Farmer: Supporting the Next Generation of Farmers
A team of extension educators works with partnering organizations to support successful farm start-ups. This program supports beginning producers exploring, planning, and establishing their farms as well as new women farmers, young next-generation producers, and next-generation Hispanic producers.
The Program aims to enhance the success of beginning farmers by providing education and hands-on training in: production, marketing, financial management, land acquisition, and other resource acquisition.
Audience
This project serves those:
- Exploring farming, not yet sure if it's right for you. You may (or may not) own land, but have not yet taken any steps to develop an agricultural business.
- Planning: Committed to starting a farm in the next two years, but haven't yet begun production.
- Start-up: Already farming for 1 to 2 years, still exploring and learning what is and isn't going to work for your particular operation.
- Young Next Generation: If you are taking over the family operation, developing your new enterprise, and innovating production practices.
- Next Generation Hispanic: If you want to develop your agricultural career toward skilled labor, management, and ownership. La mayorÃa de los oportunidades aquà son en Español y en Ingles.
- Establishing: Farming for 3-7 years.
- New Women Farmers: In addition to courses and workshops for all new farmers, these opportunities are designed specifically for women farmers.
- Innovating: Are you considering transitioning your farm to a new enterprise? For example, from dairy to beef. Are you considering adding a value-added enterprise?
Funding
The Pennsylvania State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, Extension; and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, provide funding for the Penn State Beginning Farming Program.
