To assist socially disadvantaged/limited-resource farmers and ranchers in mississippi counties on the importance of sustainable management of their forest lands and on available USDA programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) awarded a $195,000 Cooperative Agreement to the Mississippi Association of Cooperatives (MAC), a minority-owned non-profit organization, to assist socially disadvantaged and limited-resource farmers and ranchers in Mississippi with the importance of sustainable forest land management and available USDA programs.

The three-year grant, running from September 2024 to September 2027, will support MAC's efforts to provide critical outreach, education, and technical assistance to underserved farming communities in Mississippi. This includes classroom training, developing marketing plans, providing certification assistance, implementing peer training programs, and helping farmers access USDA programs, with the goal of improving farm income, enhancing farm management practices, introducing technological resources, and supporting the establishment or expansion of rural cooperative and mutually-owned businesses.