The somali bantu community association of maine's (SBCA) bfrdp is a large standard grant project with the long-term goal of assisting limited-resource somali bantu beginning farmers and ranchers in…

The Somali Bantu Community Association of Maine (SBCA) will provide technical assistance, training, and support services to limited-resource and socially disadvantaged beginning farmers and ranchers through a $520,815 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). Over three years, SBCA aims to assist at least 250 refugee growers and aspiring youth who have farmed in the U.S. for less than 10 seasons by increasing production skills and economic opportunities. Specific objectives include helping 250 beneficiaries make beneficial farm operation changes, enabling 80 farmers to generate additional income through agricultural enterprises, and increasing the knowledge of 60 beginning ranchers in humane livestock management and production. SBCA will deliver linguistically and culturally accessible training covering a range of agricultural topics from natural resource management to production planning. The award will also support engagement with at least 25 agricultural service providers to facilitate new relationships with socially disadvantaged farmers.

The somali bantu community association of maine's (SBCA) bfrdp is a large standard grant project with the long-term goal of assisting limited-resource somali bantu beginning farmers and ranchers in sustainable agricultural production and viable business ventures. In fall 2020, the organization began the transition to a 104 acre farm in wales, maine. IT is becoming the home to our community's agricultural programs with a 99-year rolling lease. SBCA's proposal addresses bfrdp's primary goal and delivers nearly all of its priority programs/services. SBCA provides technical support and training that is linguistically and culturally accessible while covering a broad range of topics.summary objectives and outcomes for this project:1. 250 beginning farmers will make beneficial changes in farm OPERATIONS2. 80 farmers will generate additional income in agricultural ENTERPRISES3. 60 beginning ranchers will increase their knowledge of humane livestock management and PRODUCTION4. 200 beginning farmers will increase their knowledge of natural resource management and production PLANNING5. 40 youth from the community will learn about agricultural opportunitiesover the three year project, SBCA will support, at least, 250 refugee growers and aspiring youth who have farmed in the US for less than 10 seasons by increasing production skills and economic opportunities. One hundred percent of SBCA's community/target audience qualifies within the subset of limited resource/socially disadvantaged farmers for which five percent of program funds are allocated. SBCA will engage, at least, 25 agricultural service providers for consultation and the facilitation of new relationships with socially disadvantaged farmers.