Project Grant 20214940036012

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS COLLABORATIVE PROJECT AIMS TO ADVANCE AGROECOLOGICAL SMALL FARM PRODUCTION SKILLS, ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY, AND SOCIAL RESILIENCE AND EQUITY FOR SYSTEMICALLY UNDERSERVED AND OPPRESSED BEGINNING FARMERS. THROUGH AN ACCREDITED IN-PERSON AND ONLINE FARMER-TO-FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM, COMPENSATED MENTORSHIP FOR MENTEES AND MENTORS, AND LAND ACCESS PATHWAYS, THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE DECLINING FARMER POPULATION, ACCESSIBILITY AND SAFETY CONCERNS OF THE PANDEMIC, AND STRUCTURAL BARRIERS TO ACCESS TO LAND, JOBS, AND RESOURCES FOR BEGINNING FARMERS. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS A MULTI-PHASED AND RELATIONSHIP-BASED APPROACH TO TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION BY PARTNERING WITH MID-CAREER, EXPERIENCED, AND RETIRING FARMERS TO BUILD COMPREHENSIVE, FARMER-LED, AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT HYBRID COURSES AND AN URBAN-RURAL MENTORSHIP NETWORK TO SUPPORT ON-FARM TRAINING, LAND ACCESS, AND EMPLOYMENT PATHWAYS. THIS PROPOSAL ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT PROFESSIONAL FARMERS NEED SUPPORT AND COMPENSATION TO EFFECTIVELY SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND MENTOR BEGINNING FARMERS. THE TARGET AUDIENCE INCLUDES 300 BEGINNING FARMERS, INCLUDING 200 SYSTEMICALLY UNDERSERVED AND OPPRESSED PARTICIPANTS OVER 3 YEARS. THROUGH THE COMBINED SUPPORT OF AGROECOLOGY COMMONS, FARMER-TO-FARMER EDUCATORS, AN URBAN-RURAL MENTOR NETWORK, AND MERRITT COLLEGE, 300 PARTICIPANTS WILL BENEFIT FROM 210 HOURS OF COURSE CONTENT (150 INDIVIDUALS FROM THE HYBRID ON-FARM AND ONLINE COURSES, AND AN ADDITIONAL 150 FROM THE ONLINE COURSES EXCLUSIVELY). COURSES TOPICS INCLUDE AGROECOLOGICAL FARMING, VALUE-ADDED PROCESSING, CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE, COOPERATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AND VALUES-ALIGNED MARKET INNOVATION. FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT FOR GRADUATES INCLUDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR MENTORSHIP FROM EXPERIENCED FARMERS THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATION, PAID INTERNSHIPS, EMPLOYMENT, AND FINANCIAL, TECHNICAL, LAND-ACCESS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE START-UP SUPPORT. 50 BEGINNING FARMER GRADUATES WILL BENEFIT FROM PAID AND ACCREDITED INTERNSHIPS, MINI-GRANTS TO START AND EXPAND THEIR OWN FARMING VENTURES, AND/OR EMPLOYMENT WITH MENTOR FARMERS.