Project Grant 20217003335709

WASHINGTON STATE'S PRINCIPAL FARMERS HAVE AN AVERAGE AGE OF 59.1 YEARS AND 70% ARE EXPECTED TO RETIRE IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS, WITH THEIR FARMLAND CHANGING HANDS. IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT OUR FIVE-COUNTY REGION LOST 10.6%, OR 37,833 ACRES OF FARMLAND FROM 2012 TO 2017 AS FARMERS RETIRE. SKAGIT COUNTY ALONE HAS LOST 35% OF ITS FARMLAND SINCE 1940, SHRINKING FROM 150,000 TO 97,664 ACRES TODAY. WITH THE RISK OF LOSING CAPACITY FOR FARMLAND PRODUCTION AND THE ASSOCIATED POTENTIAL ECONOMIC LOSS, IT IS CRUCIAL WE BUILD THE RELEVANT INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS WITH THE NETWORKS, EDUCATION, ACCESS TO LAND AND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES NECESSARY TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND SUSTAINABLE.THE GOAL OF BFRDP NORTH AND CENTRAL PUGET SOUND IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER AND SUCCESS OF SUSTAINABLE BEGINNING, SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AND LIMITED RESOURCE FARMERS BY ESTABLISHING COORDINATED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO TRAIN, EDUCATE, MENTOR AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS BFRDP IS THE CAPACITY TO TRANSLATE AND/OR OFFER ALL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.THIS PROJECT HAS FIVE PARTNERS RANGING FROM A LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY, A FARM INCUBATOR, COLLEGIATE LEVEL AGRICULTURAL TRAINING PROGRAM, A CONSERVATION LAND TRUST WITH A WEB-BASED LAND ACCESS PLATFORM, A REGIONAL AGRICULTURE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, AND THE STATE'S EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DEPARTMENT. THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE THE PROVEN STRENGTH, EXPERIENCE AND CAPACITY TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE KEY BARRIERS TO SUCCESS FOR BEGINNING, SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED, AND LIMITED RESOURCE FARMERS. THESE KEY BARRIERS INCLUDE THE LACK OF ACCESS TO: TRAINING, LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE, EQUIPMENT, CAPITAL, MARKETS AND AN EFFECTIVE LOCAL NETWORK OF PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THAT ACCESS. FURTHERMORE, THE TARGET POPULATION OF SPANISH SPEAKING, AND IMMIGRANT LIMITED RESOURCED FARMERS ARE ALSO CHALLENGED WITH THE LACK OF ACCESS TO TRAINING AND RESOURCES IN THEIR LANGUAGE.THE PROJECT WILL COORDINATE TRAINING, RESOURCES, SERVICES AND OUTREACH ACROSS THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE NAVIGATING AND ACCESSING PROGRAMMING EASIER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE. THIS COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WILL LEVERAGE RESOURCES ACROSS ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO ALLOW PARTNERS TO FOCUS ON IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THEIR PROGRAMS AND TO MAXIMIZE ENROLLMENT.THROUGH 6 WORKSHOPS, 12 EDUCATIONAL COURSES, THE VIVA FARMS FARM BUSINESS INCUBATOR, EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE PROJECT WILL SERVE 380 BEGINNING FARMERS OVER THREE YEARS. THIS TRAINING/EDUCATION CAN BE CATEGORIZED INTO THREE SUBTOPICS: STARTING TO FARM FOCUSED ON GROWING PRACTICES, BUSINESS PLANNING, ACCESSING RESOURCES; IMPROVING PRACTICES FOCUSED ON FARM PRODUCTION STRATEGIES, BOOKKEEPING AND FINANCIALS; AND ENTERING NEW MARKETS FOCUSED ON BUSINESS GROWTH.THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS IN ACCESSING LAND BY PROVIDING LEASES AND ACCESS THROUGH VIVA FARMS' FARM BUSINESS INCUBATOR AND PRACTICUM PROGRAMS; AND THROUGH DELIVERY AND EXPANSION OF THE FARM TO FARMER PROGRAM, AN ONLINE AND IN-PERSON LAND MATCHING AND COACHING SERVICE FOR NEW AND EXPANDING FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS.LASTLY, THE PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE BEGINNING FARMER PARTICIPANT PIPELINE FOR THE FARM BUSINESS INCUBATOR THROUGH PROMOTION AND EXPANSION OF THE SAGE COLLABORATIVE, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL TWO-YEAR COLLEGES AND VIVA FARMS THAT OFFERS ALIGNED, HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. COLLECTIVELY, THE COLLEGES ANNUALLY OFFER 35 CORE COURSES, IN ADDITION TO INTERNSHIP, RESEARCH, AND PRACTICUM CAPSTONE OPTIONS.