Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** beginning ranchers and farmers in…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** beginning ranchers and farmers in the west face unique challenges and barriers to entry. Due to the aridity of the west, large acreages are required for operations to be financially and ecologically sustainable. Many incubation and land-access models employed by smaller scale operations elsewhere are impractical in the arid west. This project builds upon quivira's successful new agrarian apprenticeship program and provides an entry point into large-acreage ranching and farming in the west through apprenticeships; as well as trainings and technical assistance that will increase the success of beginning ranchers and farmers in years 2-10 of their careers. These individuals need access to marketing, financial, and risk management training; business and entrepreneurship models that work on large-acreage operations; and tools to help them sustainably access and manage large acreages of land amidst a changing climate. The long-term goals of this project are to: 1) increase the number ofindividuals entering careers on large acreage ranches and farms in the west; 2) improve the success of beginning ranchers and farmers in the west through entrepreneurship, business, financial, and risk management training and technical assistance; 3) increase this group's resilience against climate change through conservation practices; and 4) ensure that beginning ranchers and farmers in the west are connected with the resources, career opportunities, and technical assistance necessary to their success. Through apprenticeships, trainings, and one-on-one technical assistance, this project will create 60 new beginning ranchers and farmers and will increase the success of over 2,710 beginning ranchers and farmers.