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

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the overarching importance of this project is to support bipoc and socially disadvantaged farmers who havenot had equitable access to the education, financial resources or mentoring opportunities topursuesuccessfulcareers in farming.traditional farming education and the changing landscape of farming due to climate change continue to be a barrier for entry. Additionally, the overallnumber of youngentrepreneurs pursuing agri-business is declining while retiring farmers areincreasing. Our projectwillrecruit and educate a select group of bipoc beginning farmersand provide a solid foundation of education, financial literacy, technical assitance and mentoring that will support our interns to be highly skilled and confident farmers and overcome thesebarriers. This planning grant will support more accessibilty which will be greatly increased by educating bipoc farmersabout hydroponic farming. Hydroponicfarmscan provide fresh produce in their respective communities, directly improving food security. Environmentally, hydroponics uses significantly less water than traditional soil farming and can reduce the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, contributing to a healthier ecosystem. Hydroponics is a resilient farming system that can sustainabily growcrops year round. IT allows for accelerated crop growth and higher yields over traditional soil based growing. IT allows for year round farming which can stabilize food supply and market prices benefiting both the producer and the community. Hydroponic systems are environmentally friendly and contribute to a cleaner environment. The faster crop turn around enhances our producersprofitability and make this project one that will have positive impact on producers and communities of color. This will produce new business opportunies and farming job creation in historically disdvantaged communities. At the conclusion of this project our cohort will be confident, trained and highly skilled beginning farmers equipped with technical and practical knowledge necessary for success. They will be prepared to sell their harvest in the market place and collaborate with industry stake holders. We will provide ongoingfollow surveys to track progress and success.