Time: farmer's growing academy

To Improve Mississippi Economics Inc. received a $744,782 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Advocacy and Outreach under the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (CFDA 10.443), awarded September 30, 2025. The three-year award funds the "Farmer's Growing Academy," which delivers comprehensive technical assistance and training to socially disadvantaged, veteran, and beginning farmers and ranchers in the Jackson, Mississippi area through September 2028. The organization provides experiential education, mentorship, farm business management assistance, and training on climate-smart farming practices and agricultural conservation planning.

As a minority-owned, Black American-owned nonprofit with established expertise in agricultural development, To Improve Mississippi Economics Inc. leverages the grant funding to enhance agricultural literacy and expand equitable access to USDA resources for vulnerable populations. The program emphasizes skills development, financial literacy support, market access development, and peer-to-peer outreach designed to empower underserved farming communities to start and maintain viable agricultural enterprises in the Jackson region.