New Grant:USDA NIFA grant from the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BRDDP)

USDA NIFA grant from the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BRDDP). (https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/beginning-farmer-rancher-development-program-bfrdp?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=)

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program provides grants to organizations for education, mentoring, and technical assistance initiatives for beginning farmers or ranchers. According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service’s most recent Ag Census data, the number of young people entering farming continues to decline, but the number of new farmers and ranchers over the age of 35 as well as the number of smaller farms and ranches nationwide continue to rise. Ensuring there will be a “new generation” of beginning farmers and ranchers — regardless of age or production choice — is especially important to the continuation of agricultural production in the United States.

Here is the link to our project (https://cris.nifa.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=fastlink1.txt&id=anon&pass=&search=R=96892&format=WEBFMT6NT).

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will be joined by Emory University, veteran organizations, community-based organizations, and other public institutions to develop an outreach program of a Standard BFRDP grant application to provide technical assistance to both underserved populations and communities in Georgia and North Carolina. The following delineated objectives will be pursued: 1) Provide beginning ranchers, veterans, and other SDFRVs a low-cost small ruminant production and management practices; 2) Provide these clientele best agronomic practices including soil health fertility; 3) Develop for them, an inclusive and resilient diversified marketing strategies 4) Provide them training in Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies (CSATs); 5) Provide them with business and financial management training for improved access to credit; 6) Develop Curriculum on agricultural Entrepreneurship Education digital technologies that increase production efficiency, environmental sustainability, and profitability; and 7) Provide disabled veterans with Assistive technology and AgrAbility training to help in their operation. The major expected outcomes include: 1) Number engaging in climate-smart agricultural technologies for increased soil carbon and improved soil health; 2) Number practicing best livestock crop management practices- low-cost forage-based grazing and browsing for cost savings; production of new generation crops to establish niche markets for profits; 3) Number with improved credit to access loan and own farms, and ranches; and 4) Number that are computer literate and can process forms to participate in governmental programs. To achieve these outcomes, 12.5% of the budget is allocated for serving military veterans while 26.4% will go to socially disadvantaged, limited resource farmer workers (including immigrants).