CSREES Anticipates Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Funding Opportunity
Section 7410 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub .L. No. 110-234) amended Section 7405 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, and made available in fiscal year (FY) 2009 $18 million to fund a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). To support the nation’s beginning farmers and ranchers, the BFRDP will make competitive grants to new and established local and regional training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives that address the needs of beginning farmers and ranchers in the following areas:
- Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships;
- Resources and referrals;
- Assisting beginning farmers or ranchers in acquiring land from retiring farmers and ranchers;
- Innovative farm and ranch transfer strategies;
- Entrepreneurship and business training;
- Model land leasing contracts;
- Financial management training;
- Whole farm planning;
- Conservation assistance;
- Risk management education;
- Diversification and marketing strategies;
- Curriculum development;
- Understanding the impact of concentration and globalization;
- Basic livestock and crop farming practices;
- The acquisition and management of agricultural credit;
- Environmental compliance;
- Information processing; and
- Other similar subject areas of use to beginning farmers or ranchers.
CSREES anticipates releasing the FY 2009 Request for Applications (RFA) for the BFRDP in January 2009 with a 60-day open period. The RFA will invite applications in each of the areas above. Project periods will be limited to 3 years. Proposed budget requests must not exceed $250,000 per year.
Priority will be given to projects that are partnerships and collaborations led by or including nongovernmental and community-based organizations with expertise in new agricultural producer training and outreach. In accordance with the authorizing legislation, the RFA will also invite applications for an online clearinghouse that makes education curricula and training materials and programs available to beginning farmers and ranchers.
To be eligible to receive a BFRDP grant, the recipient must be a collaborative State, tribal, local, or regionally-based network or partnership of public or private entities, which may include: a state cooperative extension service; a Federal, State or tribal agency; a community-based and nongovernmental organization; college or university (including an institution awarding an associate’s degree) or foundation maintained by a college or university; or any other appropriate partner, as determined by the Secretary.
All applicants are required to provide funds or in-kind support from non-federal sources in an amount that is at least equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the federal funds requested.
In the coming month, CSREES will be announcing opportunities for stakeholder input concerning the BFRDP program, including a public meeting (scheduled for Monday, October 27, 2008, from 9 am to 1 pm at the Waterfront Centre Building; 800 9th Street, SW; Washington, D.C. 20024) on the topic, in the Federal Register and on the CSREES Web site. Before applying, applicants must complete the Grants.gov registration process, which can take as long as 2 weeks. Please see the Grants.gov Web site for more information.
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