Source: CALIFORNIA BOUNTIFUL FOUNDATION submitted to
AGRICULTURAL MENTORING AND EDUCATION FOR BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AND VETERANS IN CALIFORNIA
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031329
Grant No.
2023-49400-40909
Cumulative Award Amt.
$574,750.00
Proposal No.
2023-04857
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 15, 2023
Project End Date
Sep 14, 2026
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[BFRDA]- Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, Standard
Project Director
Gunasekara, A.
Recipient Organization
CALIFORNIA BOUNTIFUL FOUNDATION
2300 RIVER PLAZA DR
SACRAMENTO,CA 95833
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The California Farm Bureau's (CFB) California Bountiful Foundation (Foundation), the non-profit 501(c)(3) of the CFB, will offer a statewide mentoring and education project for beginning farmers and ranchers in California, including to those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans.The Foundation, recently positioned by the CFB as the leading agricultural science, research, and education foundation in California, is designed to provide multiple services. According to a USDA study conducted in 2012 one in three new agriculture businesses fail within the first ten years of business. One way to help with this issue is to create and sustain a grower-to-grower mentoring program. This effort by the Foundation will support opportunities to have a beginning farmer and rancher with 1-10 years of experience farming and ranching in California, including those socially disadvantaged farmers and veterans, mentored by farmers and ranchers with more than ten years of experience. The Foundation is partnering with the CFB Young Farmers and Ranchers Program (YF&R), California County Farm Bureaus, the Black Agriculture Working Group, the University of California, and Mr. Michael O'Gorman who founded the Farmer Veteran Coalition.The immediate goals (1-3 years) of the project will bring together 200 beginning farmers and ranchers with 1-10 years (USDA NIFA BFR target audience category 5) farming experience, including those farmers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, together with 200 mentor farmers and ranchers over two years to provide mentoring and information sharing around a wide verity of topics. Of the 200 mentee farmers and ranchers, 40 (or more) will be socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and another 60 (or more) will be veteran farmers and ranchers. Mentor farmers and ranchers participating in the project will have more than ten years of farming and ranching experience in California, including socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers. Beginning farmers and ranchers participating in this project can also attend one or more of four workshops at no cost organized to inform them about state and federal regulations and Climate Smart Agriculture incentive programs. The Foundation has heard from several beginning farmers in the YF&R Program (see attached support letters) on the importance of connecting with mentor farmers.In California, it is well understood that farmers and ranchers are generally nearing retirement age, and fewer beginning farmers and ranchers are entering the sectors than ever before. The Foundation believes this conundrum threatens food security since California leads the nation in agricultural food production. The Foundation also believes that the mentoring project proposed here can help alleviate the pressures of an aging agrarian community through knowledge transfer and empowerment of a new generation of beginning farmers and ranchers with critical information to keep agricultural production and rural communities thriving in California.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
6010199301034%
1255299310033%
7115010106033%
Knowledge Area
601 - Economics of Agricultural Production and Farm Management; 711 - Ensure Food Products Free of Harmful Chemicals, Including Residues from Agricultural and Other Sources; 125 - Agroforestry;

Subject Of Investigation
5299 - Agricultural supplies, general/other; 0199 - Soil and land, general; 5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 3010 - Economics; 3100 - Management;
Goals / Objectives
The primary overall goal of this USDA NIFA BFR Standard Grants project is to develop and sustain long-term the overall number of California farmers and ranchers, including those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and new relationships with experienced farmers and ranchers in California.This project will support 200 beginning farmers and ranchers with 1-10 years of farming experience (USDA NIFA BFR target audience category 5), including those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, and connect them with 200 mentor farmers and ranchers to provide mentoring and information sharing around a wide variety of topics including long-term agribusiness sustainability. Of the 200 mentee farmers and ranchers, 20% (or more) will be socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Another 30% (or more) will be veteran farmers and ranchers.The California Bountiful Foundation (Foundation) believes this project will create long-term relationships and provide business, regulatory, and incentive information to beginning farmers and ranchers with less than ten years of experience in California so that they continue to farm into the future.Goal 1. Establish a long-term trusted and valued farmer and rancher mentoring and education program for beginning farmers and ranchers, including those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, at the Foundation. The outcome of the mentor-to-mentee connections, including for those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, will be critical information sharing and lessons learned from mentor farmers and ranchers with considerable agricultural experiences in accessing markets, business solutions, navigating the strict regulatory environment in California, and accessing new incentive funding afforded through Climate-Smart Agriculture efforts at the State and Federal levels. Establishing new connections and what the Foundation believes are long-term relationships will accelerate and sustain effective knowledge transfer to beginning farmers and ranchers, including those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans. The Foundation and the CFB believe this effort will produce a larger pool of successful farmers and ranchers in California over the long term, benefiting rural communities and their economies.ObjectivesSupport a free mentoring program for 200 beginning farmers and ranchers, including 40 socially disadvantaged and 60 veteran farmers and ranchers, with 1-10 years (USDA NIFA BFR target audience category 5) of farming and ranching experience, over a two-year time frame.Develop survey and initial consultative feedback methodologies to farmers and ranchers, including those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, through partners which include the YF&R Program, Black Agriculture Working Group, and Mr. O'Gorman to determine a list of topics to focus on for one-on-one mentoring and the workshops.Connect beginning and new farmers and ranchers, including those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, with experienced farmers and ranchers to share real-world experiences in agricultural production in California.Provide six hours of mentoring, using online meeting tools, for 200 beginning farmers and ranchers over two years.Build an extensive database of farmer and rancher mentors in California that will be a long-term resource for this project and other programs such as the YF&R Program at the CFB.Utilize existing resources and new resources associated with this project to build out further an extensive database of beginning farmer and rancher mentees, including those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, to support this project and existing programs such as the YF&R Program.Expose beginning farmers and ranchers to incentive opportunities at the State and Federal levels to reduce the risk of implementing management practices and further conservation on California farms and ranches.Compensate mentor farmers and ranchers for six hours at $50/hour.Conduct annual program surveys for beginning farmer mentees and mentors, including those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, for programmatic improvement and long-term success.Develop a project report with recommendations for future financial support to distribute and share widely with the CFB and pertinent stakeholders. The report will identify mechanisms for sustaining the program long-term beyond the grant period of this project.Goal 2. Provide two day-long education workshops each year to beginning farmers and ranchers, including for those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, to learn about environmental and regulatory requirements from state, federal, and academic institutions (agriculture field level technical assistance), including access to Climate-Smart Agriculture incentive funding.ObjectivesOrganize four free information-sharing workshops throughout the state for beginning farmers and ranchers, including for those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, over a two-year time frame (two per year).Develop consultative survey and initial feedback methodologies to partner groups, including the YF&R Program, Black Agriculture Working Group, and the veteran farmers (Mr. O'Gorman), to determine a list of topics to focus on for the four seminars. Initial focus topics include;Day-to-day economics of farming systems.Long-term business opportunities and pathways.Discuss how to deal with unforeseen costs and expenses that might arise from inflation and global conflicts.Building relationships with buyers and third-party certifications.Addressing climate change with Climate-Smart Agriculture incentive opportunities.Use of conservation management practices to further environmental stewardship.Use of conservation management practices to further economic returns a product marketing.Reducing greenhouse gas emissions.Addressing environmental concerns and regulations.Efficient and renewable energy practices, including solar and microgrid technologies.Building resilience and adaptability to climate change.Work with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the University of California to maximize utilization of their services, including technical training experiences on conservation practices through field staff.Farming principles and practices that increase biodiversity, enhance soil organic matter, land, improve watersheds, and enhance ecosystem services.Crop selection experiences based on market systems and price, weather, and pest pressures.Market accessibility options and sustainability initiatives.Develop agendas for each meeting which will include, among other relevant topics, information sharing on environmental requirements, financial incentive opportunities in California, climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for agriculture in the state, and new technologies that may reduce economic costs on farms and ranches.Establish ongoing best learning format(s) for beginning farmers and ranchers, including for those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, to build understanding and skill regarding regulatory compliance, accessing conservation programs, and exposure to Climate-Smart Agriculture incenting funding opportunities from the state and federal governments.Develop a database of subject matter experts and resources available to beginning farmers and ranchers, including for those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, from the four workshop speaker list to support programs such as the YF&R Program at the CFB.Develop survey and feedback methodologies to obtain information from seminar participants on improving the seminars.
Project Methods
This project will support 200 beginning farmers and ranchers with 1-10 years of farming experience (USDA NIFA BFR target audience category 5), including those farmers and ranchers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans, and connect them with 200 mentor farmers and ranchers to provide mentoring and information sharing around a wide variety of topics including long-term agribusiness sustainability. The topics for discussion and workshops will be collected through a consultative survey of the beginning farmers and ranchers participating in the project. Of the 200 mentee farmers and ranchers, 20% (or more) will be socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Another 30% (or more) will be veteran farmers and ranchers.The Foundation and the CFB believe there is a significant need to establish a longer-term connection between beginning farmers and ranchers and existing farmers and ranchers in California and have already heard about the demand from several participants of the CFBs YF&R Program (see letters of support). A mentoring project, like intergenerational farming connections, will ensure knowledge transfer and assist in the long-term success of a diversity of family farms in California. The link is critical to facilitating real-world experiences and information sharing and further lowering the economic, market, and regulatory barriers to entry for beginning farmers and ranchers, including those farmers that are socially disadvantaged and veterans.The activities associated with this project are appropriate for the CFB and the Foundation. The CFB is the largest farmer and rancher organization in California. CFB has members throughout the state of California and houses the YF&R Program. The CFB membership includes 31,000 members, with 22,000 farms represented throughout the state. There is significant diversity amongst CFB members in terms of farm sizes. In general, the membership of farmers and ranchers to CFB in California ranges widely and includes farmers and ranchers that are underserved and small in operation size (80% of CFB members have an annual GFI of $999,999 or less, and 25% are under $50,000 GFI) located throughout California.The immediate goal of this project is to prove that there is value to such an educational and knowledge transfer process to the farming community in California, including those socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in California. The Foundation is very interested in ensuring the project is turned into an ongoing program, in the future, with stable funding. With any new project, proof-of-concept is needed to ensure stable funding over a longer period. The long-term goal is to ensure this project can be self-sustained with funding from participants, CFB, project partners, the Foundation, and those agricultural sponsors that find the project useful to its customer base. Proving this project further will be effective with the necessary funds and provide a high level of participation, and positive feedback will create demand for this project in the future. Demand, in terms of participant oversubscription rates, for such a project will drive support and funding.

Progress 09/15/23 to 09/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience:This project proposed to bring together 200 beginning farmers and ranchers (mentees) with 1-10 years (USDA NIFA BFR target audience category 5) farming experience, including those farmers who are socially disadvantaged and veterans, and 200 mentor farmers and ranchers over two years to provide mentoring and information sharing around a wide variety of topics. The first year of this project (September 2023 through September 2024) was focused on recruiting 100 mentees and 100 mentors to matchup with the mentees. Of the 100 mentee farmers and ranchers recruited for in 2023-24, 20 (20% or more) were to be socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and another 30 (30% or more) were to be veteran farmers and ranchers. Mentor farmers and ranchers participating in the project will have more than ten years of farming and ranching experience in California, including socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers. The target audience, therefore, is beginning farmers and ranchers (mentees) with 1-10 years (USDA NIFA BFR target audience category 5) farming experience, including those farmers who are socially disadvantaged and veterans. The following methods were used to reach the target audience for this project; Postcard Mailers The Foundation recruited mentees and mentors using its membership of 19,542 farmers and ranchers in California. Information mailers were distributed to all farmers and ranchers in the California Farm Bureau Federation three times on April 4, May 31, and August 19, 2024. Mailers were postcards describing the program and directing interested farmers and ranchers to sign up to be a mentor or mentee through the Foundation's program website called Expanding our Roots (https://www.californiabountifulfoundation.com/programs-and-services/beginning-farmer-and-rancher-mentorship-program). The Foundation found the postcard to be the most effective method of recruiting beginning (mentees) and experienced (mentors) farmers and ranchers into the program. The Foundation plans to send more postcard mailers to the membership another six times so it can continue to recruit up to 100 mentees in 2023-24. Social Media Posts Other methods of reaching mentee and mentor farmers and ranchers and the target audience include social media posts to all members on the following platforms and dates. Twitter: 9 Posts Facebook: 9 Posts Instagram: 9 Posts LinkedIn: 1 Post Newspaper Advertising Four advertisements on the mentoring program were initiated in AgAlert, the California Farm Bureau Federation's newspaper. AgAlert is distributed to all 19,500 members in digital and hardcopy format and is an essential method of programmatic information distribution. Farm Shows and Events The Foundation also attended six grower gathering events and assisted in sponsoring one of them. The farm shows and events allowed the Foundation's team to recruit the target audience for this project and help growers become aware of the mentoring program. Information on Expanding Our Roots was provided to black farmers and ranchers through QR codes, handouts, and in-person interactions. Below are the dates of event attendance and whether sponsoring was provided. Colusa Farm Show, Colusa, CA - February 6-8, 2024 World Ag Expo, Tulare, CA - February 13-15, 2024 Black Expo, Sacramento, CA - February 23-25, 2024 - Sponsorship provided Cap Ag Conference, Sacramento, CA - March 18-20, 2024 Agriculture Event at NASCAR, Sanoma, CA - June 8, 2024 - Speaker Summer Fair Mixer and Country Fair, Napa, CA - August 8, 2024 County Farm Bureaus As of August 16, 2024, the Foundation has executed agreements with five County Farm Bureaus in California, including Madera, Monterey, Sacramento, San Diego, and Sonoma County. Participating County Farm Bureaus serve as grant subcontractors primarily purposed with recruiting mentors and mentees into the program through their membership network. The Foundation anticipates executing agreements with more County Farm Bureaus throughout the duration of the program. Participating County Farm Bureaus have been provided marketing materials produced by the Foundation as well as enrollment applications of mentors and mentees from their county and adjacent counties. Partnership Organizations Black Farmers Working Group Mr. Michael Harris provided recruitment efforts totaling 334 hours for black farmers and ranchers for the program at the following eighteen events. Information on Expanding Our Roots was provided to growers through QR codes, handouts, and in-person interactions. Emancipation Day, Stockton - January 1, 2024 - CA Martin Luther King Day, Sacramento, CA - January 15, 2024 Freedom Day/BHM, Sacramento, CA - February 1, 2024 World Ag Expo, Tulare, CA - February 11-13, 2024 Black Miners Bar, Folsom, CA - February 16, 2024 Black Expo, Sacramento, CA - February 23-25, 2024 Black Miners Bar, Folsom, CA - March 15, 2024 California Ag Day, Sacramento, CA - March 19, 2024 Bethesda Farm/Easter Sunday, San Diego, CA - March 28-31 First Friday's, Guinda, CA - April 5, 2024 Earth Day, Vallejo, CA - April 20, 2024 Arbor Day, Sacramento, CA - April 26, 2024 Mt. Shasta Ag Heritage, Siskiyou, County - May 18, 2024 Memorial Day, Sacramento, CA - May 27, 2024 Juneteenth, Folsom, CA - June 7, 2024 Juneteenth, Los Angeles, CA - June 14, 2024 Juneteenth, Sacramento, CA - June 19, 2024 Juneteenth, Marin City, CA - June 29, 2024 Veteran Farmers Mr. Michael O'Gorman provided recruitment efforts totaling 475 hours for veteran farmers and ranchers for the program at the following events. Information on Expanding Our Roots was provided to veteran farmers and ranchers through QR codes, handouts, and in-person interactions. Farmer Veteran Coalition California chapter, Orville, CA - May 13-15, 2024 California Agriculture Non-Profit Organizations The Foundation has contacted all CDFA or state-sanctioned (California Food and Agriculture Code) marketing boards and commissions as well as dozens of other voluntary California agriculture non-profit organizations to inform them about the program and encourage them to conduct outreach to membership about the program. Organizations were provided with marketing materials and other resources conducive to their membership with accurate and efficient outreach efforts. Many of these organizations placed informational messaging related to the program in newsletters and other forms of outreach materials. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The first of four Expanding Our Roots workshops included speakers and topics on incentive opportunities, was held on July 25, 2024 in Grass Valley, CA from 1 pm to 4 pm PST. The workshop was part of the California Farm Bureaus Young Farmers & Ranchers Program. The workshop featured seven speakers on topics that benefit the target audience of this program. The second of four workshops will be held on Tuesday, December 10, in Monterey, CA. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The Foundation will continue to implement the goals and objective outlined in the proposal to recruit and mentor 200 beginning farmers and ranchers in California including black farmers and veteran farmers and ranchers.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1. Objectives 1. This objective has been partially accomplished. The Expanding Our Roots Program has enrolled 75 mentee farmers and ranchers. Mentee farmers and ranchers in the program are self-described through an enrollment form and process as having between 1 and 10 years of experience operating a production agriculture business in California 31of the 75 mentees (41%) have identified themselves as Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers. 9 of the 75 mentees (12%) haveindicatedthat they have served (veteran) or are currently serving in the United States military. 63 of the 75 mentees (84%) haveindicatedthat they farm one or more specialty crops that they would like to receive mentoring on. 2. This objective has been partially accomplished. This information was collected via the intake form for mentee and mentor enrollment. Intake forms for mentee and mentor enrollment were produced in both English and Spanish. Intake questions and prompts were presented to all farmers and ranchers enrolling in the program via the program website. Questions centered around contact information, experience (time) farming in California, certification program enrolled in (e.g., USDA GAP/GHP), products that have regulated marketing labels (e.g., USDA Organic), primary language spoken, secondary language spoken, membership in a California Farm Bureau, crops farmed, type of mentoring (e.g., remote or in-person), topics interested in, veteran status, and socially disadvantaged group status. 3. This objective has been partially accomplished. 25 mentor-mentee connections have been established through official agreements. Connections are made based on several criteria, including commodity group, locations of growers, mentee interests, and mentor competencies. 4. This objective has been partially accomplished. Three mentee and mentor pairs have indicated that they completed the six hours of mentorship services. Upon completion of the mentorship or once staff has been notified by both the mentee and mentor that the mentorship is complete, mentors are provided with a "Mentor Outcomes Survey", where, among other items, they detail mentorship outcomes and certify the number of hours spent mentoring the mentor. The Foundation quantifies that a total of 18 hours of mentoring has been provided to mentees in the first year of the program. Approximately 22 of 25 mentee and mentor pairs have not yet indicated that they have completed the six hours of mentorship services, so the Foundation cannot report these hours of mentoring at this time. 5. This objective has been partially accomplished. A database, using Excel, has been developed for all mentor and mentees with the following variables: name; phone number; email; job title; business name; business address; commodity(ies) produced on farm and/or ranch; commodity-specific scale of production; voluntary food safety certification programs; regulated marketing labels; private marketing labels; core competencies; short-term projects and long-term goals; interest in mentoring more than one mentee; preference for in person and/or remote mentorship; mentorship topics; primary language; secondary language; veteran status; socially disadvantaged status; farm bureau membership status. 6. This objective has been partially accomplished. A database, using Excel, has been developed for all mentor and mentees with the following information: name; phone number; email; job title; business name; business address; commodity(ies) produced on farm and/or ranch; commodity-specific scale of production; voluntary food safety certification programs; regulated marketing labels; private marketing labels; core competencies; short-term projects and long-term goals; interest in mentoring more than one mentee; preference for in person and/or remote mentorship; mentorship topics; primary language; secondary language; veteran status; socially disadvantaged status; farm bureau membership status. 7. This objective has been partially accomplished. The Expanding Our Roots first workshop included speakers and topics on incentive opportunities including opportunities to apply for the State's Healthy Soils Program. There were 3 sessions and 3 different speakers at the first workshop that focused on climate-smart agriculture incentive opportunities available through the state and federal programs. 8. This objective has been partially accomplished. A total of three farmers have completed the mentoring. 9. This objective has been partially accomplished. The Foundation is in the process of developing a comprehensive survey for evaluating the first year with direct feedback from farmers and ranchers. 10. This objective has not been accomplished. The report will be completed at the end of the second annual reporting period and in the program's third year. The estimated completion date for the report is 2026. Goal 2. Objectives 1. This objective has been partially accomplished. The first of four Expanding Our Roots workshops included speakers and topics on incentive opportunities, was held on July 25, 2024 in Grass Valley, CA from 1 pm to 4 pm PST. The workshop was part of the California Farm Bureaus Young Farmers & Ranchers Program. The workshop featured seven speakers on topics that benefit the target audience of this program. 2. Please see response to Goal 1, Objective 2. 3. This objective has been partially accomplished. The first of four workshops were organized and held for the target audience. Agenda, speakers, and topics organized and workshop held on July 25, 2024 in Grass Valley, CA from 1 pm to 4 pm PST. 4. This objective has been partially accomplished. The Foundation continues to evaluate what the best learning methods and tools are for the target audience of this program. To date, a host of remote, digital, and online tools have been made available to mentors and mentees to facilitate mentoring. They include use of the Zoom video platform for remote connections, in-person meeting, printed materials, and translation services into Spanish. 5. This objective has been partially accomplished. The Foundation continues to work on this objective as the program progresses. 6. This objective has been partially accomplished. A survey is being developed to better understand what topics mentees would like to see covered in future seminars.

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