Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: The direct target audience is young farmers who want to learn the trade and establish businesses. MOFGA met its goal to enroll 25 participants each year. The number of applicants far exceeded this goal. The indirect audience is the thousands of Maine families who benefit from fresh, organic food grown by these farmers. As illustrated by the hundreds of successful farmers markets and farms selling CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares, Maine people are enjoying the bounty. Changes/Problems: This program was successful and has served as a model across the country What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The Program offered numerous training opportunities for its participants. These included the following: · Negotiation for Farmers, a day-long workshop produced in partnership with Community Mediation Program, Volunteers of America NNE. (Two workshops were offered each year.) · Beginning Farmer Resource Network, 2 days of programming each year at the Maine Agricultural Trades Show. · Land for Good offered a dozen training workshops including Conducting a Land Search and Next Steps: from apprentice to farmer. · Each summer MOFGA also offered 21 weeks of on-farm programs, The Farm Training Project, to augment on-farm learning. These were 4-hour farm tours, discussions and potluck dinners where participants shared ideas and skills. · Hundreds of hours of one-on-one consultation were also provided at the farms. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The program has been successful in training 75 new farmers who have established 68 new farms. The program participants and graduates interact and share ideas through a listserve that includes current and past participants as MOFGA's technical services staff. Several states have used MOFGA’s program as a model to establish similar programs in their states;including a coalition of northeastern organic farming organizations (NOFA) who have joined together with the goal of establishing a regionaljourneyperson program, modeled after MOFGA’s. In addition Land Stewardship Project (LSP) has also developed a journeyperson program. Young farmers routinely move to Maine to participate in our journeyperson program and set up farms here. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Building on the success of the last three years, MOFGA is committed to continuing the program. It presently is requesting additional funding from the USDA. MOFGA is also working on building a secure endowment to support the program over the long term. MOFGA is currently reviewing applications for a new class of Journeypersons beginning in 2015.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Major goals of the project MOFGA's objectives for the program were to contribute significantly to the training and support of the new farmers that Maine needs to catalyze and sustain its growing local food system. What was accomplished under these goals? MOFGA trained 75 new farmers through its Journeyperson Program, of which 90% have established new farms. It also helped participants secure stable land tenure. 74% of the participants entered the program without stable land tenure. Within their two-year program, nearly half of them secured land through MOFGA’s partnership between Land for Good and Maine Farmland Trust. Thirty participants attended MOFGA’s Farm Beginnings whole-farm planning and business course, resulting in comprehensive action plans for their farms and increased financial literacy for the farmers.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Beginning Farmers in Maine with 1-5 years of experience. These farmers' operations are diverse and include enterprises such as vegetables, tree fruits, small and large livestock, dairy, and value-added. The majority are women and limited-resource. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? MOFGA, Maine Farmland Trust, and Land For Good offered over 30 discrete opportunities for learning and training during the current reporting period. Topics and formats included: Farm Beginnings Whole Farm and business planning course A wide range of technical production topics covering multiple enterprises, including livestock, fruit, and vegetable production; forest management; ecological soil, pest, disase, and weed management Land access and tenure training and guidance 40 hours of mentorship per beginning farmer from experienced farmers Leadership training Food safety Farm equipment safety, operation, and maintenence Humane and hygienic livestock processing Quality of life issues and relationship management Labor management Market access and development How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Through multiple communiation channels including electronic, audiovisual, and print publications in addition to face-to-face networks. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? We will continue to operate the program at its current scale, accepting 20-25 new farms into the program for 2014. We will continue to offer the aformentioned services and support.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Since 2000, MOFGA's Journeyperson Program has supported over 175 beginning farmers and helped to establish over 125 new farm operations in Maine, with an 89 percent success rate. These farmers are making a significant contribution to Maine’s local food systems and rural economic vitality. For example, 30 percent of the 160 CSAs in Maine are operated by Journeyperson Program participants or graduates, and 35 percent of the vendors at Maine’s largest farmers’ market in Portland are current or former Journeypersons.The Program has also emerged as a model for beginning farmer programming around the country. To date, nine organizations have adopted or are planning to adopt the program, several of which are supported by USDA BFRDP funding. In the current reporting period, MOFGA's Journeyperson Program supported 62 beginning farmers and helped to establish 48 new farm businesses in Maine. 47 of 48 (97%) of the farms that were particpating in the program when this period began are currently farming. 20 Farmers representing 14 farms completed the Farm Beginnings whole farm planning course. 20 of 20 (100%) of participants reported gaining new skills and knowledge and making changes in their farming operations as a result. MOFGA staff completed 21 farm visits and provided 250 hours of one-on-one or small-group technical assistance to particpants in the program. 100% of participants reported gaining new knowledge as a result of these efforts. 25 farms partcipated in education and training in land access. Maine Farmland Trust, Land for Good, and MOFGA provided 180 hours of technical assistance on land access. 10 of 25 (40%) of these new farm operations achieved secure land tenure as a result. 259 beginning farmers particpated in 27 discrete workshops and training opportunities during the reporting period. Of 61 respondents to evaluations, 56 (92%) reported a moderate to significant increase in knowledge and/or skills as a result of participation. MOFGA, Maine Farmland Trust, and Land For Good were founding members and co-chairs of the Beginning Farmer Resource Network of Maine, a partnership of 17 agricultural service providers serving beginning farmers in Maine.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This project supported the 50 beginning farmers enrolled in MOFGA's Journeyperson Farm Training Program in 2012. 25 Beginning Farmers participated in team-based "intake interviews" with a committee of experts, practitioners, and service providers upon their acceptance into the program. These interviews provided advice, guidance, and resources important to beginning farmers' success. 50 Beginning Farmers gained free access to the 60+ days of educational programs that MOFGA administers each year. 38 Beginning Farms participated in MOFGA's mentorship program, which pairs beginning farmers with experienced farmers. 18 farmers participated in a 2-day business planning seminar with Richard Wiswall, author or "the Organic Farmer's Business Handbook" 36 beginning farmers gained free acces to MOFGA's annual Farmer-to-Farmer Conference. MOFGA agricultural services staff performed site visits to 30 beginning farms, providing production, management, and marketing advice. 15 Beginning Farmers participated in a full-day Land Access and Tenure Workshop administered by Land For Good. 12 Beginning Farmers received one-on-one counseling, guidance, and support from Land For Good staff on issues related to land access and tenure. 37 Beginning Farmers received services and support from Maine Farmland Trust on issues related to land access and tenure. 50 Beginning Farmers received stipends to defray costs of educational activities such as attending workshops and conferences sponsored by other organizations, purchasing books or other educational materials, and travel to educational events. 120 Beginning Farmers participated in an online learning community, where they asked and answered each others' questions and networked. 10 Beginning Farmers participated in a new shared use equipment pool established at MOFGA. PARTICIPANTS: Andrew Marshall, MOFGA Educational Programs Director, led the project Abby Sadauckas, MOFGA Educational Programs Coordinator, provided support to the Project Director and to the program participants, organized educational events, and participated in the selection process. Journeyperson Program intake interview participants included: The above; Russell Libby, MOFGA Executive Director; David Colson, MOFGA Agricultural Services Director; Melissa White Pillsbury, MOFGA Marketing Services Coordinator; Diane Schivera, MOFGA Livestock Specialist; Rosey Guest, Bluebird Hill Farm; John Bunker, Fedco Trees. Land For Good and Maine Farmland Trust staff provided support and services relating to land access and tenure to participants in the Journeyperson program. They include: Bob Bernstein, LFG Executive Director Kathy Ruhf, LFG Associate Director Penny Jordan, LFG Maine field associate Jo Barrett, LFG Maine field associate Erica Buswell, Maine Farmland Trust Beginning Farmer Coordinator MOFGA Staff participatng in educational workshops and farm visits include: Andrew Marshall Dave Colson Eric Sideman, Crops Specialist Diane Schivera Abby Sadauckas TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for this project is the participants in the MOFGA Journeyperson Farm Training Program. The 2-year program is described in the original CRIS database entry for this project. It supports 2 cohorts of 25 farmers each year; who are in their first 1-3 years of farming independently. Though operations vary considerably in type and scale, the majority are characterized by small scale, diversity, and direct-to-consumer marketing strategies. Over 60% are fully or partially women-owned. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: MOFGA is adopting the Farm Beginnings model of farm and business planning training starting in the winter of 2012-2013. We had been using the NxLevel/Tilling the Soil of Opportunity model, but have - since the initiation of this project - joined the Farm Beginning Collaborative and will be using this model going forward. This will substantially improve our ability to provide much-needed business and whole-farm planning training to the participants in our programs.
Impacts
100% of the Beginning Farmers participating in the MOFGA Journeyperson Program in 2012 are currently farming. 41 of 50 are independently operating their own farming businesses. 100% reported an increase in knowledge, skills, and stability after completing a year in the program. 100% plan to use a skill or item of knowledge gained through the program in their farming operations in the future. Primary mechanisms for increasing knowledge and skill included mentorship, peer-to-peer communication, communication with MOFGA staff, and attendance of workshops and gatherings. 6 beginning farmers achieved secure land tenure arrangements (of those who were not previously in a secure situation). 75% plan to expand or grow their farming operations and/or markets in the near future.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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