Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Audience Emphasis: Organic producers Small farms Specialty crop producers Traditional commercial producers Women Total Participants: Started farming: Target - 0, Actual - 0 Helped prepare to start farming: Target - 0, Actual - 0 Improved farming success: Target - 200, Actual - 205 Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided opportunities for training to all 205 participants. Each of these farmers has received coaching or in-depth advising on farm business planning, financial management, land access, retirement planning, or business transferto a new generation. This training tookplace through one-on-one meetings between farmers and skilled farm business and land access advisors, and through ongoing communication between farmers and advisors as they work toward a goal of land purchase, transfer to a new generation, or business growth. Each farmer served under this project receive one-on-one assistance and met with an advisor between one and ten times, depending on their level of need. In addition to the 205 farmers served through one-on-one assistance, this project also provided 31 farmers with education through a workshop on transferring your farm to new farm owners. We believe in the power of direct service as the most effective approach for improving farm viability. Farming is a complicated business that requires operators to develop diverse skill sets. Each farm business is as unique as its land-base, resources, and operator's goals. We provide individualized assistance and meet farmers where they are at to accelerate their early stage growth into viable commercial enterprises, or to provide retiring farmers with transfer planning services and assistance identifying beginning farmers buyers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Promotional Materials Farm business planning rack card - Intervale Center beginning & retiring farmers VLT Farmland Access Program brochure farmers interested in purchasing conserved land Vermont Land Link flyer Advertises the Vermont Land Link platform, which connects land owners and land seekers. Vermont Land Link Brochure This brochure offers an in-depth introduction to Vermont Land Link, and the ways in which it connects land owners and land seekers. Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program brochure farmers & other eligible businesses What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Final Report - summary of completed steps This project has been highly successful, with the number of farmers assisted and the success rate for land access and affordable financing exceeding our projections. Notes on the steps we have completed are listed below and categorized by the five objectives described in our application. Objective 1: Project partners develop and implement highly coordinated, individualized land access technical assistance to Vermont's top-tier of new farm business managers and retiring farmers. Completed Steps: Established new communications system between three partner organizations Developed a shared client tracking systems and hosted regular partner organization meetings throughout the course of the project Evaluated partnership impact (through surveys sent to farmers electronically as well as a third party evaluation conducted by an external evaluation consultant, who interviewed 29 farmers, stakeholders, and partners) Established a draft Memorandum of Understanding. Project partners will continue to develop this draft to guide our work going forward. Objective 2: Wrap-around business and technical assistance is available and highly effective at helping new and beginning farmers to become viable farm operators. Completed Steps: Recruited and enrolled 133 out of a target of 150 beginning farmers. While this was lower than anticipated, overall we served more farmers than planned because of the higher than planned number of exiting farmers who we assisted in identifying successors and completing transfer plans. Provided tailored, one-on-one coaching and business planning services after completing an initial assessment process. Each farmer received from 5-50 hours of coaching and assistance from their advisor, depending on their level of need. Objective 3:Beginning farmers access farmland that is the right match for their skills and business models. Completed Steps: Of the 133 new and beginning farmers served through this project, we provided land access services to 86 (exceeding our goal of 70) to assist in their land search, assessment, and business model development based on specific farm parcels Matched beginning farmers with specific landowners/parcels that are appropriate to their farm type and scale, based on knowledge of individual farmers' needs as well as on-site assessments of farm properties Assisted 62 farmers in successfully securing land, significantly more than the 40 we had expected An additional 11 beginning farmers were in the process of finalizing a farm purchase or long-term lease at the close of this project Objective 4: Beginning farmers have access to financing, including new financing tools, to make accessing farmland and the subsequent fit-up or building upgrades possible. Completed Steps: Coached beginning farmers on readiness to purchase, types of capital available, how to work with a lender or alternative financing provider, and the impact of debt on business operations 47 beginning farmers successfully accessed affordable financing tools, including low-cost loans designed for beginning farmers, sale of conservation development rights to decrease he cost of a farm property, or financing through the Farmland Future Fund Completed inventory of alternative financing tools (attached in Educational Materials) Trialed extended affordable lease-to-own periods on specific conserved farms to determine the pros and cons for both the farmers and Vermont Land Trust, and to identify costs associated with holding the land during a lease period Developed the Farmland Futures Fund at the Vermont Land Trust, a $15 million low cost debt capital fund to help farmers access land that improves their economic and environmental sustainability Objective 5: Retiring farmers have the tools and assistance they need to seek and evaluate new farm owners so they can transition their farmland to farmers, rather than non-farmers. Completed Steps: Recruited and enrolled 72 retirement-age farmers, exceeding our goal of 60 Provided coaching and succession planning advising after completing an initial assessment process, with the goal of helping exiting farmers pass their farm on to a new generation Each exiting farmer received around 5-50 hours of coaching on finding a successor, transferring management and assets, mediation, and financial and retirement planning Provided services to assist in land listing and linking on the Vermont Land Link for retiring farmers to attract beginning farmer purchasers Worked with Land For Good to host a Transferring the Farm workshop, which was attended by 31 farmers
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Results: What Producers Learned, Achieved, Applied Result 1. Beginning farmers will receive in-depth, customized business advising to help start or grow their businesses. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Continuously throughout project, final number calculated at end of project. Estimated Number: 150, Actual Number: 133 How verified: Collecting applications and maintaining an up-to-date enrollment list. Result 2. Goal: 80% of beginning farmers served (106 out of 133) will increase their skills and confidence in business management. Actual result: 86% of respondents increased skills and/or confidence. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 106, Actual Number: 114 How verified: Farmer self-evaluation Result 3. Beginning farmers will receive coaching on land access. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Access to land When measured: Continuously throughout project, final number calculated at end of project. Estimated Number: 70, Actual Number: 82 How verified: Through tracking type of service provided to each enrolled business. Result 4. Goal: 80% of farmers (69 out of 82) receiving land access coaching increase their skills/confidence in accessing land. Actual result: 83% of respondents reported increasing skills and/or confidence. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Access to land When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 69, Actual Number: 72 How verified: Farmer self-evaluation Result 5. 40 beginning farmers will successfully acquire land to start or grow their businesses. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 40, Actual Number: 62 How verified: Through tracking results and status of land acquisition with each enrolled farmer. Result 6. 20 beginning farmers will successfully use affordable financing tools. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 20, Actual Number: 47 How verified: Through tracking which enrolled businesses successfully access capital. Result 7. Retiring farmers will have access to succession planning coaching that improves their ability to pass on their land. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Transferring the farm When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 60, Actual Number: 72 How verified: Through tracking type of service provided to each enrolled business. Result 8. Retiring farmers will successfully transfer their land to new ownership. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Transferring the farm When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 40, Actual Number: 40 How verified: By tracking status of each client in legal transfer of business assets.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience: Audience Emphasis Organic producers Small farms Specialty crop producers Traditional commercial producers Women Participants Served Record the total number of unique participants who participated in your program: Total Number of Participants: 175 Enter the actual cumulative number of participants who as a result of your program: Started farming: Target - 0, Actual - 0 Helped prepare to start farming: Target - 0, Actual - 0 Improved farming success: Target - 200, Actual - 175 Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided opportunities for training to all 175participants so far. Each of these farmers has received coaching or in-depth advising on farm business planning, financial management, land access, retirement planning, or business transfer to a new generation. This training takes place through one-on-one meetings between farmers and skilled farm business and land access advisors, and through ongoing communication between farmers and advisors as they work toward a goal of land purchase, transfer to a new generation, or business growth. Each farmer served under this project receive one-on-one assistance and met with an advisor between one and ten times, depending on their level of need. With funding from BFRDP over the course of the three year project, we will provide training to over 200 farmers, helping them gain the confidence and skills they need to succeed while matching them with suitable land or successors. We believe in the power of direct service as the most effective approach for improving farm viability. Farming is a complicated business that requires operators to develop diverse skill sets. Each farm business is as unique as its land-base, resources, and operator's goals. We provide individualized assistance and meet farmers where they are at to accelerate their early stage growth into viable commercial enterprises, or to provide retiring farmers with transfer planning services and assistance identifying buyers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Farm business planning rack card - Intervale Center- disseminated to beginning & retiring farmers? VLT Farmland Access Program brochure- disseminated to farmers interested in purchasing conserved land Vermont Land Link flyer- Advertises the Vermont Land Link platform, which connects land owners and land seekers. Vermont Land Link Brochure- This brochure offers an in-depth introduction to Vermont Land Link, and the ways in which it connects land owners and land seekers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? This project has been highly successful so far, with enrollment of farmers on track to meet our goals, our three-organization partnership functioning smoothly, and farmers receiving needed services around land access and financing. The steps we have completed, and those that are ongoing, are listed below and categorized by the five objectives described in our application. Objective 1: Project partners develop and implement highly coordinated, individualized land access technical assistance to Vermont's top-tier of new farm business managers and retiring farmers. Completed Objective 1 Steps: -Established new communications system between three partner organizations -Implemented business coaching and land access services detailed under the new partnership -Evaluate partnership impact - done for year 1&2, will focus on improved farmer evaluation response rate in year 3; project partners have also engaged an outside consultant to evaluate our work from a third-party perspective by surveying participants and stakeholders as well as conducting interviews of 20 farmers and partners working on farm business viability and land access Ongoing/Incomplete Objective 1 Steps: - Evaluate partnership impact -will be ongoing in Year 3 -Establish a Memorandum of Understanding (in progress) Objective 2: Wrap-around business and technical assistance is available and highly effective at helping new and beginning farmers to become viable farm operators. Completed Objective 2 Steps: - Recruited and enrolled 113 out of a target of 150 beginning farmers (this is the number of unique new farmers receiving either land access and/or business coaching) -Provide coaching and business planning services after completing an initial assessment process Ongoing/Incomplete Objective 1 Steps: - Recruit and enroll an additional 37 new and beginning farmers - Continue to provide coaching and business planning services after completing an initial assessment process Objective 3:Beginning farmers access farmland that is the right match for their skills and business models. Completed Objective 3 Steps: -Provided land access services to 82 (exceeding our goal of 70) new and beginning farmers in land search, assessment, and business model development based on specific farm parcels -Matched beginning farmers with specific landowners/parcels that are appropriate to their farm type and scale - Assisted 38 farmers in securing land Ongoing/IncompleteObjective 3 Steps: -Provide land access services to additional new and beginning farmers in land search, assessment, and business model development based on specific farm parcels - Help a minimum of 2 additional beginning farmers with securing specific landowners/parcels that are appropriate to their farm type and scale Objective 4: Beginning farmers have access to financing, including new financing tools, to make accessing farmland and the subsequent fit-up or building upgrades possible. Completed Objective 4 Steps: -Coached beginning farmers on readiness to purchase, types of capital available and the impact of debt on business operations. - 19 beginning farmers accessed affordable financing -Completed inventory of alternative financing tools (attached in Educational Materials) - Trialed extended affordable lease-to-own periods on specific conserved farms to determine the pros and cons for both the farmers and Vermont Land Trust, and to identify costs associated with holding the land during a lease period - Developed a financial projection for the amount of capital that will be necessary to facilitate farmland transfers on VLT-conserved farmland in the next 10-15 years; VLT has committed to raising an additional $15 million for their land access revolving capital to facilitate transfer of conserved farms to new owners Ongoing/IncompleteObjective 4 Steps: - Continue to dedicate a portion of VLT's land access revolving capital to support new and beginning farmers participating in this project - Assist at least 1more farmerto access affordable financing in order to meet our goal of a minimum of 20 - Complete an on-farm equipment and farm improvements financing model for leaseholders. Objective 5: Retiring farmers have the tools and assistance they need to seek and evaluate new farm owners so they can transition their farmland to farmers, rather than non-farmers. Completed Objective 5 Steps: - Recruited and enrolled 62 retirement-age farmers, exceeding our goal of 60 - Provided coaching and succession planning advising after completing an initial assessment process - Provided services to assist in land listing and linking for retiring farmers to attract beginning farmer purchasers Ongoing/IncompleteObjective 5 Steps: - Evaluate the success of coaching and succession planning with retiring farmers - Continue to provide coaching and succession planning services after completing an initial assessment process - Continue to provide services to assist in land listing and linking for retiring farmers to attract beginning farmer purchasers
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Result 1. Beginning farmers will receive in-depth, customized business advising to help start or grow their businesses. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Continuously throughout project, final number calculated at end of project. Estimated Number: 150, Actual Number: 113 How verified: Collecting applications and maintaining an up-to-date enrollment list. Result 2. Of the 150 beginning farmers receiving business advising, 80%(120) will increase their skills and confidence in business management. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 120, Actual Number: 40 How verified: Through farmer self-evaluation to be completed at the end of their enrollment. Result 3. Beginning farmers will receive coaching on land access. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Access to land When measured: Continuously throughout project, final number calculated at end of project. Estimated Number: 70, Actual Number: 82 How verified: Through tracking type of service provided to each enrolled business. Result 4. Of the 70 farmers receiving land access coaching and planning, 80% (56) will increase skill and confidence in their ability to secure land. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 56, Actual Number: 25 How verified: Through farmer self-evaluation to be completed at the end of their enrollment. Result 5. Of the 70 beginning farmers receiving land access coaching, 40 will successfully acquire land to start or grow their businesses. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 40, Actual Number: 38 How verified: Through tracking type of service providing to each enrolled business Result 6. Of the 40 beginning farmers accessing land, 50% (20) will take advantage of affordable financing tools. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 20, Actual Number: 19 How verified: Through tracking which enrolled businesses successfully access capital. Result 7. Retiring farmers will have access to succession planning coaching that improves their ability to pass on their land. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Transferring the farm When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 60, Actual Number: 62 How verified: Through tracking type of service provided to each enrolled business. Result 8. Of the 60 retiring farmers receiving services, 80% (48) report being better prepared to transfer their farm. Producer action: Decide, Topic: Transferring the farm When measured: Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project Estimated Number: 48, Actual Number: 12 How verified: Through farmer self-evaluation to be completed at the end of their enrollment.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience: Audience Emphasis Organic producers Small farms Specialty crop producers Traditional commercial producers Women Participants Served Record the total number of unique participants who participated in your program: 114 Enter the actual cumulative number of participants who as a result of your program: Target Actual Started farming 0 0 Helped prepare to start farming 0 0 Improved farming success 200 114 Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided opportunities for training to all 114 participants so far. Each of these farmers has received coaching or in-depth advising on farm business planning, financial management, land access, retirement planning, or business transfer to a new generation. This training takes place through one-on-one meetings between farmers and skilled farm business and land access advisors, and through ongoing communication between farmers and advisors as they work toward a goal of land purchase, transfer to a new generation, or business growth. With funding from BFRDP over the course of the three year project, we will provide training to over 200 farmers, helping them gain the confidence and skills they need to succeed while matching them with suitable land or successors. We believe in the power of direct service as the most effective approach for improving farm viability. Farming is a complicated business that requires operators to develop diverse skill sets. Each farm business is as unique as its land-base, resources, and operator's goals. We provide individualized assistance and meet farmers where they are at to accelerate their early stage growth into viable commercial enterprises, or to provide retiring farmers with transfer planning services and assistance identifying buyers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Promotional Materials Farm business planning rack card - Intervale Center beginning & retiring farmers VLT Farmland Access Program brochure farmers interested in purchasing conserved land What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next time period our project will be working on the following steps to accomplish the goals set out in our project: Objective 1: Project partners develop and implement highly coordinated, individualized land access technical assistance to Vermont's top-tier of new farm business managers and retiring farmers. Ongoing/Incomplete Objective 1 Steps: - Evaluate partnership impact -will be ongoing in Years 2&3 -Establish a Memorandum of Understanding (in progress) Objective 2: Wrap-around business and technical assistance is available and highly effective at helping new and beginning farmers to become viable farm operators. Ongoing/Incomplete Objective 1 Steps: - Recruit and enroll an additional 84 new and beginning farmers -Provide coaching and business planning services after completing an initial assessment process Objective 3:Beginning farmers access farmland that is the right match for their skills and business models. Ongoing/IncompleteObjective 3 Steps: -Provide land access services to at least 23 additional new and beginning farmers in land search, assessment, and business model development based on specific farm parcels. -Match beginning farmers with specific landowners/parcels that are appropriate to their farm type and scale. Objective 4: Beginning farmers have access to financing, including new financing tools, to make accessing farmland and the subsequent fit-up or building upgrades possible. Ongoing/IncompleteObjective 4 Steps: - Dedicate a portion of VLT's land access revolving capital to support new and beginning farmers participating in this project. - Assist at least 5 more farmers to access affordable financing in order to meet our goal of a minimum of 20 -Develop and implement a lease to own farmland transfer model -Complete an on-farm equipment and farm improvements financing model for leaseholders Objective 5: Retiring farmers have the tools and assistance they need to seek and evaluate new farm owners so they can transition their farmland to farmers, rather than non-farmers. Ongoing/IncompleteObjective 5 Steps: - Recruit and enroll at least 12 additional retirement-age farmers to reach our goal of 60 - Evaluate the success of coaching and succession planning with retiring farmers - Provide coaching and succession planning services after completing an initial assessment process - Provide services to assist in land listing and linking for retiring farmers to attract beginning farmer purchasers
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Result Topic Producer action When measured Est # Act # How verified? 1. Beginning farmers will receive in-depth, customized business advising to help start or grow their businesses. Business and strategic planning Understand Continuously throughout project, final number calculated at end of project. 150 55 Collecting applications and maintaining an up-to-date enrollment list. 2. Of the 150 beginning farmers receiving business advising, 80%(120) will increase their skills and confidence in business management. Business and strategic planning Implement Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project 120 20 Through farmer self-evaluation to be completed at the end of their enrollment. 3. Beginning farmers will receive coaching on land access. Access to land Understand Continuously throughout project, final number calculated at end of project. 70 47 Through tracking type of service provided to each enrolled business. 4. Of the 70 farmers receiving land access coaching and planning, 80% (56) will increase skill and confidence in their ability to secure land. Access to land Implement Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project 56 14 Through farmer self-evaluation to be completed at the end of their enrollment. 5. Of the 70 beginning farmers receiving land access coaching, 40 will successfully acquire land to start or grow their businesses. Access to land Implement Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project 40 16 Through tracking type of service providing to each enrolled business 6. Of the 40 beginning farmers accessing land, 50% (20) will take advantage of affordable financing tools. Access to land Implement Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project 20 15 Through tracking which enrolled businesses successfully access capital. 7. Retiring farmers will have access to succession planning coaching that improves their ability to pass on their land. Transferring the farm Understand Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project 60 48 Through tracking type of service provided to each enrolled business. 8. Of the 60 retiring farmers receiving services, 80% (48) will report being better prepared to transfer their farm. Transferring the farm Decide Ongoing throughout project, total number will be reported at end of project 48 0 Through farmer self-evaluation to be completed at the end of their enrollment.
Publications
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