Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience: Two audiences represent the target audience for the program we are planning: Future Farmers: any individual who is not currently farming but is interested in farming. We plan to address the specific needs and goals of the following underrepresented populations of future/aspiring farmers: Veteran, Latinx, Immigrant, Refugee and BIPOC farmers Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: any individual who owns/operates a small farm, as defined by USDA, in the Mid-Willamette Valley and has been farming for 10 years or less. We plan to address the specific needs and goals of young farmers (ages 16-35) and beginning farmers. We are engaging with future and beginning farmers in multiple ways. Our engagement efforts include outreach at regional events, participation in topic-related workgroups, informal and formal surveys, and both in-person and virtual visits and consultations. Informal surveys of future and beginning farmers have been conducted at the following regional events: Oregon Food System Network Fall Convening, WSU's Peri Urban Farming Conference, OSU's Small Farms Conference, OSU's Sustainable Food Systems Forum, and a Small Farm Social which we hosted. The majority of attendees at these meetings are aspiring and beginning farmers. Informal surveys of future and beginning farmers have been conducted regularly at the Oregon Food System Network Beginning Farmer and Rancher working group which collaborates to coordinate existing services for Oregon's beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) at all stages of farmer development. New and beginning farmers as well as organizations serving beginning farmers meet regularly to discuss beginning farmer needs and identify resources and/or gaps that exist. Formal surveys have been distributed to the Young Farmer (ages 16-35) membership of the Oregon Farm Bureau, High School Agriculture teachers, 4-H Leaders, and current farm vendors at farmers markets in our tri-county region. Surveys will continue to be collected through the remainder of this planning grant. The concept, design, and advising of this project has included beginning farmers as well as members of equity populations this project seeks to serve. Four of the 10 member Steering Committee for the current planning grant are farmers and/or ranchers (3 beginning, 1 retired). The Steering Committee also includes two military veterans and 1 retired Latinx farmer. To date, the Steering Committee has reviewed the initial planning proposal, provided recommendations for target audience focus groups and needs assessment, and provided direction on program approach and curriculum. Three of the 5 member Curriculum Planning Committee are beginning farmers. To date, the curriculum committee has reviewed and inventoried existing farm training available to our target audience and provided recommendations on gaps that exist. Curriculum planning work will continue for the remainder of this planning grant. Beginning farmers in the Mid-Willamette Valley will be included in gathering curriculum planning feedback. Time has been spent working with regional programs and organizations currently serving a similar target audience outside of our service district. We have visited and consulted with: Headwaters Incubator Farm - a farm run by the East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District and is designed to assist in the development of new farmers. Their program involves leasing out sections of land to motivated, experienced individuals who use it as a launching pad for their own farming endeavors. Rogue Farm Corps (RFC) - a NPO providing hands-on farm training programs at a variety of commercial family farms in Oregon. Programs include opportunities for internships and apprenticeships depending on participant experience. RFC's newest program, Farm Launch, aims to assist beginning farmers in developing their business plan, gaining access to land and capital, and getting one-on-one business coaching. Oregon Food Bank (OFB) Ambassadors Program - a community garden program in Portland for immigrant and refugee farmers. The program focuses on growing culturally specific foods and coordinating food distribution to immigrant and refugee communities. Training opportunities related to growing food are offered. Outgrowing Hunger - a NPO building and operating community farms and gardens for refugees, immigrants, and people who care about affordable access to real food in Portland and Gresham. Outgrowing Hunger also works to connect beginning farmers facing financial, cultural, or social barriers with farm sites in their communities. Anahuac - a community centered program of Capaces Leadership Institute located in Woodburn Oregon. Anahuac's mission is to support indigenous peoples within their community to reclaim ancestral culture, traditions, knowledge and values and restore sacred relationships. Anahuac offers traditional education in agriculture, culinary and cultural arts, wellness and native languages. Adelante Mujeres - a NPO located in Forest Grove, Oregon. Adelante Mujeres offers regenerative agriculture classes and farm business workshops to aspiring and existing Latino immigrant farmers and gardeners. Mudbone Grown/Feed'em Freedom Foundation - a foundation igniting and centering Black Agriculturists to participate as owners and movement leaders within agriculture, land stewardship, regional food security response, and economic prosperity. Currently programs include training for future food system leaders and collaborative efforts to bring equity to food and agriculture systems. Raices Cooperative Farm - a cooperative farm growing fresh, organic food through shared resources. The farmers at Raices Cooperative farm are primarily members of the local Hood River Hispanic Community who want to improve nutrition, learn how to grow organic food and start small agricultural businesses of their own. Huerto de la Familia - a NPO focusing on increasing the health and economic security of Latinos in Lane County, Oregon by providing opportunities and training in organic agriculture and business creation. Huerto de la Familia runs an organic garden program which manages seven gardens across Lane County to provide Latino families with personal plots of land. They also assist Latino families as they launch or expand their business concept through the Cambois Business Program. Marion Polk Food Share (MPFS) Youth Farm and Community Gardens- an urban farm and collaborative educational site that cultivates a new generation of leaders by engaging young people in farming for the community. Food grown at the Youth Farm is distributed to food pantries, partnering health clinics, youth farmers and their families. MPFS also supports a network of more than 60 gardens in Marion and Polk counties, including gardens with plots that are available for rent. Growing Veteran Agripreneurs - an OSU Extension program located in Southern Oregon. GVA is designed for veterans interested in beginning farming. Veterans are exposed to all aspects of sustainable, small-scale farming and gain field experience by growing a variety of annuals, seed crops and cover crops. Dauntless Veteran Foundation - a NPO providing grant and scholarship opportunities to veterans interested in transitioning into agriculture. DVF mentors qualified veteran participants on small business compliance and regulatory issues around owning and managing a farm. Salem for Refugees - a NPO working to bring people and resources together to empower refugees to thrive. Salem for Refugees welcomes hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers to Marion County from all over the world. Food security, access, and the ability to potentially grow culturally appropriate foods is important to many of our new neighbors. Changes/Problems:A major change in approach from the original proposal is the location of available incubator farm space. In our original proposal we planned to utilize 9 acres of land on the Chemeketa Community College campus in Salem. After completing the site feasibility assessment, we learned the 9 acres was not feasible for this program. We addressed this change by seeking partner farm sites in our tri-county district. We have identified and secured 2 partner farm sites to provide incubator farm space to participants in our proposed program. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To date, results of the planning process have been disseminated to stakeholders and partners via committee meetings and workgroups. Pending funding, results will be disseminated widely via our marketing campaign to recruit participants to the program. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We are continuing to collect survey results, finalizing course descriptions, and continueing conversations with partener incuabator sites. We have put marketing and recruiting of participants on hold until implementation funding is secured.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The planning work that has been accomplished through this grant has provided direction on how we can best increase equitable agricultural opportunities and support diverse economic growth by providing farm and food systems training that considers future and current beginning farmers' individual needs. The impact of this planning work has helped identify the diverse needs of aspiring farmers as well as the most important topics and skills needed for future farmers to be successful in establishing sustainable farm businesses in the Mid-Willamette Valley. We have developed an informed plan to support future implementation of an incubator farm program that will support new and beginning farmersby assembling asteering committee of stakeholders, partners, and local farmers to participate in strategic planning.The steering committee reviewed the initial planning proposal, provided recommendations for target audience focus groups and needs assessment, and provided direction on program approach and curriculum. The result of developing an informed plan is so we are prepared to implement an umbrella future farmer training program that includes career exploration in agriculture with tracks in farming principles and practices, farm business development, farm business management, and food sovereignty. Participants can choose to take classes in one or multiple tracks and willbe eligible to submit a proposal and apply for land at one of the partner incubator sites. We have collaborated with community partners to discuss and design a program that will meet the needs of beginning farmers by conductinginformal surveys at 8 regional farmer events and workshops and formal surveys to specific groups to identify relevant needs and common barriers. We have consulted with 13 organizations and partners who are currently serving similar target audiences. We have identified 2 partner incubator farm sites and started conversations with potential farm mentors, farm visit sites and guest speakers. Identified guest speakers include experienced farmers (10+ years), beginning farmers (<10 years), financial services providers, natural resource specialists, food safety specialists, venture capitalists, and land access navigators. The result of this collaboration is that we have learned from community partners that aspiring farmers have diverse needs. We've intentionally designed a program where participants can choose from a menu of training options that meet their individual needs. Our plan includes working closely with existing college support services and regional support organizations to ensure that all participants have access to the opportunities provided by this program. We have designed the program to include career exploration and skills training alongside business development and planning.We have learned that a percentage of participants may start the program and decide to pursue jobs in agriculture as a way to gain additional training and/or support themselves. Not all participants will continue on the farm business development path. It is our goal to ensure that participants receive adequate skills training so that they may contribute to the agricultural labor shortage that has been identified by existing beginning farmers. We have designed a program so that beginning farmers aresupported to start and sustain farming operationsby providing the option to apply for land at one of our partner incubator farm sites. We havelearned that the most common reasons new farming operations arn't sustainable, or new farms were unable to transition off of an incubator farm, were due to lack of a business plan, lack of understanding of potential agricultural markets, and lack of financial literacy. We have designed our program to include comprehensive business development and management training that will include these three topics. Our planning work has informed us that the foundation of setting future farmers up for success is making sure that the reality of farming and starting and managing a farm business is clear. By designing a program that offers perspective in career exploration, farming principles and practices, business development and management, as well as food sovereignty participants can be exposed to many aspects of modern farming. By providing multiple pathways, our program allows participants to choose which path is best for them.?? ?? Identify and understand the needs of the target audience Major activities completed 4 surveys/focus groups Steering Committee Informal Surveys at regional farmer events and workshops Formal Surveys of HS Ag Teachers, FFA advisors, 4H advisors, and beginning farmers Interviews/consultations with 13 organizations serving a similar target audience Recruit participants for program Outreach to potential future farmers at regional farmer events and workshops Data collected Training needs Barriers Summary statistics and discussion of results (see final report)? Key outcomes and other accomplishment realized The need for farm equipment training and maintenance, farm business planning, and understanding agricultural markets is greatest among all groups surveyed. Beginning farmers who were surveyed all indicated that farm business planning, financial literacy and record keeping, and understanding agricultural markets are the most needed training. Money to invest in training opportunities and/or to start farming is the most reported barrier to all groups surveyed Informal surveys and consultations indicate that there is a greater interest and need for training related to understanding food systems and topics related to food justice and food sovereignty for certain populations Informal surveys and consultations indicate that the underrepresented populations identified in our target audience may have a greater need for topics related to food justice and food sovereignty. Evaluate CIF site conditions and conduct needs assessment Major activities completed Feasibility plan for site use Funding needs identified Data collected Feasibility assessment for original 9 acres identified for this project indicated that land could not be used for this project Summary statistics and discussion of results NA Key outcomes and other accomplishment realized Plan change to have incubator land available for program participants off campus. Two partner farms were identified as partner incubator sites for the proposed program and planning. Change in feasible incubator land space changed direction of planning and was taken into account when identifying funding needs. Establish partnerships and the role they will play in the CIF Major activities completed Steering committee assembled 13 regional and statewide partners consulted Data collected NA Summary statistics and discussion of results NA Key outcomes and other accomplishment realized Educational institutions play a role in providing training opportunities. Existing incubator farm and farm training programs play a role in training and serving as additional potential pathways for future farmers to achieve their individual goals NPO's serving target audience play a role as mentors to both program planning and to future participants Economic development organizations play a role as an important partners to support program participants in business development resources Partner incubator farm sites in 2 of our 3 county service district play a role in providing land for participants Develop CIF curriculum and operating procedures for the farm manager and participants Major activities completed Existing training opportunities inventoried New course descriptions developed Job description for coordinator/manager developed Data collected NA Summary statistics and discussion of results NA Key outcomes and other accomplishment realized Summarized proposed operations plan in BFRDP request for funding Marketing and recruiting efforts on hold until implementation funding is secured
Publications
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