LAUNCHING BEGINNING FARMERS: LONG-TERM PRESERVED FARM LEASES AND FARM SUCCESS TRAINING

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: OTHER GRANTS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1027726
• Grant No.: 2021-49400-35613
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $307,732.00
• Proposal No.: 2021-06721
• Project Start Date: Sep 1, 2021
• Project End Date: Aug 31, 2024
• Grant Year: 2021
• Program Code: [BFRDA]- Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, Standard

Recipient Organization
FOODSHED ALLIANCE A NJ NONPROFIT CORPORATION
326 HIGH ST 1 FL
HOPE,NJ 07844

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
One of the most pervasive and persistent challenge beginning farmers in NJ face is finding, affording and negotiating appropriate farmland to lease or to own. New Jersey has the most expensive farmland in the U.S. at $12,900 an acre, according to the USDA. Yet, there are more than 2,611 easements in New Jersey preserving 233,526 acres of farm land, according to the NJ State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC), which administers the New Jersey Farmland Preservation Program. This equates to the preservation of about 31.8% of available agricultural lands (the highest percentage of any state in the nation.)Easement-based farmland preservation programs seek to help make farmland more affordable to farmers by removing the development value from the land; however, even deed-restricted farmland may be expensive for farmers in markets where there is competition from non-farmers interested in the land for lifestyle reasons.Farmers unable to purchase land often turn to leasing. Short-term leasing (usually 1 year) is the norm in New Jersey on deed-restricted farmland, which works extremely well for commodity crops. Short-term leases are problematic for farmers who want to grow healthy food to feed their communities, since it inhibits investment in infrastructure and long-term improvement in soil health (critical especially for beginning farmers/ranchers using sustainable/organic/regenerative methods to produce food).The long-term goal this project, "Launching Beginning Farmers: Long-Term Preserved Farm Leases and Farm Success Training" is to significantly increase beginning farmers/ranchers' access to long-term lease agreements on preserved farmland. The project proposed here greatly expands an innovative land-access pilot program and provides extensive training and technical assistance for beginning farmers and ranchers in both urban and rural New Jersey communities to succeed in their farm businesses.Late in 2018, the Foodshed Alliance launched the Sustainable Agriculture Enterprise (SAgE) pilot program to give beginning farmers and ranchers access to affordable, long-term (10-year) leases on preserved farmland. The program now features two sites and 10 new farm enterprises.The project's strategies include: 1) preserved farmland parcels owned by land trusts, municipalities, counties, etc. that are suitable for beginning farmer/rancher operations are identified; 2) easement-holding entities lease (minimum of 10 years) or transfer preserved parcels to the nonprofit Foodshed Alliance for a nominal fee; 3) beginning farmers/ranchers who wish to raise food sustainably are identified; 4) the Foodshed Alliance leases preserved parcels to the beginning farmers/ranchers at affordable rates; 5) the Foodshed Alliance provides stewardship services for the leased preserved parcels; 6) the Foodshed Alliance connects farmers to resources they need to succeed and provides technical assistance and training.Criteria to become a SAgE farmer is to have 2+ years commercial farm management experience and/or 3+ years commercial farming experience, and provide a detailed Farm Management Plan, business/marketing plan, and a financial plan. They must be dedicated to regenerative agriculture through the use of sustainable, organic and/or biodynamic methods (organic certification is not required as long as National Organic Program-NOP guidelines are used). We are recruiting farmers in the following categories, as appropriate to the land available: diversified vegetable, fruit, flowers, herbs, poultry (meat and/or eggs), swine, goat, orchards, and woodland products.Because diversity and equity are values of our organization and this program, we work with our urban agriculture partners to do special outreach to beginning farmers/ranchers from BIPOC and socially disadvantaged communities to make sure they are informed of the program's opportunities.Besides providing affordable access to land in a 10-year lease, we provide guidance and support to help these beginning farmers be successful by connecting them to resources. Through this grant, this guidance will be expanded to on-going training for beginning farmers/ranchers who have launched their farm enterprise. Surveying our existing farmers, we identified topics they would be interested in, including but not limited to: Financial Management (Quickbooks training, access to funding--grants, loans, etc.; info on taxes, workers' comp, business filings, insurance, etc.); Business Management (hiring best practices, H-2A visa program, managing employees, apprentice/intern programs, risk management, cooperative purchasing opportunities); Safety (FSMA compliance, safety tips on the farm); Marketing (effective digital marketing, eCommerce strategies); Direct-to-Consumer Sales (farmers' markets, farm stand, CSAs); Farm-to-Institution Sales (food hubs, restaurants, wholesale); Surplus Food Management (value-added products, working with gleaning organizations); On Farm Skills (no-till farming, organic pest management, organic disease management, using Cornell Climate Smart Farming Tool Kit i.e. Growing Degree Days, etc., equipment maintenance and repair).On April 22, 2021, the NJ State Board of Agriculture approved the transfer of ownership of the Sussex SAgE site to the Foodshed Alliance. NJ Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher said the SAge program was "trail blazing and extraordinary and will set the pace for how we can help farmers in the future."

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
131	6030	3020	100%

Knowledge Area
131 - Alternative Uses of Land;

Subject Of Investigation
6030 - The farm as an enterprise;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Keywords

beginning farmer

land access

lease

preserved farmland

training

Goals / Objectives
The long-term goal of "Launching Beginning Farmers: Long-Term Preserved Farm Leases and Farm Success Training" is to create a steady flow of new organic farm enterprises growing on preserved farmland. It will also lead to an increase in 1) the numbers of acres of preserved farm land under organic and sustainable food production and 2) the amount of organically produced, local food available in our region. Beginning farmers/ranchers will receive structured training and technical assistance they need to achieve success. This model will be easily adapted and shared with other regions that experience similar pressures on land access.Objective 1. Identify preserved farmland parcels owned by land trusts, municipalities, counties, etc. that are suitable for beginning farmer/rancher operations and arrange to have those parcels leased/transferred for a minimum of 10 years to the Foodshed Alliance. Outcomes: The Foodshed Alliance will reach out to its network of partners which includes the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC), The Nature Conservancy, The New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the New Jersey Land Trust Network (association of 60 land trusts), in addition to counties and municipalities to identify preserved land suitable for sustainable/organic agriculture. We will then arrange for the land to be leased (at least 10 years) or transferred to the Foodshed Alliance for the SAgE program. By the end of the grant period, we will have at least four new SAgE sites. Depending on the size of each site, there may be 5 to 15 farm plots available on each. SAgE farm plots range between 2 and 15 acres in size. These farm plots will be available to lease to beginning farmers/ranchers.Objective 2. Recruit beginning farmers/ranchers who wish to raise food sustainably into the SAgE land access program. Outcomes: Through extensive ongoing outreach through our network of farmers, urban and rural agriculture organizations, county Boards of Agriculture, we will spread the word about the exceptional opportunity that SAgE offers beginning farmers/ranchers. In particular, we will promote the SAgE land access program to BIPOC farmers and/or those from socially disadvantaged communities. Working with our urban agriculture partners, we will engage directly with potential farmers in these communities to 1) inform our work in leasing preserved properties that will fit their needs for commutability, transportation, housing, physical safety, etc., and 2) getting the word out in socially disadvantaged communities about land access opportunities.Objective 3. Successfully onboard new leased farms onto their plots.Outcomes: As new leases are signed, the Foodshed Alliance oversees the onboarding process, facilitating the farmer's access to the land, water, electricity, common areas, etc.Objective 4. Deliver technical assistance and training to SAgE farmers to expand their knowledge in running their new farm enterprise and achieve success.Outcomes: On an ongoing basis, the Foodshed Alliance team connects farmers with resources to help them be successful. In addition, we will facilitate informal networking gatherings with beginning farmers and farming veterans where information can be exchanged. We will also implement a series of trainings on financial management, business management, safety, marketing, direct-to-consumer sales, farm-to-institution sales, surplus food management, and on-farm skills. Additional topics can be added based on needs expressed by the farmers.Objective 5. Document the program so it can be replicated by other organizations in New Jersey and in other states where farm land access is challenging.Outcomes: Since the SAgE pilot was launched in November of 2018, we have proof of concept in that, as we begin the third growing season, we have two SAgE sites with eight beginning farm enterprises. We intend to replicate this model throughout the state, and we would encourage other organizations in New Jersey and other states to also use the model to give beginning farmers/ranchers opportunities on preserved farmland. We will publish a comprehensive white paper which will document our work on this project with templates of the application, the lease/transfer documents with the easement-holding entity, and the farmer lease. We will also include recruitment strategies, budgets, and case studies.

Project Methods
Farmer recruitment: We will reach out to our network of ag stakeholders, beginning with the NJ chapter of the National Young Farmers Coalition currently being organized by our partner, City Green, a nonprofit urban farming and gardening organization, based in Clifton, NJ. Other stakeholders in our network are New Jersey Farm Bureau, Northeast Organic Farm Association of New Jersey, New Jersey Agricultural Society, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension, New Jersey Department of Agriculture; New Jersey State Agriculture Development Committee, Rutgers University as well as other NJ colleges and universities with agricultural studies. We will also do outreach to institutions in neighboring states: Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, National Young Farmers Coalition, Cornell University and Pennsylvania State University. We will reach out at least twice a year to these organizations with messaging on SAgE that they can share in their communities and networks.We will do special outreach to emerging farmers from BIPOC communities, working closely with our partner, Urban Agriculture Cooperative (UAC), an urban ag nonprofit based in Newark, NJ. They will assist us in spreading awareness of the SAgE opportunity to their urban-farmer constituency. Critically, UAC will us learn the needs of BIPOC beginning farmers which is vital as we search out new SAgE locations. They will also help us get the word out through social media, email marketing, and zoom meetings.Site acquisition: The two current SAgE sites are nearly all fully leased so it is the current priority to identify and acquire access to additional preserved land. This will be an ongoing activity during the grant period to assure we have an adequate inventory of land to lease. Besides the land trusts in NJ, counties and municipalities also preserve land and will be contacted over the course of the grant. Once appropriate land is identified, we will work with our attorney, to execute leases/transfers.Farm application approvals: Once farm applications are received, they are reviewed and, if complete, the project manager schedules an interview with the farmer to confirm qualifications and discuss the farmer's farm management, marketing and business plans. If the application passes this stage, it is submitted to the SAgE farm committee to review the application, and vote on whether or not to accept. Once accepted, a lease is offered and an invoice for the first year's lease payment is issued.Site management: The project manager is responsible for physically managing the SAgE sites, making sure everything is working order for the farmers, i.e. electricity, water, common roadways and parking areas, signage, etc. This is an ongoing responsibility and he often calls in volunteers to assist in tasks such as removing brush from common areas, etc. We contract for services like road frontage mowing, and for repairs as necessary.Annual farm management reviews: As per the program's guidelines, the project manager conducts a review of each farm's farm management practices to ensure they are complying with the requirements of the SAgE program. If issues are identified, the farmer is given the opportunity to correct them. While our leases are for 10 years with our farmers, they must be in compliance with SAgE program requirements (such as following the National Organic Program - NOP guideline). If they consistently are not in compliance, they can be asked to leave the program.Farmer management: The project manager is in constant contact with SAgE farmers especially during each individual's onboarding process and the growing season in general.Farmer training and technical assistance. We will survey our farmers to identify training priorities. Training areas will include Financial Management (Quickbooks training, access to funding--grants, loans, etc.; info on taxes, workers' comp, business filings, insurance, etc.); Business Management (hiring best practices, H-2A visa program, managing employees, apprentice/intern programs, risk management, cooperative purchasing opportunities); Safety (FSMA compliance, safety tips on the farm); Marketing (effective digital marketing, eCommerce strategies); Direct-to-Consumer Sales (farmers' markets, farm stand, CSAs); Farm-to-Institution Sales (food hubs, restaurants, wholesale); Surplus Food Management (value-added products, working with gleaning organizations); On Farm Skills (no-till farming, organic pest management, organic disease management, using Cornell Climate Smart Farming Tool Kit i.e. Growing Degree Days, etc., equipment maintenance and repair).Using survey feedback, we will then seek out existing curricula (FarmAnswers.org, SARE, land-grant universities, etc.) on those topics, and create a schedule of webinars and in-person trainings. If there is no appropriate curriculum available on a topic that farmers want, we will contract with an experienced trainer in that field to create one. We will identify and hire trainers for each these sessions through our ag-professional network which includes Northeast Organic Farm Association of New Jersey, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, New Jersey Agricultural Society, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension, New Jersey Department of Agriculture; New Jersey State Agriculture Development Committee, Rutgers University, Cornell University and Pennsylvania State University.There will be at least eight of these trainings each year of the grant, and they will be open to all beginning farmers/ranchers in NJ, not just those in the SAgE program.In addition to these formal trainings, we will organize informal opportunities for beginning farmers/ranchers to meet and network with each other as well as with established, experienced farmers/ranchers to build relationships, informal mentorships, and enable a sharing of information. In the off-season, we will organize a minimum of four "Green Drinks" networking gatherings at local restaurants. During the growing season, we will hold four on-farm field days at local farms for "on the ground" sharing.

Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:• African American • Asian or Pacific Islander • Hispanic or Latino • Immigrant producers • Limited resource producers • Military veterans • Native American • Organic producers • Small farms • Specialty crop producers • Urban producers • Women Changes/Problems:These were "lessons learned" during this grant project. Finding land: The hardest part of this project is finding land to sublease to beginning farmers/ranchers. The process of building relationships with land trusts and other deed-restricted property holders, identifying appropriate land, creating a lease agreement between the land trust and Foodshed Alliance, and installing/upgrading/funding infrastructure takes several months. The acquisition of new SAgE sites has to be balanced with farmer recruitment. We want beginning farmers/ranchers to be aware of the SAgE opportunity and apply if it is appropriate for them, but we need to have land for them to lease. We are finding that every land trust has different requirements for their leases with us, and each one takes time to finalize. Infrastructure: Getting funding to install infrastructure for farming on our SAgE sites has been a challenge. We have learned it is important to have all infrastructure installed before the farmers move on to the land to insure a successful kick-off to their farm business. Funding from private sources can prove to be most expedient, although it is difficult to find. Grant funding is extremely time-consuming due to grant cycles, contracts, and procurement procedures. These challenges have to be considered when planning expansion of the program. Vetting applicants: We would better vet applicants to make sure they are ready to start a farm business. We require farmers to provide a farm management plan, budget, business and marketing plan, etc. in the application process. These documents need to be closely reviewed and discussed in depth with the farmer when they are being considered for the program to make sure they are ready to start a farm business. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the third year of the grant, we held five trainings for beginning farmers, a field day, and two networking events reaching a total of 297 people. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We publicize our SAgE land access work on our website, https://foodshedalliance.org/programs/sage/, and social media. We recruit farmers into the program and to our educational opportunities email newsletters, social media, and networking with colleague organizations and farmers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Result 1. Between 20 and 60 beginning farmers/ranchers will have 10-year leases in place by the end of the grant period. Estimated Number: 20, Actual Number: 13 How verified: Signed lease agreements, farm management plans Result 2. A minimum of 90% of beginning farmers/ranchers with 10-year leases in the program will have begun farm operations on preserved farmland. Estimated Number: 18, Actual Number: 13 Result 3. All beginning farmers/ranchers in the SAgE program plus an additional 20 beginning farmers/ranchers will have taken at least 80% of the trainings provided through this program Estimated Number: 30, Actual Number: 40 Result 4. 80% of the farmers who participate in trainings will report on at least one way they acted on their learning Estimated Number: 24, Actual Number: 40 Result 5. A White Paper documenting the project so it can be replicated will be published by the end of the grant period Estimated Number: 90, Actual Number: 110 Year 3: October 2023 to September 2024 --Recruited 2 farmers for SAgE program, one BIPOC and one woman-owned. --Met with 3 land-owners to identify and secure other potential sites for the SAgE program. --Managed maintenance of infrastructure on two SAgE sites (wells, roads, etc.). --Planned upgrade of infrastructure on two SAgE sites. --Stewarded farm plots, as per lease agreements and farm management plans. --Ongoing communication with SAgE farmers regarding collaboration and needs for assistance. --Scheduled and held 5 trainings. --Scheduled and held 3 networking events (2 Green Drinks, 1 on-farm field days. --Completed white paper and finalized for publication New sites: In pursuit of our objective to add a new property to the SAgE program, we held negotiations for a potential 20-year lease on a 40-acre property in Mansfield, NJ. Unfortunately, the owner's family could not come to an agreement and the negotiations halted. Additionally, we explored another site--a seven-acre parcel in Port Murray, equipped with power and well water, owned by the NJ Audubon Society, who proposed this opportunity to us. We met with NJ Audubon several times for a tour of Sergeantsville farm, then a tour of their available farmland. Resources like sample lease, sublease, good neighbor policy were shared. We also continued discussions with NJ Conservation Foundation regarding identifying another site for SAgE. Leases: We signed two new leases during this grant period. Solstice Farm signed a lease for 3.4 acres in Sergeantsville to grow elderberries and specialty veggies and herbs. The Sergeantsville site is now filled. Blue Heron Farm & Native Nursery leased 6 acres in Andover to produce vegetables for hunger relief programs and a native plant nursery for sale and donation to schools, filling the last open plot in Andover. This summer, two of our farms in Andover were put on notice for lease violations. One had no activity in 2024 on the farm due to personal family issues. This was discussed with the farmer and they agreed to develop a production timeline for 2025. The other farmer was not utilizing two of his acres, and had no plans to do so. As a result, we removed the two acres from their lease agreement so we could put it into cover crops, and either use it as a demonstration site, or lease to another farmer. In addition, this farmer was not following the farm management plan and was put on notice that their lease would be terminated if corrective action was not taken. The situation was not yet resolved by the end of the grant period. Two farms in Andover had people staying overnight on the property in trailers, in violation of the lease and other restrictions. Both expressed interest in requesting permission from the State Agricultural Development Committee (SADC) which oversees preserved farmland in NJ. This was not resolved by the end of the grant period. At our Stewartsville location in Warren County, the farmer's irrigation system failed early in the season. Unfortunately, most of her crops failed. At the same time, her florist shop business boomed and her efforts became more focused there rather than at the farm. In light of this, Foodshed Alliance and the farmer agreed to not renew the lease. Our lease with the County of Warren on this site is up for renewal pending us finding a new farm business applicant for this location. Sergeantsville Deer fencing was installed around the perimeter of the growing areas. We installed a woodchip road and gravel drive/parking area. A shed was delivered and is being utilized by farmers as shared space. A native plant rain garden was planted at the site's entrance. We have funding for irrigation, wash-and-pack and market shed and have been finalizing those plans and getting bids. All three farmers at this site are applying for NRCS Conservation Plans. We have been making a concerted effort to gain and maintain support of neighbors and community, with the staff meeting with neighbors regularly to keep them informed. Andover: We have other funding to create a wash-and-pack and market stand at the Andover property. We are finalizing plans and working through the approvals necessary to begin construction in 2025. General info We continued monthly communication with farmers through email for program updates, events, and opportunities. The SAgE Committee, which is advisory and consists of FA SAgE staff, board members, and farmers, meets roughly twice per quarter and guides the management of program. The SAgE Committee worked to develop Standard Operating Procedures including policies around land acquisition, the application process, farmer on-boarding (including developing a "new farmer tool kit"), shared equipment policy, compliance and enforcement policy. We held many Volunteer Days to assist in planting and maintenance of common areas, and projects that assisted farmers. Of note is our participation in Montclair State University's PSE&G Institute for Sustainability Studies Green Teams internship program. We had a dedicated team of students work on a precision agriculture tool that reads soil temperature, moisture, and air humidity to then send real time updates and alerts for drought conditions. Staff worked on a series of seven videos explaining the SAgE program. These videos are used in recruiting of land and farmer applicants, as well as a general overview of the program.

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: This white paper documents the development of the replicable farmland access program, Sustainable Agriculture Enterprise (SAgE) program in NJ. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X-MPJq2ob9E9qdq_iC0s2t84CjwVzbsb/view?usp=sharing

Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience: African American Asian or Pacific Islander Hispanic or Latino Immigrant producers Limited resource producers Military veterans Native American Organic producers Small farms Specialty crop producers Urban producers Women Changes/Problems:Balancing land acquisition with recruiting farmers is a time-consuming dance. We can't lease land to farmers that we we don't have access to. Getting access to land is proving to be a very long process, and once we get access to land, putting in the necessary infrastructure for farming is also time consuming (both in lining up necessary funding as well as the actual installation). We are learning a lot along the way, specifically what questions to ask, how to vet land owners and evaluate the land. We are working to standardize this process so we can pass along what we learn to those who wish to replicate this land-access model. Getting funding to install infrastructure for farming on our SAgE sites has been a challenge. We have learned it is important to have all infrastructure installed before the farmers move on to the land to insure a successful kick-off to their farm business. Funding from private sources can prove to be most expedient, although it is difficult to find. Grant funding is extremely time-consuming due to grant cycles, contracts, and procurement procedures. These challenges have to be considered when planning expansion of the program. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Total Meetings: 7 Total Meeting Participants: 199 Total Webinars: 1 Total Webinar Participants: 170 Total Website Visits: 0 Total Online Course Participants: 540 Meetings 3/15/2021: Hackettstown, NJ -- Number of Attendees 18 5/19/2022: Hampton, NJ -- Number of Attendees 8 8/20/2022: Andover, NJ -- Number of Attendees 26 10/6/2022: Newton, NJ -- Number of Attendees 40 12/12/2022: Hackettstown, NJ -- Number of Attendees 22 4/4/2023: Hackettstown, NJ -- Number of Attendees 35 8/7/2023: Andover, NJ -- Number of Attendees 50 Webinars 3/18/2022: Number of Attendees 170 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We publicize our SAgE land access work on our website,https://foodshedalliance.org/programs/sage/, and social media. We recruit farmers into the program and to our educational opportunitiesemail newsletters, social media, and networking with colleague organizations and farmers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to seek new land and recruit potential farmers. We are seeking new sources of funding for infrastructure and organizing educational opportunities for farmers. In addition, we are working to strengthen the mechanics of the program, from recruitment, selection, management, etc. by creating a Standard Operating Procedures manual.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Result 1. Between 20 and 60 beginning farmers/ranchers will have 10-year leases in place by the end of the grant period. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 20, Actual Number: 11 How verified: Signed lease agreements, farm management plans Result 2. A minimum of 90% of beginning farmers/ranchers with 10-year leases in the program will have begun farm operations on preserved farmland. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Organic production When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 18, Actual Number: 11 How verified: Signed affidavits from beginning farmers/ranchers attesting to beginning farm operations. Completed surveys from beginning farmers/ranchers documenting strengths, weaknesses, challenges and threats to their ongoing farm operation Result 3. All beginning farmers/ranchers in the SAgE program plus an additional 20 beginning farmers/ranchers will have taken at least 80% of the trainings provided through this program Producer action: Understand, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 30, Actual Number: 11 How verified: Curricula, sign-in sheets, evaluation surveys Result 4. 80% of the farmers who participate in trainings will report on at least one way they acted on their learning Producer action: Implement, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 24, Actual Number: 11 How verified: Post-training survey of intended actions to be taken as a result of training, with follow-up survey after 6 months to verify actions taken Result 5. A White Paper documenting the project so it can be replicated will be published by the end of the grant period Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 90, Actual Number: 0 How verified: Copy of White Paper and list of distribution channels

Publications

Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience: African American Asian or Pacific Islander Hispanic or Latino Immigrant producers Limited resource producers Military veterans Native American Organic producers Small farms Specialty crop producers Urban producers Women Total Number of Participants: 236 Started Farming: Target - 20, Actual - 0 Helped prepare to start farming: Target - 20, Actual - 0 Improved farming success: Target - 90, Actual - 60 Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Delivery Total Meetings: 3 Total Meeting Participants: 52 Total Webinars: 1 Total Webinar Participants: 170 Total Website Visits: 0 Total Online Course Participants: 0 Meetings 3/15/2021: Hackettstown, NJ -- Number of Attendees 18 5/19/2022: Hampton, NJ -- Number of Attendees 8 8/20/2022: Andover, NJ -- Number of Attendees 26 Webinars 3/18/2022: Number of Attendees 170 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?SAgE Program Farmers Recruitment tool Field Day Promotion Recruitment Tool Right to Farm Webinar promo Training Networking Event Promo Communication promoting events What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?--Meet with land trusts, etc., to identify and secure other potential sites (preserved farmland) for the SAgE program. --Recruit farmers for SAgE program, especially farmers from BIPOC communities. --Manag infrastructure on SAgE sites (wells, roads, etc.). --Steward farm plots, as per lease agreements and farm management plans. --Ongoing communication with SAgE farmers regarding collaboration and needs for assistance. --Survey farmers on training priorities, researched curricula, hired trainers. --Schedule and hold training sessions. --Schedule and hold networking events and on-farm field days. --Document recruitment, management and other pertinent details for white paper.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Results: What Producers Learned, Achieved, Applied Result 1. Between 20 and 60 beginning farmers/ranchers will have 10-year leases in place by the end of the grant period. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 20, Actual Number: 9 How verified: Signed lease agreements, farm management plans Result 2. A minimum of 90% of beginning farmers/ranchers with 10-year leases in the program will have begun farm operations on preserved farmland. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Organic production When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 18, Actual Number: 9 How verified: Signed affidavits from beginning farmers/ranchers attesting to beginning farm operations. Completed surveys from beginning farmers/ranchers documenting strengths, weaknesses, challenges and threats to their ongoing farm operation Result 3. All beginning farmers/ranchers in the SAgE program plus an additional 20 beginning farmers/ranchers will have taken at least 80% of the trainings provided through this program Producer action: Understand, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 30, Actual Number: 7 How verified: Curricula, sign-in sheets, evaluation surveys Result 4. 80% of the farmers who participate in trainings will report on at least one way they acted on their learning Producer action: Implement, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 24, Actual Number: 7 How verified: Post-training survey of intended actions to be taken as a result of training, with follow-up survey after 6 months to verify actions taken Result 5. A White Paper documenting the project so it can be replicated will be published by the end of the grant period Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: end of grant period Estimated Number: 90, Actual Number: 0 How verified: Copy of White Paper and list of distribution channels ------------- One of the most pervasive and persistent challenge beginning farmers in NJ face is finding, affording and negotiating appropriate farmland to lease or to own. New Jersey has the second most expensive farmland in the country yet, ironically, has the highest percentage of preserved farmland (about a third) in the country. The long-term goal this project, "Launching Beginning Farmers: Long-Term Preserved Farm Leases and Farm Success Training" is to significantly increase beginning farmers/ranchers' access to long-term lease agreements on preserved farmland by expanding our program called Sustainable Agriculture Enterprise (SAgE), and by providing extensive training and technical assistance for beginning farmers and ranchers in both urban and rural New Jersey communities to succeed in their farm businesses. Because diversity and equity are values of our organization and this program, we are working with our urban agriculture partners to do special outreach to beginning farmers/ranchers from BIPOC and socially disadvantaged communities to make sure they are informed of the program's opportunities. Besides providing affordable access to land in a 10-year lease, we are providing guidance and support to help these beginning farmers be successful by connecting them to resources. Through this grant, we are providing on-going training for beginning farmers/ranchers who have launched their farm enterprise on Financial Management, Business Management, Safety, Marketing, Direct-to-Consumer Sales; Farm-to-Institution Sales; Surplus Food Management, and On Farm Skills. During Year One of this grant, we began working with New Jersey Conservation Foundation, a land trust, to lease a plot of preserved farmland in Sergeantsville, NJ, which has 19 farmable acres. As holders of the lease, the Foodshed Alliance will then recruit beginning farmers and ranchers to sublease this land on a long-term, affordable basis. By the end of the Year One grant period, we were developing the lease with NJCF, determining the land's infrastructure needs and costs, and beginning to recruit potential farmers to sublease the land. In particular, our recruitment efforts centered on recruiting farmers from historically disadvantaged communities. In addition, we began planning our training program for beginning farmers/ranchers and held a webinar on NJ's Right-to-Farm regulations, held a field day at an organic farm, and held two networking events for farmers and stakeholders in the sustainable agriculture community. Growing the SAgE land access program (providing affordable long-term leases on preserved farmland to beginning farmers) depends on gaining access to new sites. At the beginning of the grant period, we had 2 SAgE sites (one in Warren County and one in Sussex County), with 10 new beginning farmer enterprises. In March 2022, we began working with NJCF to create a third SAgE site in Sergeantsville, Hunterdon County. NJCF has preserved over 140,000 acres of land through conservation and farmland easements. This site is preserved farmland with 19 farmable acres. During the grant reporting period, there were multiple site visits and meetings to discuss the partnership between NJCF and Foodshed Alliance (FA), the particulars of the SAgE program, and the development of a lease between NJCF and FA. We also discussed the need for certain infrastructure (water, electricity, road access, fencing) and who would be responsible for these upgrades. NJCF indicated that a private donor might be interested in supporting this. In addition, the site feasibility was addressed and preliminary discussions were held about potential permits that would be needed to get the site up and running. At the end of the reporting period, we were still working on developing the lease between NJCF and FA. We were fielding inquiries from beginning farmers looking for affordable farmland and referred them to the Hunterdon site as that is where land would be available (after our lease with NJCF is signed). Our other two sites (Warren and Sussex) were full by this time. The project team has discussed the next phase, which include attorney review and establishing a lease agreement between partnering organizations and then next the farmers and FA. Growin' Folx, a new farm operated by an African-American couple from Newark, NJ, signed their lease for one acre for the SAgE program in June 2021. In June 2022, they informed us they would not be renewing their lease due to health issues, and their plot was leased to an existing SAgE farm, All Things Good (a woman-run enterprise), who wished to add to her existing one-acre plot. Seek-No-Further Fruit Farm took a second 10-acre plot at this site in January 2022. As all plots were leased at the Sussex and Warren SAgE sites, we focused on recruiting for the developing Hunterdon site as we were negotiating the lease with NJCF. In August 2022, we were contacted by Ubuntu Permaculture Mission, a permaculture demonstration farm, operated by a couple from Newark, NJ, that will grow vegetables and fruit trees, raise chickens, goats and pigs, and implement an aquaponics and composting operation. They submitted an application to lease six acres (which was vetted and accepted in October 2022). In addition to Ubuntu, the Hunterdon site can accommodate two or three more farm enterprises, depending on size. Throughout the Year One grant period, we were fielding inquiries from farmers regarding potential land to lease, as we publicized the program in our speaking events, social media, blog posts, etc. These extensive discussions included sharing the program application and site tours. Our partners, particularly NJCF and Urban Agriculture Cooperative, continued to share the opportunity with connections in the Newark and Trenton areas.??

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