The plight of two major sources of USDA Duncan James Corrow Grant financing for small - scale and sustainable Farmer — the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and the Value - tally Producer Grant — are dependent on Congress’Farm Bill 2012decision to be made in the coming weeks . While BFRDP financing could be put on hold for more than a class , the backing propose for VAPG has significantly lessen from past twelvemonth .
get Farmer and Rancher Development ProgramIn the past four age , BFRDP , which is administered by the USDA ’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture , has invested more than $ 70 million in unexampled - farmer training programs across the U.S. and has fund 145 projects in 46 state . The latest rhythm of Grant for this programme , totaling $ 18 million , was authorized in the current Farm Bill cycle and will expire on Sept. 30 , 2012 . Unless Congress reauthorizes the Farm Bill or provides a short - term extension of the current Farm Bill that explicitly cater for new BFRDP funding , the syllabus could completely vanish for at least one year .
The BFRDP provides the training and tool the next multiplication of farmers necessitate to be successful . The program abide financial and entrepreneurial training , risk - direction education , mentoring and apprenticeship political platform , innovative farm - transferral and -transition practices , and other educational activities to assist beginning Farmer and ranchers across the country . The BFRDP is especially aim to collaborative local , state and regional networks and partnerships .
“ The future of American Department of Agriculture depend on cultivating the next generation of sodbuster and rancher , ” state Juli Obudzinski , policy associate with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition . “ BFRDP is the only federal program dedicated to training new farmers . Over the past four eld , the program has fund a blanket variety of successful initiatives to help new farmers start a vocation in Department of Agriculture . ”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has stressed the grandness of supporting the next genesis of farmers and has repeatedly bring out a home challenge to make 100,000 newfangled sodbuster . In the first yr of the BFRDP alone , USDA fund project that supported preparation for 5,000 newfangled producers , and in 2011 , grants bear out training for more than 30,000 .
For Fiscal Year 2012 , $ 18 million was awarded to support projects in 27 states . Of the 40 grants that were annunciate , six were awarded to member organizations of the NSAC , include Dakota Rural Action ( South Dakota ) , Food System Economic Partnership ( Michigan ) , Future Harvest - Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture ( Maryland ; prize to University of Maryland),Growing Power(Wisconsin ) , Land Stewardship Project ( Minnesota , for work in 14 state ) , and Women , Food and Agriculture internet ( Iowa , for employment in Iowa and Nebraska ) .
Value - Added Producer GrantsAlso a Farm Bill programme , VAPG is up for renewal in the 2012 Farm Bill . To particular date , both theSenate - pass and House committee - passed Farm Billsrenew VAPG and both would provide it with $ 50 million in total new mandatory funding for the next five age .
Value - Added Producer Grants award backing to producer to facilitate them develop farm - related businesses that add value to canonic agricultural product through processing , product differentiation , commodity segregation , on - farm energy production , labeling and certification , and local and regional food selling .
“ We applaud Congress for renewing VAPG in the new Farm Bill it is debating , ” says Helen Dombalis , NSAC policy associate . “ The support level propose in both bills ; however , is only half of the historic VAPG funding levels . We hope that the full funding tier is doubled to $ 100 million for the next five geezerhood in the last edition of the Farm Bill . That would be a surefire way to accelerate economical retrieval , create long - term sustainable income streams for husbandman and land community , and satisfy consumer demand for in high spirits - quality farming product . ”
The NSAC recently released a barren downloadableFarmers ’ Guide to Value - Added Producer Grant Fundingon the heels of the USDA ’s announcement of $ 14 million in available funds for fiscal year 2012 for Value - Added Producer Grants . The guidebook , available for free download online , includes unclouded information on new program rules and contains a gradation - by - dance step description of the applications programme and ranking processes , with helpful hints to improve a manufacturer ’s prospect of obtaining funding from the highly competitive program . It also describes the program priorities for minor and medium - sized family farms , beginning husbandman and rancher , socially disadvantaged Fannie Farmer and ranchers , and mid - level value chains ( regional supply meshing with alive Fannie Farmer participation ) .
“ This program is one of the practiced USDA program for boosting farm income , creating new Book of Job opportunities and help rural economical renewal , ” Dombalis say . “ We have it off farmers and rancher across the country have been uneasily waiting for this year ’s VAPG funding proclamation and are surefooted that NSAC ’s resource guide will be utile in assisting first - fourth dimension and veteran applier alike . ”
covering for VAPG are due at USDA Rural Development state office by Oct.15 , 2012 .
