Young Farmers Highlight Meetings From 2022 Spring In-Districts
When Congress goes on recess each spring, legislators tend to leave Washington, D.C. and head back to their home districts for District Work Periods, or “in-districts.” In April, thirty-nine farmers held thirty-two in-district meetings with legislators across the country to share about the challenges they face on their farms, and the policy solutions they need. […]
Finding Farmland: Resources to Support Land Access
The following blog by Mike and Holly of our Land Access team is also posted on farmers.gov. Photographs by Richie Graham Photo. For farmers across the country, it will come as no surprise that farmland has become less and less affordable on a farming income. Approaching land access with a strong financial strategy can help […]
House Agriculture Appropriations bill would fund key Young Farmer Programs—we need your help to pass it through Committee!
UPDATE: The FY20 Agriculture Appropriations bill passed through Committee and passed on the House floor on June 24! In even better news, the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Program, which provides resources and services for farmers in crisis, received even more funding, with $20 million written into the final bill. And all the funding […]
Take action today to fund beginning farmer programs!
Springtime in D.C. means cherry blossoms, opening day at Nationals Park (go Nats!), and appropriations season! Appropriations is the process Congress uses to fund the government. Though perhaps less exciting than a day at the ballpark, this process is vitally important to the smooth functioning of our democracy. You may all remember the 35-day […]
Last Chance in this Farm Bill for Beginning Farmers and Our Farmland
Our farm bill has expired, and with it the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) has too. BFRDP is a critical program providing new farmers with skill-based training and business planning opportunities, and its defunding, even temporarily, is a significant blow. The immediate and technical challenges BFRDP is designed to address, however, […]
2018 Farm Bill Luján-Bishop Letter Signed by 53 Members of Congress
NYFC is excited to share a bipartisan letter in support of programs young and socially disadvantaged farmers rely on in the 2018 Farm Bill. The letter, led by Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Sanford Bishop’s (D-GA), was delivered to House Agriculture Committee leadership, with support from 53 Members of Congress. In the letter, the Members requests […]
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Training Programs in Danger of Farm Bill Cuts
Kelly Wilson got the confidence to start her own small, diversified vegetable farm after taking a training program at Michigan State University. Her farm, Simple Gifts Farm, is outside Oxford, Michigan, where she grows vegetables that she sells wholesale to local restaurants. The program she took is one of hundreds of training programs for young […]
Bonus Episode: Vets Need Farm Bill Action
Today’s bonus episode is about an important program in the 2018 Farm Bill that needs your support: Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach (FOTO). Tiffany Washington, Navy Veteran from Austin, Texas, shares her personal journey to farming, and how farm bill programs are helping her find success. Take action: Text “Farm” to 40649 to join NYFC’s […]
Announcing NYFC’s Land Affordability Calculator
findingfarmland.youngfarmers.org Fall is when farm work, done under the glow of the sun, gives way to farm planning under the glow of a computer screen. If your farm planning includes a search for—or even just a dream of—land of your own, NYFC has a tool for you. This fall, NYFC launched Finding Farmland, a website designed […]
Big USDA Wins for Young Farmers
This past week, USDA announced two big changes coming to your local county office. First, USDA will be hiring five new staff members at the state level to coordinate new farmer programs for the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) has pushed USDA to provide specialized expertise for new farmers, and […]