Tell me more about….EQIP grants
This is part of a blog series on different federal programs in the USDA and how they affect the average beginning farmer. As we work towards improving legislation and pushing for reform in the Farm Bill, we decided to create these quick tutorial pages to act as a reference. Let us know if there is a particular program that you’d like us to write about next! The Environmental Quality Incentives Program is a conservation program within the USDA’s... Read More
USDA’s “Know Your Farmer” Compass Expanded
The USDA just expanded their “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Compass, an online database of resources for farmers, now including resources from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Labor, EPA and many other federal agencies. The Compass is a searchable map of projects that have received some form of support for food work from the federal government. The goal is to show the resources that the USDA – and now... Read More
Database of EQIP Deadlines Now Available From OFRF
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) has compiled a one-stop database for information on applying for EQIP Organic Initiative grants, available here. EQIP – the Environmental Quality Incentives Program – supports voluntary conservation programs for farmers and ranchers. It offers financial and technical assistance to eligible participants to install or implement structural or management practices on agricultural land. The... Read More
OFRF grants to fund your innovation
Get on it farmer inventors, farmer researchers, farmer questioning everythingers.. a grant to support your crazy experiment idea. Organic Farming Research Foundation Is Accepting Grant Proposals Through November 19, 2012 Since 1990, Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) has awarded hundreds of grants supporting exceptional research and education in organic farming. Organic farmers are some of the most innovative entrepreneurs in... Read More
The Farm Bill’s Real Impact – BFRDP Helps Train the Next Generation
My name is Sophie Ackoff, I have been an apprentice at Glynwood Farm. Like so many other beginning farmers today, I don’t come from a farming family and I have no land or agricultural skills to inherit from my parents. I believe that the government needs to support beginning farmers and shouldn’t short-change farmer training programs. Please act now to send that message to Congress. I grew up in suburban Southern California, a region... Read More
USDA Funds Available for Value-Added Producers – Apply by October 15
All you beginning farmers out there with an eye towards value-added production, listen up! USDA Rural Development has published the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for the Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. The Application deadline is October 15th, 2012. In this program agricultural producers or producer groups may apply for either a feasibility study grant (maximum $100,000) or a working capital grant ($300,000 maximum). Eligible activities... Read More
Hudson Valley Farmers Speak Up at the Farmers’ Forum
A US Farm Bill potentially worth nearly one trillion dollars over ten years has stalled in Congress, and with it the hopes of young farmers, conservationists and agriculturalists in general have stalled as well. When Congress returns to Washington in September, they have only until the end of the month, September 30th, before the current Farm Bill expires and the country is potentially left with a radically reduced support system for farmers. ... Read More
Bootstraps @ Full Heart Farm – One Day at a Time…
There was an endless amount of advice given to me when I was in the process of purchasing my first farm: buy the best soils and the biggest parcel you can afford, don’t get too attached before the final contract is signed, make sure the town zoning regulations are ag-friendly, etc, etc, etc. And at the time, I took it all to heart. I was looking for the PERFECT parcel of land where I could grow an abundance of beautiful crops and animals, support... Read More
Third and Final EQIP Organic Initiative Application Deadline is Approaching!
The last chance to apply for assistance through the EQIP Organic Initiative for 2012 is June 1, so if you’re interested read on and apply! EQIP, a voluntary soil, air, and water conservation program of the USDA, provides technical and financial assistance for farmers looking to implement conservation programs on their farms. The program, administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (an agency within the USDA), includes an Organic... Read More
USDA grants available for farm marketing projects
Seeking opportunities to expand your marketing efforts and increase access to local foods? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting grant applicants for the 2012 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), according to a recent announcement by USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. The agency is offering a total of $10 million in grant money for marketing operations such as farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture, and... Read More
