Program Overview
The Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Certification Program is a 13-month comprehensive educational program offered through the Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition, which is supported by Virginia Tech’s Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation and Virginia State University’s (VSU) Small Farm Outreach Program. This hybrid program blends online and in-person learning to equip historically underserved farmers in the Virginia, Maryland Eastern Shore, and North Carolina region with the essential skills to operate a successful farm. Key topics will be covered include agribusiness production, financial management, whole farm planning, and marketing strategies. We are accepting applications and will select 10-15 farmers to participate in the first cohort that will run from November 2024 to November 2025.
Participants of the program will:
- Increase their knowledge and skills for operating a farm business
- Enhance their awareness and access to resources for supporting a successful farm
- Build a supportive peer-to-peer farming community
- Gain a certificate to indicate their completion of this program, which can provide a credential to help meet pre-approval requirements for a Beginning Farmer Farm Service Agency loan
We invite you to learn more about the program activities, key dates, the eligibility requirements, expectations of participation, cost, and the application process.
Program Activities
A diverse array of program activities are included in the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Certification Program, both online and in-person. We invite you to learn more about each of these program activities:
- In-person Cohort Kick-off Meeting: The program will start off with an in-person kick off meeting so participants can meet one another and become oriented to the program.
- Small Farm Orientation Session: VSU Small Farm Outreach Program Assistants will walk participants through the process of how to develop a productive and profitable farm, receiving a Small Farm Orientation manual to support their process.
- One-on-One Technical Assistance: Each participant will be paired with a VSU Small Farm Outreach Program assistant in their county who will support them based on their unique needs and goals.
- Monthly Virtual Cohort Meetings: Participants will convene for one-hour virtual monthly calls for networking, peer-to-peer learning, and reflection on course materials.
- Webinars: Webinars will be offered by the Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition on topics including: Whole farm planning, marketing strategies, farm funding, and risk management. Participants will be invited to attend virtually or watch the recording and will be required to submit a reflection assignment.
- Online Agribusiness Production and Financial Management Course: This training program, offered by the VSU’s Small Farm Outreach Program, consists of seven modules designed to enhance your financial record-keeping skills. If you have already completed this course, your completion certificate will fulfill this requirement. Find more information about the course on VSU’s webpage.
- In-Person or Virtual Workshops: VSU’s Small Farm Outreach Program offers in person and virtual workshops regularly. Participants are invited to join for at least one of these workshops and complete a reflective assignment. See their calendar for a full listing of upcoming workshops.
- In-person Agribusiness Tours: Participants will be required to participate in at least three agribusiness tours, submitting a reflective assignment upon completion of each tour. Tours will be arranged as part of the program and participants will also have the opportunity to identify farms in their area they would like to tour individually.
- Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Partner Gatherings: Participants will have the opportunity to join in one to two partner gatherings hosted by the Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition.
- In-person Cohort Graduation: Upon program completion, participants will gather to celebrate, reflect on their experience, explore their next steps, and receive their certificate of program completion.
Key Dates
- Applications open—September 3, 2024
- Applications due — September 27, 2024 at 5:00 pm Eastern
- Candidates Selected–October 11, 2024
- In-Person Kick-off Meeting at VSU’s Small Farmers Conference in Tidewater, VA–November 6, 2024
- Program start date —November 2024
- Program end dates—November 2025
Eligibility Requirements
We invite you to submit an application to become a participant of the Beginning Farmer Certification Program if you meet the following criteria:
- You have a minimum of 2 years of experience operating your own farm business in a rural or urban setting.
- You are in the early stages of your agricultural operation, less than 10 years.
- You are actively pursuing farming as a profession and demonstrate a commitment to growing your farm business.
- You meet the criteria for an underserved famer as defined by the USDA (See definition below).
- You reside within one of the counties in the VSU Small Farm Outreach Program service area in Virginia, North Carolina, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland (See map below).
Definition of Historically Underserved Farmer
According to the USDA, some groups of people are identified in Farm Bill legislation and in USDA policy as being Historically Underserved. Members of these communities have been historically underserved by, or subject to discrimination in, Federal policies and programs. Four groups are defined by USDA as “Historically Underserved,” including the following:
Beginning Farmer or Rancher: An individual who has not operated a farm or ranch for more than 10 cumulative years.
Socially Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher: Members of a group who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of that group without regard to their individual qualities. Includes the following groups: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or another Pacific Islander group, Hispanic.
Veteran Farmer or Rancher: An individual who has served in the armed forces, including a reserve component, and was released from service under conditions other than dishonorable; and: 1) Qualifies as Beginning Farmer or Rancher; or 2) First obtained veteran status during the last 10 years.
- Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher: An individual who has direct or indirect gross farm sales not more than the current indexed value ($226,300 for FY2023) in each of the previous 2 years, and: 1) Has a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four in each of the previous 2 years; or 2) Has a total household income less than 50 percent of the county median household income in each of the previous 2 years.
VSU Small Farm Outreach Program Service Area
Expectations of Participation
Participants in the Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Certification Program are expected to demonstrate a high level of commitment and active participation throughout the 13-month course. We expect participation in the following activities:
- In-Person Kick-Off Meeting and Small Farm Orientation
November 6** - VSU’s 2024 Small Farm Conference
November 6-8 (Optional) - Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Partner Gatherings At least one, dates TBD
- Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Webinars
Attendance in 4 webinars with reflection assignments, dates TBD - Online Agribusiness and Financial Management Course
- VSU Small Farm Outreach Program Workshop(s)
At least one of your choice - Agribusiness Tours
At least three completed with reflection assignments - Monthly Virtual Cohort Meetings
Attendance in 7 of 10 calls, dates TBD - In-person Graduation Gathering Fall 2025
**If selected, you will need to attend the in-person Kickoff Meeting held on November 6 from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm in Tidewater, VA, prior to the start of VSU’s Small Farm Conference.
Cost
$50 per person. Payable through the Destiny One System at Virginia Tech and due upon enrollment. Limited pool of scholarships available based on need.
Mileage and lodging reimbursement will be provided to participants for the in-person kick off, graduation gatherings, and any farm tours organized through Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition. Mileage will not be covered for farm tours not organized by the Coalition.
How to Apply
Please apply by filling out out this Application Form by September 27, 2024 at 5:00 pm Eastern.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the program, contact Katie Trozzo at ketrozzo@vt.edu or 540-232-2233.
Selection Process and Timeline
After the deadline passes and applications are received, a review committee will assess applications and select candidates. You will be notified by October 11, 2024 if you have been selected.
Partners and Sponsorship
Funding was sponsored by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Award #2023-49400-40885
Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.
