Progress report for SNE21-014-WV
Project Information
Statewide local food demand is increasing, but WV faces an aging population of farmers, with related issues of farmer retirement, next-generation ownership/management transition, and new entry into farming. This project was driven by a 2014-2017 statewide ‘sustainable agriculture needs assessment’ process, and more recent discussions in 2018-2019 with ASPs and farmers, to better understand priority training areas, challenges faced, assistance needed and ideas for future programs, to better serve nascent and beginning farmers (hereafter called BF) in WV. Results of the 2014-2017 survey, together with related state census statistics, have confirmed that higher demand for local foods and related products has created new opportunities for WV producers, but points to knowledge and experience gaps that continue to limit entry and business success for agribusinesses in WV.
This proposal creates a unique partnership of the state’s agricultural service providers to leverage resources, streamline program offerings, and build upon collective best-practice to meet the business planning and risk management needs of BFs, while reducing programmatic overlap. This three-year project will develop a Train-the-Trainer (TTT) program for ten (10) ASPs and Farm Mentors/Farmer Leaders (hereafter referred to collectively as ASPs) in WV to successfully work with BF, to help them start or expand operations, and improve the sustainability of their practices, and to support these farmers in their early years of operation through mentoring, community partnerships and networking opportunities. The TTT program will develop a comprehensive whole-farm planning and risk management curriculum designed as a ‘one-stop-shop’ of resources to help offer a more holistic and efficient training opportunity to overcome the unique challenges for this targeted group. At the end of the project, 10 ASPs will gain practical knowledge and skills needed to design and provide on-farm mentorship and BF training opportunities for at least 30 new beginning farmers.
At the end of the project, 10 ASPs will gain practical knowledge and skills needed to design and provide on-farm mentorship and BF training opportunities for their clientele. Six (6) ASPs will use this information to design and deliver on-farm mentoring, technical training and coaching to five (5) beginning farmers each (small scale crop, livestock, and value-added and specialty producers with profit motives) in their region. The other 4 trained ASPs will assist the 4 primary ASPs to develop their programs.
Statewide local food demand is increasing, but WV faces an aging population of farmers, with related issues of farmer retirement, next generation ownership/management transition, and new entry into farming. West Virginia (WV) have experienced a significant decline in the number of producers (10% between 2012 and 2017) and an increase in the average age of producers (56 to 60 years) (USDA, 2018). Currently, for each principal operator under 35 years old, there are 7 over 65. With almost half of the WV farmers projected to retire in 10 years, the potential loss of family farms may lead to a further consolidation of farmland or transition to residential developments; the decline of rural communities; and diminished access to fresh, locally grown food.
This project was driven by a 2014-2017 statewide ‘sustainable agriculture needs assessment’ process, and more recent discussions in 2018-2019 with ASPs and farmers, to better understand priority training areas, challenges faced, assistance needed and ideas for future programs, to better serve aspiring and beginning farmers (hereafter called BF) in WV. Results of the 2014-2017 survey, together with related state census statistics, have confirmed that higher demand for local foods has created new opportunities for WV producers, but points to knowledge and experience gaps that continue to limit entry and business success for producers in WV. The needs assessment survey and other communications showed that 92% of beginning farmers (n=29), 100% of nascent/aspiring farmers (n=19) and 87% of ASPs (n=57) indicated strong interest in starting/expanding production, product development/value-adding, and/or market development, but require training and support in whole-farm planning and risk management to help identify and mitigate business risks in these new markets. Respondents also indicated a desire to learn from more experienced ‘mentor’ farmers. Ninety-two % of respondents also agreed, that although many organizations are currently working to build a local food system, they operate independently and with limited focus on the specific needs of nascent and early-career farmers.
This proposal grew out of the realization that WV ASPs can best serve our beginning farmers by creating a unique partnership of the state’s agricultural service providers to leverage resources, streamline program offerings, and build upon collective best-practice to meet the business-planning and risk management needs of our targeted group, while reducing overlap. Our previous working relationships and current project efforts help strengthen our commitment as partners.
This three-year project will develop a Train-the-Trainer (TTT) program for ASPs and Farm Mentors/Farmer Leaders in WV to successfully work with beginning farmers, to help them start or expand operations, and improve the sustainability of their practices, and to support these farmers in their early years of operation through mentoring, community partnerships and networking opportunities. The TTT program will develop a comprehensive whole-farm planning and risk management curriculum designed to help move BFs from a production mindset to a business and risk-oriented mindset. The TTT program will provide a one-stop-shop of resources to help offer a more holistic and efficient training opportunity to overcome the unique challenges for this targeted group.
Project participants (from WVU Extension, WVDA, NRCS, Farm Bureau, FSA, WV Farm and Food Coalition, WV Farmers' Market Association, and Farmer Leaders) who have been collaborating for several years to support farmers across WV have expressed interest and commitment to participating in this project. More specifically, they will be engaged in the following activities:
- Mentorship Training;
- Mentorship Development and On-Farm Mentoring;
- Technical Training and Assistance;
- Business Development and Market Access Training;
- New Farmer-Mentor-ASPs Working Group (Profit Team);
- Performance Verification and Project Evaluation
At the end of the project, 10 ASPs will gain practical knowledge and skills needed to design and provide on-farm mentorship and BF training opportunities for their clientele. Six (6) ASPs will use this information to design and deliver on-farm mentoring, technical training and coaching to five (5) beginning farmers each (small scale crop, livestock, and value-added and specialty producers with profit motives) in their region. Thirty (30) farmers managing about 300 acres adopt at least four (4) recommended actions in whole-farm business planning and risk management, and report improved productivity and profitability of existing/expanded operations.
Working with new audiences and new programming always presents challenges, which are compounded in impoverished areas in rural WV. However, our project team and collaborators have extensive knowledge of food systems paired with decades of experience working with limited resource constituents. The anticipated challenges of recruitment, retention and program sustainability is built into our program with appropriate mitigation strategies.
Advisors/Cooperators
- - Technical Advisor - Producer
- - Technical Advisor (Educator)
- - Technical Advisor - Producer
- - Technical Advisor - Producer
- - Technical Advisor - Producer
- (Educator)
- (Educator)
- (Educator)
- (Educator)
- (Educator)
Educational Approach
RECRUITMENT:
Beneficiaries: Forty (40) beneficiaries will be recruited, targeting individuals and groups that have participated in our needs assessments efforts and have indicated an interest in participating in this project. This includes 10 ASP personnel from WVU Extension, WVDA, NRCS, Farm Bureau, FSA, WV Farm and Food Coalition, WV Farmers' Market Association, and Farmer Leaders, and personnel from other CBOs (Sprouting Farms, Project Welcome Home, etc.); 10 Farmer Leaders/Mentors; and 20 nascent/aspiring and beginning farmers (with less than ten years of farm experience).
Recruitment Efforts:
- The individuals who received the learning needs and interest survey will be invited to apply to the training program.
- The application will describe the 3-year project: learning objectives and performance target, the training to be offered, and expectations for participants.
- Travel support and a small stipend for service providers to use for educational programs or materials will be offered as incentives to participate.
- Commitment to the project goals and performance target, and to participants’ expectations will be required for acceptance (requires sign-off).
- Where applicable, participants will be encouraged to include these activities as part of their annual program of work (PI will coordinate with agency and organization directors).
EDUCATION AND VERIFICATION:
- An introductory webinar will introduce the overall 3-year PDP project, including project activities, training topics, schedule, and format,
and participation requirements.- Verification: number attending, interested, committing to project; pre-survey to determine baseline level of knowledge, skills and confidence,
- The Beginning Farmer Advisory Council will provide overall guidance for the project while leveraging support and resources from various stakeholders.
- Verification: number participating
- Mentorship Training - The project will lead 10 ASPs and 10 Farmer Leaders/Mentors through a comprehensive 'Train-the-Trainer' Mentorship Training based on the 'whole-farm planning' Mentorship Curriculum Guide developed in the 2020-2021 WVU State Plan.
- Verification: numbers completing training; Shorter, focused pre/post-survey evaluations (changes in Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes).
- Mentorship Development and On-Farm Mentoring - Six (6) ASPs will engage five (5) BFs each, in partnership with six (6) farmer Leaders/Mentors, in an on-farm mentoring opportunity. BFs will spend 3 non-consecutive weeks working on an assigned mentor farm. Off-farm mentoring will be provided to continue the mentor/mentee relationship with the mentor providing the mentee with technical and social support.
- Verification: numbers completing training; focused pre/post-survey evaluations (changes in Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes).
- Technical Training and Assistance - This project provides a cohesive 6-month calendar of ASP Business Planning and Risk Management technical training (20 contact hours) to complement the mentorship training, focusing on whole farm planning tools, rooted in a risk-management framework. We will use existing materials and develop new materials where needed. A Moodle classroom will enable web-based sharing of project materials. Six (6) ASPs will engage five (5) BFs each in a BF Business Planning and Risk Management program in selected (a la carte) areas suitable for their audiences. More specifically, this program will address the five areas of agribusiness risk (production, marketing, financial, human resource and legal risks), which are important to building viable and sustainable operations.
- Verification: numbers completing training; focused pre/post-survey evaluations (changes in Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes);in-session assessments.
- Business Development and Market Access Training - The Project Team will create a comprehensive web-based hub of tailored resources for use by ASPs and BFs throughout the project. In the third year of the program, we will conduct workshops in each of these areas and bring the resources to the trainees via a ‘Resources Expo’, to include technical and marketing resources, land resources, financial resources, and Equipment & Machinery resources.
- Verification: numbers access resources, attending Expo, and indicating usefulness of resources.
- New Farmer-Mentor-ASPs Working Group (Profit Team) -A state-wide learning and resource-sharing network (Profit Team) will be formed, meeting quarterly, to continue to support project beneficiaries by helping to share best practices in strategic areas of concern.
- Verification: numbers attending and indicating usefulness of meetings.
- Performance Verification and Project Evaluation - Project participants will attend an annual project evaluation forum to discuss the progress and evaluate the success of the project. To further team-building and cross-disciplinary exchanges, project participants will be invited to become part of a directory of trained ASPs and farmer-leaders who agree to be available for mutual support and as resources for inquiries from other ASPs and farmers. This directory will be maintained on the WVU Extension website.
- Verification: number of ASPs conducting BF trainings; and BFs reporting improvement in business start-up or expansion and incorporating recommended business planning and risk management strategies.
- Finally, a key feature for ensuring that beneficiaries discuss their new knowledge, skills, and learning resources with farmers to get feedback, the project will offer travel support and stipends to cover meeting expenses for beginning farmer discussions conducted by the project beneficiaries. The project team will be available by phone, e-mail, and in-person for consultation and assistance.
Milestones
Twenty-five (25) ASPs, 15 Farmer Leaders/Mentors, and 20 nascent/aspiring and beginning farmers (with less than ten years of farm experience) receive an invitation to an introductory webinar that will introduce the overall 3-year PDP project, including learning objectives and performance target, the activities to be offered, expectations for participants, and incentives for participation (travel support and stipend for soliciting feedback from farmers and other ASPs). Ten ASPs and 10 Farmer Leaders/Mentors sign on to participate in the 3-year program.
10
10
18
16
October 31, 2021
Completed
November 02, 2021
Twenty-five (25) ASPs, 15 Farmer Leaders/Mentors, and 20 nascent/aspiring and beginning farmers (with less than ten years of farm experience) received an invitation to an introductory webinar that introduced the overall 3-year PDP project, including learning objectives and performance target, the activities to be offered, expectations for participants, and incentives for participation (travel support and stipend for soliciting feedback from farmers and other ASPs).
Sixteen (16) ASPs and 18 Farmer Leaders/Mentors attended the session, and 10 ASPs and 10 Farmer Leaders/Mentors signed on to participate in the 3-year program.
The WV Farm Service Agency (FSA) has asked us to develop and use this program as a required 'Borrower Training Program' for both their staff and borrowers. We have signed an MOU with the FSA to this end.
Fifteen (15) ASPs and ten (10) farmer-leaders/mentors receive an invitation to join the Beginning Farmer Advisory Council to provide overall guidance for the project while leveraging support and resources from various stakeholders. Seven (7 ASPs) and three (3) farmer-leaders join the BF Advisory Council. These persons may overlap with the individuals above.
3
7
5
10
November 30, 2021
Completed
December 02, 2021
Fifteen (15) ASPs and ten (10) farmer-leaders/mentors received an invitation to join the Beginning Farmer Advisory Council to provide overall guidance for the project while leveraging support and resources from various stakeholders. Ten (10 ASPs) and five (5) farmer-leaders attended the remote meeting, and all fifteen (15) attendees agreed to join the BF Advisory Council (overlap of responsibilities).
Ten (10) ASPs and 10 Farmer Leaders/Mentors participate in Mentorship Training - participating in a comprehensive 'Train-the-Trainer' Mentorship Training (10 contact hours) based on the 'whole-farm planning' Mentorship Curriculum Guide developed in the 2020-2021 WVU State Plan, to develop a diverse pool of mentors and ASPs to serve the varying needs of WV beginning farmers.
10
10
12
11
April 30, 2022
Completed
May 04, 2021
Eleven (11) ASPs and 12 Farmer Leaders/Mentors participated in Mentorship Training - participating in a comprehensive 'Train-the-Trainer' Mentorship Training (10 contact hours) based on the 'whole-farm planning' Mentorship Curriculum Guide developed in the 2020-2021 WVU State Plan, to develop a diverse pool of mentors and ASPs to serve the varying needs of WV beginning farmers.
Six (6) ASPs will engage five (5) BFs each, in partnership with six (6) Farmer Leaders/Mentors, in an on-farm mentoring opportunity. BFs will spend 3 non-consecutive weeks (75 contact hours) working on an assigned mentor farm, and participating in a wide variety of hands-on activities (as per the Mentorship Curriculum developed in the WV PD Grant 2020-2021 - WV Beginning Farmer Mentorship Curriculum ) under the supervision of an experienced farmer. Selected weeks will correspond to periods of critical farm activities. The Mentor will engage the Mentee in the Mentorship Curriculum, which is a 'whole-farm planning' mentorship curriculum that includes program objectives, task analysis sheets and related assessment/evaluation forms, and training rules and regulations, that will inform our competency-based mentorship program for beginning farmers.
Off-farm mentoring (5 contact hours/BF) will be provided to continue the mentor/mentee relationship with the mentor providing the mentee with technical and social support through on-farm, in-person, telephone, or e-mail consultations.
Mentors and mentees will be matched based on mutual interests and preferences that will be elicited through an initial questionnaire designed to facilitate the matching process. The model proposed above has been selected based on background research we have conducted to determine best practices used by other beginning farmer programs - most notably by the Future Harvest’s Beginning Farmer Training Program. However, the Project Team recognize that this model may prove to be logistically difficult for some participants and we will modify the mentorship schedule as the need arise (possibly moving to once per week throughout the year). We will attempt to accommodate participants' needs but strive to maintain programmatic continuity as far as possible.
Total Contact hours = 80 hours/BF
30
6
5
2
August 30, 2024
In Progress
Two (2) ASPs engage five (5) BFs, in partnership with four (4) Farmer Leaders/Mentors, in an on-farm mentoring opportunity. BFs spent 3 non-consecutive weeks (75 contact hours) working on an assigned mentor farm, and participating in a wide variety of hands-on activities (as per the Mentorship Curriculum developed in the WV PD Grant 2020-2021 - WV Beginning Farmer Mentorship Curriculum ) under the supervision of an experienced farmer.
Selected weeks corresponded to periods of critical farm activities. The Mentors engaged the Mentee in the Mentorship Curriculum, which is a 'whole-farm planning' mentorship curriculum that includes program objectives, task analysis sheets, and related assessment/evaluation forms, and training rules and regulations, that will inform our competency-based mentorship program for beginning farmers.
Some off-farm mentoring (at least 5 contact hours/BF) was provided to continue the mentor/mentee relationship with the mentor providing the mentee with technical and social support through on-farm, in-person, telephone, or e-mail consultations.
Mentors and mentees were matched based on mutual interests and preferences that were elicited through an initial questionnaire designed to facilitate the matching process. The model used was selected based on background research we have conducted to determine best practices used by other beginning farmer programs - most notably by Future Harvest’s Beginning Farmer Training Program.
Total Contact hours = 80 hours/BF
This on-farm mentorship process will continue into 2024.
Ten (10) ASPs will participate in a cohesive 6-month calendar of ASP Business Planning and Risk Management technical training to complement the mentorship training, focusing on whole farm planning tools, rooted in a risk-management framework. We will use existing materials (WV Annie’s Project Curriculum; WV Sustainable Agriculture Capacity Building Program - Funded by NESARE; and other State Programs), and develop new materials where needed.
Curriculum modules will be delivered as a hybrid course – using a combination of face-to-face workshop and webinar sessions , with 20 total contact hours. Modules include:
i. Production Risk Training Module (livestock, horticulture and value-added tracks) – ‘What will I Produce and For Whom’
ii. Financial Risk Module – ‘Planning for Profitability by Understanding my Farm Numbers’
iii. Marketing Risk Module – ‘Using Farm Numbers to Develop Realistic Marketing Plans’
iv. Legal Risk Module – ‘Managing my Farm and Food Safety Risks’.
v. Human Resource Risk – ‘Networking, Community Partnership and Communication ’.
The Project Team will develop a Moodle (online platform) classroom, which will enable web-based sharing of project materials (curriculum materials; slide presentations; templates, worksheets, and decision tools to use with farmer participants; and verification surveys to use in their education programs.); and to serve as a discussion and Q&A forum. Materials will also be available on flash drives or through hard copies if internet issues pose a problem for participants.
Curriculum Materials will be supplemented by participation in the Annual WV Small Farm Conference.
10
April 30, 2024
In Progress
Ten (10) ASPs will participate in a cohesive 6-month calendar of ASP Business Planning and Risk Management technical training to complement the mentorship training, focusing on whole farm planning tools, rooted in a risk-management framework. We are currently building the course curriculum for training in 2023-2024, using existing materials (WV Annie’s Project Curriculum; WV Sustainable Agriculture Capacity Building Program - Funded by NESARE; and other State Programs), and developing new materials where needed.
Curriculum modules will be delivered in 2023-2024 as a hybrid course – using a combination of face-to-face workshop and webinar sessions, with 20 total contact hours.
Modules will include:
i. Production Risk Training Module (livestock, horticulture, and value-added tracks) – ‘What will I Produce and For Whom’
ii. Financial Risk Module – ‘Planning for Profitability by Understanding my Farm Numbers’
iii. Marketing Risk Module – ‘Using Farm Numbers to Develop Realistic Marketing Plans’
iv. Legal Risk Module – ‘Managing my Farm and Food Safety Risks’.
v. Human Resource Risk – ‘Networking, Community Partnership, and Communication ’.
The Project Team will develop a Moodle (online platform) classroom, which will enable web-based sharing of project materials (curriculum materials; slide presentations; templates, worksheets, and decision tools to use with farmer participants; and verification surveys to use in their own education programs.); and to serve as a discussion and Q&A forum. Materials will also be available on flash drives or through hard copies if internet issues pose a problem for participants.
Curriculum Materials will be supplemented by participation in the 2023 and 2024 WV Small Farm Conference and WV Women in Agriculture Conferences.
Six (6) ASPs will engage (the same BFs as above) five (5) BFs each (30 total BFs) in a BF Business Planning and Risk Management program in selected (a la carte) areas suitable for their audiences. ASPs will choose training areas from the curriculum established above.
30
6
32
8
August 31, 2024
In Progress
Eight (8) ASPs are currently working with 5-6 BFs each (32 total BFs) in a BF Business Planning and Risk Management program in selected (a la carte) areas suitable for their audiences. ASPs select the training areas most appropriate for their audiences based on the curriculum established above.
The Project Team will create a comprehensive web-based hub of tailored resources for use by ASPs and BFs throughout the project. Materials will also be available on flash drives or through hard copies if internet issues pose a problem for participants. In the third year of the program, we will bring the resources to the trainees via a ‘Resources Expo’. Resources Hub will include technical and marketing resources, land resources, financial resources, and Equipment & Machinery resources.
30
10
30
10
September 30, 2024
In Progress
The Project Team is continually adding to a comprehensive web-based hub of tailored resources for use by ASPs and BFs as we continue the project. Materials are also made available on flash drives or through hard copies if internet issues pose a problem for participants. In the third year of the program (2023-2024), we will bring the resources to the trainees via a ‘Resources Expo’. Resources Hub will include technical and marketing resources, land resources, financial resources, and Equipment & Machinery resources.
The Project team will convene a state-wide learning and resource-sharing network (Profit Team) , meeting quarterly, to continue to support project beneficiaries by helping to share best practices in strategic areas of concern.
30
10
42
11
September 30, 2024
In Progress
The Project team convenes a state-wide learning and resource-sharing network (Profit Team), meeting quarterly, to continue to support project beneficiaries by helping to share best practices in strategic areas of concern. Some major areas where we see a lot of discussion are around :
- farm diversification into value-added and direct marketing initiatives, including agritourism.
- on-farm food safety, including writing a food safety action plan and exploring GAP certification;
- forming partnerships/alliances/clusters to better direct market their products and create new market opportunities for their enterprises.
As a result of these discussions, we have amended the BF curriculum to include modules on direct marketing and agritourism, as well as safety and writing a farm food safety plan, and we have additionally developed collective marketing materials for operators pursuing direct market and agritourism options.
The Project Team will conduct Project Performance Verification and Project Evaluation. Project participants will attend an annual project evaluation forum to discuss the progress and evaluate the success of the project. To further team-building and cross-disciplinary exchanges, project participants will be invited to become part of a directory of trained ASPs and farmer-leaders who agree to be available for mutual support and as resources for inquiries from other ASPs and farmers. This directory will be maintained on the WVU Extension website.
30
10
September 30, 2024
In Progress
Milestone Activities and Participation Summary
Learning Outcomes
Pre and post-training survey used in 'Train-the-Trainer' Mentorship Training. Some key areas being evaluated included:
- Best practices to consider when designing mentoring programs;
- Considerations for designing an overall mentorship program;
- Determining a good mentor-mentee fit;
- Hallmarks of a success on-farm mentorship program;
- Developing a farm policy for mentorship programs;
- Entrepreneurship and business management skills;
- Beef production skills;
- Maple Syrup production skills;
- Poultry egg production skills;
- Agritourism skills; and
- Field vegetable production skills.
Performance Target Outcomes
Performance Target Outcomes - Service Providers
Target #1
At the end of the project, 10 ASPs will gain practical knowledge and skills needed to design and provide on-farm mentorship and BF training opportunities for their clientele. Six (6) ASPs will use this information to design and deliver on-farm mentoring, technical training and coaching to five (5) beginning farmers each (small scale crop, livestock, and value-added and specialty producers with profit motives) in their region. The other 4 trained ASPs will assist the 4 primary ASPs to develop their programs.
Each farmer = 10 acres (300 total acres)
Performance Target Outcomes - Farmers
Target #1
30
Thirty (30) farmers managing about 300 acres adopt at least four (4) recommended actions in whole-farm business planning and risk management, and report improved productivity and profitability of existing/expanded operations. Examples include:
Conduct risk-management assessment, prioritize risks and marketing concerns, and develop an appropriate whole-farm plan to be used to further their business motives; or
Develop whole-farm, enterprise, or partial budgets, to estimate costs, returns, and break-even points, and transactional requirements for a specific market; or
Initiate a business relationship with a complementary enterprise or a regional alliance to implement one aspect of their whole-farm plan.
300 acres
SARE Outreach
- WVU-NESARE e-mail updates
- Continuous updating of WVU-NESARE website and Facebook Page
- Respond to inquiries about SARE grant programs and resources in a timely manner
- Promote SARE-sponsored events through email and 'SARE IN WV' Facebook page
- Promote outcomes, educational resources and project profiles or stories forms SARE-funded projects
- Help strengthen sustainable agriculture networks in the state or region.
Recieved information about SARE grant programs and information resouces:
| Audience | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service providers | 75 | 75 | 0 | 150 |
| Farmers | 500 | 500 | 0 | 1000 |