USDA Resources for Beginning Farmers in NY / Understanding Eligibility Requirements for NRCS and FSA Programs
Event Details
Date
March 4, 2021
March 24, 2021
Time
T 12:00pm - 2pm, W 12pm - 1pm
Location
Zoom
Host
USDA
Lynnette Wright
315-477-6309
email Lynnette Wright
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will present two webinars for beginning farmers in March 2021.
The webinars are free however pre-registration is required to get a link to each webinar. Please register at these links or by emailing lynnette.wright@usda.gov.
- USDA Resources for Beginning Farmers in New York State: USDA's Beginning Farmer Team in New York will offer this webinar on March 4 from 12 - 2 p.m. Register here.
- Understanding Eligibility Requirements for NRCS and FSA Programs: USDA's Urban Agriculture Team in New York will offer this webinar for urban producers on March 24 from 12 - 1 p.m. The webinar will be useful to all beginning farmers. Register here.
According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, 27% of farmers were categorized as new and beginning producers, which means they have 10 years or less of experience operating a farm or ranch.
To institutionalize support for beginning farmers and ranchers and to build upon prior agency work, the 2018 Farm Bill directed USDA to create a national coordinator position in the agency and state-level teams for four of its agencies - Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and Rural Development (RD).
Feel free to reach out to the Beginning Farmer Team for additional questions. The New York team consists of:
Lynnette Wright - FSA - Lynnette.wright@usda.gov
Suzanne Baker - NRCS - Suzanne.baker@usda.gov
Bill Ferris - RMA - William.ferris@usda.gov
Joseph Heller - Urban Conservationist - Joseph.heller@usda.gov
USDA offers a variety of farm loan, risk management, disaster assistance, and conservation programs to support farmers, including beginning farmers and ranchers. Additionally, a number of these programs have provisions specifically for beginning farmers, including targeted funding for loans and conservation programs as well as waivers and exemptions. Learn more about USDA's resources for beginning farmers at farmers.gov/newfarmers. Additionally, find information on urban agriculture programs at farmers.gov/urban.
If you need an accommodation to participate in one of these webinars, please contact Lynnette Wright at (315) 477-6309, or by e-mail at lynnette.wright@usda.gov, at least one day prior to the event. You may also contact Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.
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We send out a bi-weekly e-newsletter that has announcements, upcoming programs, and opportunities for you! Registration is quick, easy, and free. Click here to sign up today!Farmers Can Join MeatSuite For Free!
MeatSuite.com is a free resource provided by Cornell University where NY meat farmers can create a farm profile and list their bulk (wholes, halves, quarters) and bundled (i.e. Grilling Bundle) meat products.Why should farmers join?
1. It's free and easy!
2. Connect with more local customers. In the past year the MeatSuite.com farm directory had 8,300 visits from New York consumers. Farm profiles get as many as 25 views per month from potential local customers. We also spotlight MeatSuite farms on social media and bring attention and purchases to farms through highlights and giveaways.
How do I join?
Farmers can visit https://www.meatsuite.com/farmers/ to create a free farm profile. You must list at least one product for your farm's profile to go live. You'll also have access to Cornell's free Meat Price Calculator, a helpful tool for pricing your meat to make a profit.
While you're on MeatSuite, check out the "Creating Consumer-Friendly Bulk Meats" publication on the log-in page. It has tips on how to create bulk meat products that are easier for first-time buyers to say "yes" to.
If you have any questions as you create your farm profile or products, we're here to help! Please email Matt LeRoux at mnl28@cornell.edu.