More Beginning Farmer and Rancher Competitive Grants Program Information
Program Details:
Applicant Resources:
Results and Impacts:
Reviewer Information:
Other:
NIFA collected stakeholder input into the BFRDP program for FY 2010, through two webinars.
Full transcripts of these webinars are available: October 14th, 3 – 4.30 pm and October 15th, 9.30 – 11 am
NIFA also received stakeholder input through the advertised call-in number, fax, E-mail
- FY 2009 Stakeholder Input:
On October 27, 2008, NIFA conducted a public meeting at the Waterfront Centre in Washington, DC to solicit comments regarding the implementing regulations to be developed for this program. Approximately 50 people attended this session from several Community Based Organizations (e.g., Land Stewardship Project, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, California Farm Link, New American Sustainable Agriculture Project, Rural Coalition, American Farm Bureau, Center for Rural Affairs, etc); Professional Organizations (FFA, NASULGC. American Forest Foundation, etc), Universities (Iowa State University, Regional Risk Management Education centers, etc), State and Federal Agencies (USDA Office of Small farm Coordination, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, etc), farms and small businesses (e.g., Simple Gifts Farm, Custom Ag Solutions, etc) and others. A transcript of this meeting is available
To provide more opportunities for interested stakeholders to participate, internet based webinars were held on October 28th and 30th. More than 90 people attended from primarily universities and a few Community Based Organizations. The entire proceedings of the webinars are available at:
NIFA also received stakeholder input through the advertised call-in number, fax and email.
NIFA considered all the stakeholder input received from the public meeting, webinars as well as other written comments in developing the RFA for this program.
Based on stakeholder input farm safety and forestry, range, organic and peri-urban farming are added to the list of priorities in FY 2009. As recommended by stakeholders, evaluation criterion includes emphasis on past experience in providing education, training and mentoring to beginning farmers and ranchers; and direct interaction with farmers; definition of target audience. Interaction with FFA and other young farmer groups and the Secretary’s Advisory Group on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers are encouraged. The geographical regions for educational teams are left undefined allowing for applicants to form their own teams. Following the legislation and stakeholder recommendations, priority will be given to projects that are led by or include Community Based Organizations and/or Non-Governmental Organizations.
Several of the recommendations regarding panel selections and composition of the review panel will also be addressed in conformity with the approved procedures of NIFA Competitive Grants program. In addition, there will be an ongoing process in evaluating and implementing suggestions made by stakeholders into the BFRDP program and ongoing stakeholder input will be encouraged and opportunities provided as the program moves forward. Several comments were received concerning the matching funds requirements; the BFRDP legislation will be followed as to the requirement for matching funds
Back to Beginning Farmer and Rancher Funding Opportunity
|
