USDA's $28M investment supports beginner farmers and ranchers

Nov 21, 2023

To bolster the agricultural sector, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a $27.9 million investment. This funding, directed towards 45 different organizations, aims to educate and train the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small emphasized the importance of this initiative for future agricultural success and rural prosperity.

The investment is part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). It focuses on various aspects of farming, including capital management, land acquisition, and business strategies. Recognizing the need to lower the age average of U.S. farmers, the program specifically includes provisions for U.S. veterans pursuing agricultural careers.

Highlighted projects include Alaska's Calypso Farm and Ecology Center, which focuses on training Indigenous farmers, and In Her Shoes, Inc., which supports women and Black farmers in the South. These initiatives are designed to cater to the unique challenges faced in different regions, promoting sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices.

This strategic investment marks a significant step in nurturing a new, diverse generation of farmers and ranchers. By addressing both educational needs and systemic barriers, the USDA is paving the way for a more sustainable and profitable agricultural future in the U.S.

Source : wisconsinagconnection

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.