By Blake Jackson
The University of Missouri (MU) has been awarded a $676,784 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to break down barriers for beginning farmers and ranchers in the St. Louis metropolitan region.
The grant will support a three-year project that will provide education, outreach, and one-on-one technical assistance to 80 farmers each year. The project will focus on teaching socially disadvantaged beginning farmers, military veterans, and veteran farmers with disabilities.
MU Extension specialists will partner with A Red Circle, a community-based organization in St. Louis, to deliver the project. The project will build on the Missouri Beginning Farmers Blend Experiential Learning to Grow Their Farm program, which has a proven track record of success.
"These funds provide meaningful support to a rising group of farmers and ranchers – including military veterans – interested in starting new careers after their service," says Karen Funkenbusch, MU Extension health and safety specialist and principal investigator for the grant. "It will help them cultivate the skills needed to be productive, profitable, and resilient."
The project is expected to have a significant impact on the St. Louis metropolitan region and beyond. By helping to train a new generation of farmers, the project will help to ensure the future of agriculture in Missouri.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-jessicahyde
Categories: Missouri, Crops