Holistic Management International, (HMI) Awarded $537,101 Grant to Train Beginning Women Farmers
Program helps fill shortage of farmers and ranchers in the U.S.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- HMI is being awarded a grant based upon the success of their Beginning Farmers & Ranchers: Women in the Northeast program. The USDA NIFA BFRD Program is awarding the grant to continue HMI's work in the Northeast and expand the program to Austin, Texas.
This 3-year grant will result in 360 beginning women farmers trained in whole farm planning and drafting a whole farm plan. HMI's Holistic Management® whole farm/ranch planning curriculum focuses on business planning skills, time management, soil fertility management, and profitable sustainable livestock and crop farming practices.
By receiving this grant, HMI can continue to serve a valuable role in training more farmers and ranchers in ways that not only create healthy land – but also improve the profitability and quality of life of the people who live on that land. HMI will help these women realize their dreams of becoming self-sufficient farmers and ranchers in sustainable agriculture.
HMI's work also helps address the shortage of farmers and ranchers in the United States. USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has set a goal of creating 100,000 new farmers in the next few years. The average American farmer is 58 years old. The average cattleman is 61 years old. So there is a clear need for more - and younger - farmers and ranchers. HMI CEO, Peter Holter states, "The good news is there is a new generation coming on that wants to farm and ranch and they are exploring new paradigms — and they desperately want training — not only in production but management to run a smaller, efficient, profitable healthy enterprise. Many of them are women – 30% of the 3 million farms are operated by women today. Women are twice as likely to take over an existing enterprise or start a new one as men."
Women interested in joining the program can find out more at http://holisticmanagement.org
This project was supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2012-49400-19673. To find more resources and programs for beginning farmers and ranchers please visit www.Start2Farm.gov, a component of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.
CONTACT: Sandy Langelier, 505-842-5252, [email protected]
SOURCE Holistic Management International
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