Beginning Farmer Opportunities with National Farmers Union
NFU’s Beginning Farmer Institute
BFI develops leadership and farm management skills in beginning farmers and additionally encourages them to apply those abilities in their community organizations. Farmers Union employs educational sessions, business tools and professional speakers in a structured setting that includes on-farm experiences and tours of cooperatives.
Application deadline for the next class is April 30!
NFU’s Beginning Farmer Forum
The NFU Beginning Farmer Forum is a community of farmers, ranchers, educators, policy makers, and the general public that share common knowledge and interest in helping beginning farmers and ranchers overcome the challenges to starting and sustaining a farming operation in the U.S. This community hopes to spread awareness about these challenges, provide insight into how they can be addressed at local, state and national policy levels, and share current resources and tools that benefit.
KBFC Supports You in Realizing Your Farming Dreams
ENGAGE
Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition engages and informs beginning farmers and ranchers through online resources.We ENGAGE through
Online resources including this website, our Top 10 and Monthly Harvest e-newsletters, and the KBFC forum on Google Groups.ENCOURAGE
KBFC encourages producers to explore innovative production, management and finance strategies.We ENCOURAGE by
Bringing together farmers of all experience levels for tours and farm days–key sources of inspiration and knowledge transfer, and by providing informal mentoring opportunities.EMPOWER
KBFC empowers farmers and ranchers to seek solutions to our shared opportunities and challenges.We EMPOWER by
Establishing working groups to explore opportunities such as cooperative equipment sharing, LandLink programs, and group purchasing. And by advocating for state and national policies and programs that support beginning farmers.ABOUT KANSAS BEGINNING FARMERS COALITION
Founded in 2012, KBFC is a statewide, grassroots (soon to be) not-for-profit organization working to engage, encourage, and empower beginning farmers of all ages.
The first ever KBFC state meeting was held in November 2012 and things really took off from there. Regular e-newsletters, Facebook page, and list serve help to keep farmers connected and allow for the opportunity to share information and ask questions. With support from Farm Aid we’ve offered farm tours and field days, a listserv and eNews, as well as advocacy training.
2018 THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX TOURS
IT’S A GREAT TIME TO EXPLORE OPTIONS WITH AGRICULTURE!
The ‘Thinking Outside the Box’ farm tour series spotlights farms doing things differently. Whether it’s reducing inputs and focusing on soil health in row crops; bringing diversification back to the farm; or exploring marketing opportunities that add value and allow the farmer to enhance market returns on their investment, you’ll be inspired to see new options.
IOWA BUS TOUR | July 16-17, 2018
Visit 3 farms with decades of experience leading the way in innovative production and marketing strategies.
LEARN MORE ABOUT IOWA FARMS BUS TOUR
NORTH CENTRAL KS FARM TOUR | July 30, 2018
Visit 6 farms producing & marketing directly to consumers.
From the Farm to the Fork!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NC KS FARM TOUR
GET ENGAGED
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Got Questions? Answers?
KBFC has a listserv just for you! Whatever your experience level, our Google Group provides a forum for questions, research, events, stories and more. Contributions by all farmers are valuable so click on over and JOIN US TODAY!
Catch Up!
Be in the know about beginning farmer events, issues and efforts statewide. Mixers, farm tours, policy efforts, profiles…you’ll find it all in the KBFC Monthly Harvest. Sign-up today!
WHAT ELSE? The Best Encouragement Around!
We work to encourage socializing, networking, and skill sharing among beginning farmers across Kansas. But that’s not all, KFU is launching a campaign to increase awareness among current KFU members of opportunities to support and mentor beginning farmers and maximize the development of relationships across generations, experience levels, and crop/production types.
Visit our farms and discover how we do things and why. Learn from us!
Gather at KBFC regional Meet and Eat potlucks. Get to know us!
Learn from experienced farmers. Attend our great workshops!
KBFC News
Soldier’s Return: Reintegrating with society through farming
By Tom Parker After two tours of combat in Iraq, U.S. Army Major Ty Martin was feeling the strain. Though he wasn’t exhibiting clinical symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, he was, in his words, “wrapped sort of tight.” This was particularly troubling because his pending retirement from the service gave him qualms about transitioning back into civilian life. Recognizing the symptoms, a close friend, Ron Ward, [...]
Returning to the Land: Diversification, family, and community lay foundation for success
By Tom Parker Jay Schwinn was living the American dream as a Merrill Lynch executive when the entire U.S. financial sector imploded in 2008. After being bought out, he called his brother, Joe, asking if he could use a partner on his small vegetable farm outside Leavenworth, Kan. His brother, while apologetic, was firm: no way could they could grow enough vegetables to support the two of [...]
CRISIS DEFERRED: Urban farming and second-generation farm diversification promise new models for small farm success
By Tom Parker “You can all hear the roadway, right?” asked Josh Smith, manager of Gibbs Road Farm. “It never stops, day or night. That’s a constant reminder that we live in the city.” Smith had to raise his voice to be heard above the roar of a nearby interstate. His audience, participants in the first of three farm tours sponsored in part by the Kansas Farmers [...]
Summer Fun Farm Tour Series Kicks-off August 1
Kansas Farmers Union and the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Kansas are offering new and aspiring farmers an opportunity to visit nine Kansas and Missouri farms and learn from educators, producers and other experts about topics ranging from farm food safety to business planning. The Summer Fun Farm Tour Series runs every other Monday in August and includes stops across the northeastern region of the state, a local foods lunch, networking, [...]
Change the World by Asking “Why?”
By Tom Parker As an opening act for a discussion on cultivating healthy rural communities, Rosanna Bauman’s stunt with a big pitcher of water and a small drinking glass were hard to beat. As members of the Kansas Farmers Union kept one eye on Bauman and the other on their lunch, the crisp clatter of forks and knives on dinner plates faded to a stunned silence punctuated by nervous laughter [...]
NFU Beginning Farmer Institute Accepting Applications for 2016-17 Class
Cultivating the next generation of farmers and ranchers to carry on the legacy of American agriculture is the main focus of the National Farmers Union (NFU) Beginning Farmer Institute. NFU encourages new farmers, starting an operation of any size, to apply for the 2016-17 program class. Through sessions hosted in Washington D.C. and California, the program’s hands-on training emphasizes many of the challenges beginning farmers may face in their careers, [...]
Hop on the Bus, Get Schooled on Local Food and Value-Added Production & Processing
Farmers of all experience levels are invited to hop on the bus and gain a better grasp of the opportunities and challenges of our local food systems. The Kansas Beginning Farmer Bus Tour follows convention and a special beginning farmer rate is available thanks to the Midwest Regional Agency. Learn more and register at KansasFarmersUnion.org Since 1910, the Iwig family has been raising cows and producing milk for Kansas families. [...]
Kansas Family Farms Day at the Capitol
Kansas Family Farms Day at the Capitol March 24, Kansas State Capitol, Topeka KS RSVP ONLINE HERE! The day will start at 9:00 AM in the Capitol Vistors Center auditorium with a briefing/press conference, followed by coffee and rolls on the first floor, south of the rotunda. Through the day, attendees are welcome to sit in on House and Senate proceedings and possibly meet personally with and deliver information to [...]
Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition is celebrating our fourth birthday by honoring those that have nurtured beginning farmers across the state with the Sprouts Salute Awards. But we need your help!
KBFC invites YOU to nominate the organizations, individuals, businesses, and beginning farmers that have supported you as a beginning farmer, contributed to your business successes, and helped to minimize your challenges.
Make your nominations by Tuesday. We’ll then compile all nominations and the top five nominees in each category-nine in the beginning farmer category-will move forward to the voting process this week.
ABOUT NATIONAL YOUNG FARMERS COALITION
Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition recognizes the amazing work of the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC). NYFC is a national network of young and sustainable farmers organizing for our collective success: we’re defining the issues that beginning farmers face, fighting for the policy change that we need, and bringing farmers together in person and online to learn, share and build a stronger community. Join the movement at www.youngfarmers.org.