Program helps fill shortage of farmers and ranchers in the US
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Albuquerque, NM, 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
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 https://holisticmanagement.org
(www.holisticmanagement.org) HMI is an Albuquerque-based international non-profit organization whose mission is to educate people to manage land for a sustainable future. They believe people count, healthy land is essential, and money matters. They accomplish their mission by delivering a variety of programs and services designed to educate and support farmers, ranchers and land stewards in their efforts to enhance the land through Holistic Management. Currently, there are 40 million acres of land on four continents managed under this planning system. -30-