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Beginning Farmer Program for MN, WI & IA Accepting Applications for 2022-2023 Course

Farm Beginnings Marks a Quarter Century of Training Ag’s Next Generation

June 10, 2022

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LEWISTON, Minn. — One of the most successful beginning farmer training programs in the country is now accepting applications for its 2022-2023 course session serving the Minnesota, western Wisconsin and northern Iowa region. The Land Stewardship Project’s (LSP) Farm Beginnings initiative is a year-long training program that focuses on the goal-setting, marketing and financial skills needed to establish a successful farm business. Beginning and prospective farmers are invited to apply to the course. The 2022-2023 session will be a hybrid, taking place mostly online via Zoom, but also including some in-person sessions in the Twin Cities, Minn., area. The course will run from November 2022 through March 2023, with some additional educational opportunities to take place later in 2023. The deadline for applications is Sept. 1. For more details and to apply, see farmbeginnings.org or contact LSP’s Annelie Livingston-Anderson (annelie@landstewardshipproject.org, 612-400-6350) or Pilar Ingram (pingram@landstewardshipproject.org, 612-400-6349).

The Farm Beginnings course creates a space for students to name their vision, acquire the tools and skills needed to make it happen, and become part of a community of support to help them succeed. Since it was launched in the late 1990s, over 1,000 participants have graduated from Fam Beginnings in the Minnesota-Wisconsin-Iowa region, and many of those graduates are involved in farming enterprises such as vegetables, grass-based livestock, organic grains, Community Supported Agriculture and specialty crops.

Farm Beginnings has served as the model for similar beginning farmer training programs across the country. For LSP’s 2022-2023 Farm Beginnings class, applicants from Minnesota, western Wisconsin and northern Iowa will be given priority because the organization is best able to provide resources and connections in this region. If prospective applicants are located elsewhere, they are encouraged to contact the Farm Beginnings Collaborative at farmbeginningscollaborative.org for details on course offerings in other regions.

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Farm Beginnings graduates Cella Langer and Emmet Fisher (shown with their son, Otis) of Oxheart Farm in Hager City, Wis.

Category: News Releases
Tags: beginning farmers • Farm Beginnings

Contact

Farm Beginnings organizers: Annelie Livingston-Anderson (e-mail, 612-400-6350); Pilar Ingram (e-mail, 612-400-6349)

Photo Available

For a digital photo of a Farm Beginnings graduate, contact LSP’s Brian DeVore via e-mail or at 612-816-9342

Upcoming Events

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February 2023

Thursday February 2 – Saturday February 4

GrassWorks Grazing Conference
GrassWorks Grazing Conference
Thursday February 2 – Saturday February 4

See https://grassworks.org/events/grazing-conference for details.

Thursday February 2

1:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Winona County Well Testing Screening
Winona County Well Testing Screening
Thursday February 2
1:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Supporting farmers who are using sustainable practices keeps our drinking water clean. On Thursday, Feb. 2, the Minnesota Well Owners Association and the Minnesota Ground Water Association will be holding a free well water testing screening clinic in western Winona County.

To participate, collect a cup (8 ounces) of water from
your well in a clean plastic or glass container and bring it to the Saint Charles Community Center. Results will be provided to you within 20 minutes.

For more information, check out this flier.

MNWOO StCharlesClinic.pdf
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
LSP Farm Transition Planning Course: Session 2
LSP Farm Transition Planning Course: Session 2
Thursday February 2
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

…Are you a farm family or landowner thinking about the future or next steps for your farm?

…Are you interested in planning for the next generation of farmers on your land?

…Do you have a spouse/partner helping to make these decisions? Are you both on the same page?

…Are you ready to begin the planning process but don’t know where to start?

THE WORKSHOPS WILL FOCUS ON: 

  • Values and Vision;  
  • Financial,  tax, and legal considerations; 
  • Options for farm transitions; 
  • Resources to guide the planning process,
  • Communication tools. 

YOU WILL COME AWAY WITH:

  • Tools to use that will help gain clarity around your future planning
  • Next steps toward creating a farm transition plan
  • Ideas and advice from other farmers and professionals 
  • Networks and support to continue to share and learn
  • Individualized support

Session One: Thursday, Jan. 26: The focus will be on values and vision. In addition, we will be getting to know one another, discussing expectations for the course, and understanding where folks are in the transition planning process.

Session Two: Thursday, Feb. 2: The focus will be on financial planning. Presenter Joy Kirkpatrick, a Succession Outreach Specialist for the University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Profitability, will share her 29 years of experience working with farm families as they assess their financial needs for retirement and how that impacts their farm transition.

Session Three: Thursday, Feb. 9: The focus will be on legal issues in planning a farm transition. Jason Wagner, an attorney with Wagner Oehler Ltd., will share his experience and knowledge regarding legal aspects that need to be considered when planning a farm transition.

Session Four: Thursday, Feb. 16: The focus will be on communications and intergenerational considerations which are critical to a successful farm transition and that are often overlooked.

Session Five: Thursday, Feb. 23: The focus will be on long -term care issues. Kate Graham, an attorney with an elder law focus, will share her knowledge and experience of what needs to be considered when planning long-term care and how a farm transition can be impacted.  

Session Six: Thursday, March 2: The focus will be on integrating all that has been discussed and sharing resources (people, organizations, and materials) that are available to help continue the farm transition planning process. The goal is for each family to create individual next steps to continue the farm transition planning process once the course is over.

To register, click here.

Friday February 3

9:00 am – 10:30 am
2023 Minnesota Legislative Priorities Overview
2023 Minnesota Legislative Priorities Overview
Friday February 3
9:00 am – 10:30 am

Join public officials, partners, and members of the Land Stewardship Project to hear about LSP and LSP partner organizations’ priorities for the 2023 Minnesota legislative session. 
 
Presentation at noon and an optional Q + A portion at 1 p.m. You can register here.
 
Questions? Contact LSP Policy Manager Amanda Koehler at akoehler@landstewardshipproject.org or 612-400-6355.

Monday February 6

8:30 am – 1:30 pm
Crop, Livestock & Soil Innovation Conferences Workshop
Crop, Livestock & Soil Innovation Conferences Workshop
Monday February 6
8:30 am – 1:30 pm

The Land Stewardship Project is a co-sponsor of the 2023 I-90 & Highway 14 Tour CLASIC. Network, learn, and get inspired with area farmers and regional farming innovators as we discuss current trends for improving productivity and profitability in crop and livestock operations utilizing soil-healthy practices. The Crop, Livestock, and Soil Innovation Conferences (CLASIC) is made up of two tours in Minnesota, traveling along Interstate 90 and Highway 14, consisting of several stops.

Click this link for more details and a complete listing of workshops. Each venue’s program is unique and varied — be sure to check them all out and register for multiple events.

The speaker for the Feb. 6 event will be Dean Sponheim, a fourth-generation farmer from Mitchell County, Iowa. He began strip-tilling in 1999, aerial applying cover crops in the fall of 2012, and started a cover crop seed business in 2014 and no-tilling corn and soybeans in 2019.

To register for the Feb. 6 workshop, click here.

View Full Calendar

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https://landstewardshipproject.org/beginning-farmer-program-for-mn-wi-ia-accepting-applications-for-2022-2023-course