Nevada County, CA, November 12, 2024 – Sierra Harvest is excited to announce the award of over $750,000 in federal support from the USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This funding aims to strengthen the support and resources available to new farmers and ranchers in Nevada, Placer, Yuba, and El Dorado counties. With this grant, Sierra Harvest can expand its efforts in providing technical support, outreach, and education to help farmers and ranchers build successful, sustainable farm businesses.
Through this three-year grant, Sierra Harvest will provide hands-on support to producers just starting their journey as well as deepening resources for those already embedded in agriculture. Programs funded by this grant will include specialized training, business planning, grant coaching, support with market development, land access, and connections to key resources & collaborators that empower farmers to innovate, remain resilient, and grow the regional food system.
“Our goal is to provide beginning farmers with a solid foundation, from farm business planning and developing sales channels to hands-on skills in sustainable production practices,” said Lindsey Pratt, Sierra Harvest Farm Institute Director. “This funding will allow us to deepen our impact, helping farmers and ranchers overcome barriers in a complex and evolving food economy.”
The BFRDP grant will enable Sierra Harvest to enhance its collaborations with local partners, including the Nevada County Department of Agriculture, Nevada County Office of Economic Development, Nevada County Resource Conservation District, Nevada County Farm Bureau, and Bear Yuba Land Trust, as well as state and regional allies like the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), BriarPatch Food Co-op, and the California Center for Cooperative Development (CCCD). Through these partnerships, Sierra Harvest will expand farmers’ access to critical resources in economic development, sustainable agriculture practices, and cooperative business models. By strengthening these support networks, Sierra Harvest continues to advance its mission of supporting the long-term success and well-being of agricultural producers throughout the region.
The USDA-NIFA BFRDP program provides competitive grant funding to organizations focused on improving the success of beginning farmers and ranchers. With support for education, hands-on learning, financial planning, and community-building resources, BFRDP grants play a pivotal role in strengthening local food systems and advancing farm equity. Eli Bacon, Sierra Harvest Executive Director, says, “This important funding is critical to achieving our goals as a rural non-profit. Because of grants like these, we are able to scale up our programs and support our regional producers. Sierra Harvest has a vision for building a sustainable food system in Nevada County and the Sierra Foothills, which relies on the idea that our farmers and ranchers are successfully integrated into our local economy. This grant enables us to continue facilitating that integration over the next three years.”
For more information on Sierra Harvest’s BFRDP-funded programs and services, visit sierraharvest.org/farmers or contact Farm Institute Director, Lindsey Pratt, at lindsey@sierraharvest.org.
About Sierra Harvest
Sierra Harvest’s mission is to transform lives and strengthen community through fresh, local, seasonal food. Formally established in 2013 through the merger of the Living Lands Agrarian Network and Live Healthy Nevada County, Sierra Harvest brings together years of collaborative grassroots efforts that began in 2006 to improve the health of Nevada County.
Since launching its Farm Institute in 2016, Sierra Harvest has provided over 5,000 hours of farm education, matched 29 farmers to more than 100 acres of land, assisted 10 farm businesses in achieving organic certification, facilitated over 200 hours of farmer-to-farmer mentorship, and supported the launch of 13 farm businesses.