MORRISTOWN, Ind. — For the 2017-18 Beginning Farmers Institute (BFI), the National Farmers Union (NFU) will welcome its biggest class of 20 farmers and ranchers, from across the country.

 

They will travel to Washington, D.C., in September, northern California in November and Missouri next March for multiday workshops and farm tours. The Institute offers the next generation of farmers mentorship, technical training  and leadership development.

“We are happy to welcome our largest class of participants ever for this year’s Beginning Farmers Institute program.

 

Ensuring American agriculture lies in the hands of a well-supported and equipped next generation of farmers and ranchers is a top priority for Farmers Union,” said Rob Larew, NFU vice president of public policy and communications.

Sherri and Randy Dugger are two of three beginning farmers selected from Indiana. “I’m really excited, and it’s a big deal for Indiana because we don’t usually have many who go,” Sherri Dugger said. Dugger Family Farm, which sells produce and feed, opened last July in Morristown. On about three acres, the Duggers raise chicken, goats, alpacas and are building a greenhouse.

The BFI, a benefit offered to NFU members, will help participants build networks with other farmers, developleadership and train in new skills, said Dugger, who is also the media and outreach director for Indiana Farmers Union (IFU), a subsidiary of NFU.

Depending on what that year’s participants want, the BFI covers subjects such as business planning, access to capital, land acquisition and marketing. The beginning farmers are surveyed before final plans are made. “There is definitely a need for new farmers. We are focused on helping family farmers, to support and educate them through programs like BFI, women’s conferences and discounts on feed and supplies,” Dugger said.

Beginning farmers are defined as having an operation for fewer than five years, and the BFI program itself is no older.

The 2012 census data indicates the greatest growth in number of farms is in the small-acreage farm, 50-179 acres. The BFI is focused on agriculture diversity, with participants from this year’s class coming from a variety of operations, including urban farms to large cattle ranches.

Women and veterans represent nearly 60 percent of the 73 beginning farmers who have completed the program, and 13 of the 20 participants this year.

“NFU is proud to offer an educational program that continues to represent the geographical and production diversity in agriculture,” Larew said.

IFU has 1,000 members, and is forming new chapters, Dugger said. With diversity as its goal, it welcomes new and veteran agriculturalists, men and women, urban and rural farmers to get involved.

With 200,000 members, the NFU backs such policies as a farm safety net, fair trade, ending corporate consolidation and addressing climate change. The participants for this year’s BFI include the following: 

 

• Jess Bernstein, Wisconsin

• Aaron Brinkman, California

• Mary Jo Borchardt, Wisconsin

• Serena Cochrane, Missouri

• Randy Dugger, Indiana

• Sherri Dugger, Indiana

• Jacob James Marty, Wisconsin

• Michelle McKenzie, Virginia

• Nicholas Miller, Maryland

• Michael Eugene Morrow, Indiana

• Patrick O’Neill, Colorado

• Rebecca O’Day, Hawaii

• Alicia Razvi, Wisconsin

• Sarah River, Wisconsin

• John Alexander Kipp Roos, Colorado

• Cady Schwab, New York

• Peter Schwagerl, Minnesota

• Martha Skelley, Colorado

• Caitlain Thompson, Texas

• Shannon Van Duren, Colorado