The Beginning Farmer Summit is an opportunity to reconnect with friends and peers and make new acquaintances. The event is free, and farmers from all enterprises are encouraged to attend. Registration is required and open until Feb. 2.
Getting started in farming can be hard, but the right support and network can boost your chance of success. Practical Farmers of Iowa recognizes that beginning farmers need different support and resources as they move through different stages within their first 10 years of farming. This is why we have designed the summit with tailored tracks to support each phase of farming.

These tracks include:
  • Aspiring Farmers (not yet started farming)
  • Beginning Farmers (1 to 5 years of experience)
  • Intermediate Farmers (6 to 10 years of experience)
  • Farmers and Landowners

In addition to learning opportunities, all participants will have the chance to network with others and learn more about resources to support beginning farmers.
Are you thinking about getting into farming but aren't sure where to start? The PFI annual conference has sessions to help beginning farmers, including sessions on land access, diversifying your farm and more.
For more than 15 years, Practical Farmers of Iowa has actively worked to help beginning farmers start and succeed in farming. The farmland viability coordinator will be pivotal to using PFI’s resources and network to support farmland seekers, farmers who want to transfer their businesses or land to another operator, and non-operating landowners. 

This position is part of PFI’s farm viability department, which provides business and market development, technical and financial assistance and focused policy advocacy to reduce major barriers to resilient farming.

Visit our employment page to learn more about the position and how to apply.
Upcoming PFI events
Jan. 18: Farminar - "High-Producing Organic No-Till"
7 p.m. | Online

Jan. 21-22: Annual Conference - "Facing the Horizon" | Ames, IA

7 p.m. | Online
Feb. 7: Conference - Beginning Farmer Summit | Cedar Rapids, IA

7 p.m. | Online

Feb. 11: Workshop - Commercial Apple Growers Workshop | Ames, IA
We have recently updated our collection of business, financial, production and technical assistance resources to help aspiring and beginning farmers further their business goals. You can access them by clicking on the icons below.

We will continue to build this list and add new resources as they are available. If you see any resources missing that you find helpful, please share them with us. You can send them to Celize Christy at celize@practicalfarmers.org.
Check out these resources for beginning farmers
Land Advocacy Fellowship | National Young Farmers Coalition
The Land Advocacy Fellowship is a two-year advocacy and leadership fellowship for current and aspiring young farmers and ranchers. Together, we will build momentum and shift power to advocate for policy change in the 2023 Farm Bill that elevates equitable and affordable land access. This fellowship is part of the National Young Farmers Coalition’s One Million Acres for the Future Campaign—an initiative to ensure that land is equitably transitioned to the next generation of farmers by changing policy in the 2023 Farm Bill. > Apply by January 15th
The FFI Fellows Program pairs entrepreneurs with an industry-expert coach that works with you through all key areas of your business: sales, operations, accounting, finance, food safety, and marketing plus branding. In addition, it leverages peer learning through facilitated bi-monthly (every other week) learning groups. > Learn more and register
Online | January 13, 20, 27, and February 3 and 10, 2022
Sustainable Farming Association in Minnesota presents a series of free, evening events highlighting one or two farmers producing a different livestock species. Episode topics are hogs, sheep, bison, goats and chickens. Every Thursday from 6-7:30 PM starting on January 13, 2022. Advance registration is required for all events. > Register
Do you need your chickens or turkeys processed at a USDA facility? After 12 months of hard work, the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance’s poultry processing facility opened in November in Stacyville, Iowa. They have already processed 5,000 chickens under USDA inspection and we are starting to book dates for poultry farmers in 2022! For any farmers interested in poultry processing services in 2022 please fill out this form.
The Beginning Farmers Developing and Educating Managers and New Decision Makers (DEMaND) 5-weekly online session series was created to help beginning farmers learn about financial and business management strategies important in running your operation. This series offers articles, workshops and additional resources to help navigate managing a farm.
Interested in running a meat goat operation? Meat Goat Production and Management Home Study Course is for goat producers interested in improving their production practices and ultimately the profitability of their operation. This is a home study course with an additional offering of three optional supplemental webinars to review materials. > Register
Finding and retaining good labor is one of the biggest challenges that beginning farmers face. This series of six online workshops is designed to help farmers build practical labor management knowledge and skills. Each two-part workshop in the series is $35, and scholarships and discounts are available.  > Learn more & register
January 31 + February 7: Guest presenter Steve Gabriel will discuss how a woodlot can be utilized responsibly for supporting livestock well-being and productivity. 
  • Part 1 - Assessing a Woods for Silvopasture What woods are a good fit for silvopasture? Learn how to identify promising sites, and which ones to leave alone. > Register
  • Part 2 - Thinning, Clearing, and Establishing Forage and Fodder Learn a range of techniques to thin trees, remove vegetation, and set a woodland up for efficient grazing. > Register
Funding Opportunities
FACT awards competitive grants of up to $3,000 to working, independent farmers located in the U.S. who raise beef cattle, bison, broiler chickens, dairy cows, ducks, geese, goats, laying hens, pigs, sheep and/or turkeys. The deadline to apply is January 20, 2022. Grants will be awarded in March 2022.
Young Farmer Grants | National Young Farmers Coalition
National Young Farmers Coalition is partnering with Chipotle to offer $5,000 grants to 50 young farmers and ranchers to support them in building careers in agriculture. A minimum of 50% of the grants will go to Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, and 50% of grants to female-identifying, non-binary, and trans farmers. Applications are due by January 28, 2022. > Learn more & apply online
American Farmland Trust administers this fund to help farmers: 1) Improve farm viability; 2) Access, transfer, or permanently protect farmland; or 3) Adopt regenerative agricultural practices. The fund will focus on farmers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual. Applications will be reviewed and awarded in the order received, based on eligibility.
Farm Veteran Fellowship Fund | Farmer Veteran Coalition
The Farmer Veteran Coalition provides direct assistance to veterans who are in their beginning years of farming or ranching. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000. Veterans of any branch of the U.S. Military from all service eras and those currently serving are eligible. Applications are due by February 14, 2022. > Learn more & apply online
Looking for more?
Greg Padget
Next Generation Director
(515) 232-5661
Celize Christy
Next Generation Coordinator
(515) 232-5661