Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council

Awards Issued Prior to January 20, 2025, Were Funded Under Previous Administrations and May Not Reflect the Priorities and Policies of the Current Administration. the Economic Value of Agriculture in Northeast Tennessee Is Approximately $330 Million Per Year, However an Aging Farmer Workforce Andloss of Prime Farmland Threaten the Long Term Viability of the Agricultural Sector in the Region. Northeast TN Is One of the Poorest Regions of the State, With a Poverty Rate That Is 40% Higher Than the State Average (19% Versus 13.9%). in the REGION'S 34FEDERALLY Designated Opportunity Zones, the Poverty Rate Reaches an Average of 29%. According to the 2017 Usda Census of Agriculture, the Number of New Beginning Farmers Under 35 Has Increased 17% But the Number of Farmers Over Age 75 Has Increased by 24%. Our Farmers Are Aging Faster Than There Is a Replacement Workforce Coming in. These Trends Are Being Seen Across the County, and Nationally, Over the Next 20 Years, 240 Million Acres of Farmland Will Change Hands, According to Research Done by the National Young Farmers Coalition. the Appalachian Rc&d Counciland Project Partners Will Work to Transition Productive Farmland to the Next Generation of Farmers and Provide Training to Foster the Start Up of Financially and Environmentally Sustainable Businesses That Will Drive Economic Development in Northeast Tn.through the Field School Beginning Farmer Training Program, the Appalachian Rc&d Council (ARCD) Will Reach Its Goals of 1) Increasing the Number of New Farm Startups and Enhancing the Financial Sustainability of Beginning Farm Operations; 2) Supporting the Creation of Communities of Support and Practice Among Veteran, Women, and Socially Disadvantaged Beginning Farmers; 3) Increasing the Utilization of Usda and State Farmer Support, Grant, and Cost-share Programs; 4) Increasing the Implementation of Sustainable Production Methods by Beginning Farmers; 5) Increasing Access to Affordable Farm Land and Fostering the Transition of Farmland to the Next Generation of Farmers in the Appalachian Highlands Region. Arcd Will Holistically Improve Start-up Opportunities for a Diversity of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers to Establish and Sustain Viable Agricultural Operations and Communitiesthrough a Combination of Strategies, Including 1) Providing Education, Training, Resources and Support to Beginning Farmers Through In-person and Online Workshops; 2) Providing Free One on One Consulting on Business and Production Planning; 3) Facilitating Opportunities for Peer to Peer Learning and Networking Through Peer Learning Circles; 4) Providing Workshops for Women and Retiring Landowners on Creating Long-term Lease Agreements, Resource Conservation Practices, and Conservation Easements; and 5) Increasing Promotion and Outreach About, and Expanding the Resources/information Available on, the Tnfarmlink.org Website. Through the Field School Program, Arcd Will Foster 25 New Farm Startups and Reach 320 Beginning Farmerswith Training and Education Over the Three Year Project Period. While the Program Will Be Available to All Beginning Farmers, Each Objective Gives Special Consideration to the Needs of Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Military Veteran, Women, and Young Farmers.