Improving Massachusetts Beginning Farmers Success Rates Through Comprehensive, Tailored Technical Assistance and Support

Through this grant, CISA and our Buy Local partners will offer expanded and improved technical assistance services to beginning farmers throughout Massachusetts. We will target farmers who are starting or who already own or operate a farm business and have fewer than 10 years of farming experience. Our long-range goal for this project is to improve the sustainability of Massachusetts' beginning farm businesses in order to maintain farmland and farm businesses, as current farmers retire. Our primary objectives and outcomes are:378 participating farmers (90% of 420) will "moderately increase" knowledge and 273 (65% of 420) will "substantially increase" knowledge in the areas of marketing, business planning, financial analysis, diversification, and/or natural resource management.147 participating farmers (35% of 420) will implement a business change as a result of the training.147 participating farmers (35% of 420) farmers will meet or exceed their farm's financial goals.210 participating farmers (50% of 420) will confirm this program contributed to their ability to keep farming.