La Cosecha (The Harvest) 2020: Expanding the Success and Sustainability of Farming for Beginning Latino Farmers

Goal 1. To expand the sustainable access by socially-disadvantaged Latino farmers to resources and programs and to engage them in modern and efficient pest and nutrient management to support viable crop production, market access, crop diversification, natural resources conservation, and enhanced food security.Objectives. Increase environmentally friendly farming practices by promoting adoption of integrated pest management (IPM), fruit varieties substitution, uses of pollinators, pesticide education, good agricultural practices (GAPS), nutrient management practices, and irrigation practices that mitigate the risk of biotic and abiotic stresses.Increase awareness and link growers to USDA programs for conservation, risk management, and other services of the USDA administered by NRCS, FSA, and RMA.Goal 2. To provide the knowledge and tools in the use of pollination services, business and access to hub food systems and packaging techniques and materials to beginning Latino farmers.Objectives.Provide Latino farmers with the education and training to implement business management plans, marketing, access to food systems (hubs), recordkeeping, financial analysis and identify opportunities for direct marketing including food hubs.Provide training in pollination services that will increase the productivity of fruits.Provide training in packaging that will add value to the harvested fruit.