Published Jan 19, 2023

Registration is open for 2023 Beginning Farmer Summit – Feb. 13 in Ames
By Tamsyn Jones
Practical Farmers of Iowa hosts the event for beginners at different stages of their first 10 years farming

Contacts:

Tamsyn Jones | Senior Editor & Magazine Coordinator | Practical Farmers of Iowa | (515) 232-5661 | tamsyn.jones@practicalfarmers.org

AMES, Iowa (Jan. 19, 2023) — Practical Farmers of Iowa will host its second annual Beginning Farmer Summit on Monday, Feb. 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Harvest Vineyard Church (320 S 17th St.) in Ames.

The event is free, and is designed for both beginning farmers and experienced farmers and landowners looking to help the next generation get started and access land. Farmers from all enterprises are encouraged to attend.

Registration is required and open online until Feb. 8. To register, visit practicalfarmers.org/beginning-farmer-summit. After Feb. 8, please call the PFI office to register at (515) 232-5661.

Beginning farmers face many barriers to getting started, from daunting land access challenges and high start-up costs to steep learning curves and lack of support to help them navigate these challenges.

The Beginning Farmer Summit aims to address some of these obstacles through training targeted to beginning farmers’ experience levels and related needs. The event also helps beginning farmers form networks with their peers while connecting them to farmers and landowners looking to support the next generation.

“We recognize that beginning farmers need different support and resources as they move through different stages within their first 10 years of farming,” says Greg Padget, PFI’s beginning farmer viability manager. “This is why we have designed the summit with tailored tracks to support each phase of farming.”

Beginning Farmer Summit Tracks:

  • Aspiring farmers who have not yet started farming will learn about setting goals related to preparing to farm. These goals will focus on building connections and mapping out ways to access farmland.
  • Beginning farmers Will get to choose from one of two tracks, Enterprise Budgeting for Decision-Making or Fundamentals to a Marketing Plan. Each track will include a deep dive into the topic, and participants will leave with next steps to improve their farm business and decision-making ability.
  • Farmers and landowners seeking to support beginning farmers will participate in the farmland owner track. These sessions and network activities will help participants set goals focused on providing farmland access to beginning farmers and meeting aspiring farmers looking for farmland to get started.

The afternoon will be filled with networking opportunities and a farm plan pitch session, where beginning farmers can pitch their farm idea to a panel of experienced farmers, bankers and others for feedback. Attendees will leave with many resources and connections to support their farming journey.

For questions about the summit, contact Greg Padget at (515) 232-5661 or greg.padget@practicalfarmers.org.

This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, project 2020-03788.

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About Practical Farmers: Practical Farmers of Iowa works to equip farmers to build resilient farms and communities. Our values include: welcoming everyone; farmers leading the exchange of experience and knowledge; curiosity, creativity, collaboration and community; resilient farms now and for future generations; and stewardship of land and resources. To learn more, visit http://practicalfarmers.org.