Rogue Farm Corps

Future farms programs the future farms program addresses systemic barriers to accessing land capital and other resources by providing the education and support that beginning farmers and ranchers need to build successful and sustainable agricultural businesses. We believe that keeping farmers on the land with successful businesses is the most effective and secure way to preserve farmland. Rfcs future farms program consists of four branches of work farm launch technical assistance changing hands workshops and the collaborative farming initiative. In 2024 farm launch worked with 30 beginning farm businesses to help them establish or grow their business and write thorough business plans through 20 cohort learning sessions plus additional one-on-one coaching. Results from our cohort that wrapped up in march 2024 include 93 percent of participants feel better prepared with financial and business skills to begin or expand a farm operation than before farm launch. 100 percent of participants made significant progress on their farm business plan. 79 percent of participants completed a full business plan 4 new farm businesses were launched 3 existing beginning farm businesses experienced significant business development 2 farm launch graduates received the usd usd 15000 agwest new producer grant in addition to technical assistance provided through farm launch the future farms program provided 30 hours of one-on-one technical support to an additional 15 beginning farmers throughout oregon. Rfcs annual changing hands workshops provide education and facilitated networking to farmers and ranchers who are seeking land and farmers and ranchers who are seeking to pass on or lease their land and/or business. In 2024 we provided 2 changing hands workshops in corvallis and central point serving 66 land seekers and landholders. Overall the workshops achieved their primary goal of preparing participants to pursue land access arrangements. Nearly half of participants met a potential land match at the workshop and 81 percent reported being better prepared for working with landholders/seekers. The collaborative farming initiative provides education networking and technical assistance to farmers seeking to collaborate with each other to meet their needs and overcome barriers. In 2024 the collaborative farming initiative created 8 resource library chapters available on our website a collaborative farming quiz to help farmers understand what kind of structure makes sense for their situation and hosted our first two education and networking events focused on collaborative farming topics reaching 50 farmers directly. In total the future farms program served 162 farmers in 2024 providing essential business support to new and emerging small and sustainable farm businesses in oregon. The demographics served through our future farms programming were 51 percent female 16 percent non-binary 29 percent black indigenous or person of color 26 percent lgbtqia2s+ 33 percent income qualified for snap 12 percent living with a disability and 5 percent military veteran status.