New Growth Beginning fArmers Project
A collaborative project working to Increase "the impact of our rural-urban partnerships to enhance the food supply and help beginning farmers have excellent access to
markets & expand the impact of our food system work by broadening the geographic
area further into Kansas and Missouri and connecting farmers with the KC supply chain."
In 2023, collaborators from the West Central Missouri Community Action Agency (New Growth), The Kansas City Food Hub, Cultivate KC, Kansas State University, KC Healthy Kids, and the University of Missouri were awarded funding from the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program for their proposal titled: “A Collaborative Approach to Ensuring Beginning Farmer Success.” The target audience for the project is a producer with no more than 10 years in operation, both urban and rural, with aspirations to expand in size and/or explore new market channels for their produce. This project builds on work previously accomplished through the Beginning Farmer Wholesale Project. It continues to present new opportunities for our region’s farmers to grow their businesses and the scale of local food production.
Current Mentors:
Mentorship Program Inquiry: Beginning Farmer Mentorship Program Inquiry (google.com)
Scholarship link: Beginning Farmer & Rancher Scholarship Application (google.com)
Climate Smart Agricultural Practices Video Series (Feel free to share!): Climate Smart Agricultural Practices Video Series - YouTube
Current Mentors:
- Linda Hezel at Prairie Birthday Farm LLC in Kearney, MO
- Klaus Karbaumer at Karbaumer Farm in Platte City, MO
- Rebecca Graff & Tom Ruggieri at Fair Share Farm in Kearney, MO
- Liz Graznak at Happy Hollow Farm in Jamestown, MO
- Nathan Boone at Boone Organics Farm in Sheridan, IN (virtual only)
- Sarah Millsap at Farmer's Market, Millsap Farm in Springfield, MO
- Curtis Millsap at Millsap Farm in Springfield, MO
- Kimby Decker, Flower Farming Specialist at Millsap Farms in Springfield, MO
- Kevin and Cherie Schenker at Schenker Farms in McCune, KS
Mentorship Program Inquiry: Beginning Farmer Mentorship Program Inquiry (google.com)
Scholarship link: Beginning Farmer & Rancher Scholarship Application (google.com)
Climate Smart Agricultural Practices Video Series (Feel free to share!): Climate Smart Agricultural Practices Video Series - YouTube
