USDA New Farmer Mentorship Program

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Taylor in Business, Farming Resources, Financing, Management, Mentoring // 0 Comments

USDA New Farmer Mentorship Program: USDA and SCORE Launch Innovative Mentorship Effort to Support New Farmers and Ranchers

USDA is collaborating with SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors in an effort to provide free business mentoring to farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural and rural business owners.

New Farmer Mentorship Program SCORE volunteer mentors have backgrounds in finance, accounting, marketing, operations, business and financial planning. They will provide local expertise and free one-on-one business mentoring to new and existing farmers and business owners. Together they will work through the process of starting up or maintaining ag and rural businesses. No matter what stage your business is in, SCORE volunteer mentors can help in developing business plans, navigating financing and legal issues, identifying new markets, and other topics in order to help you succeed.

Who do you turn to for support? Farming and ranching require a diverse set of skills, and you need people in your corner—mentors and advisors from a wide range of backgrounds who can help you weather challenges and achieve your agricultural goals. When it comes to the business side of your farm, it’s critical to lay solid foundations from the start and to know where to go for support.

FSA invites you to learn more about the New Farmer Mentorship Program and sign up for a mentor today at https://newfarmers.usda.gov/mentorship.

The USDA New Farmer Mentorship Program through SCORE is free, confidential, and one-on-one.

You can identify specific business questions that you’d like to receive support on, or more generally request mentorship in an area of your business, such as business plan development, marketing strategies, cash flow management, and tax planning. Once you make a request for a mentor, you will be paired with an individual within 72 hours. SCORE mentors are volunteers who have real-world business experience and can support you through all the stages of your operation.

Once you’ve been paired with a mentor, you will schedule a time to meet. Before the conclusion of your initial session, your mentor (or someone from the local SCORE office) will schedule another appointment for you or assist you in finding the correct resource. Some mentorships can also take place online if that is more convenient for you.

Learn more about farm business planning from beginningfarmers.org at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/farm-business-planning/

Find more resources from beginningfarmers.org at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/resources/