Equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.
Greetings,

At its heart, building farm resilience is about equipping farms to withstand sudden shocks – whether flooding, weeds, market swings or social upheaval. As the world grapples with the sprawling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for resilient farms is even more apparent.

In this month's update, you will find virtual events and resources to help you remain resilient in these fast-changing times. I hope to see you at a virtual event soon. 

Join other beginning and aspiring farmers to take a quick break from farm work and virtually gather to socialize! Our purpose is to create a supportive, upbeat space for farmers to share and connect during these times of uncertainty. 

Let's see who has the funkiest farm or ag-related shirt! Wear your favorite farm or ag-related shirt on the call when you join in. 
We want to hear your farm’s stories of resilience in the face of COVID-19. How are you adapting on your farm? What changes have you made? How has your community rallied to support your farm business?

Use the hashtag #practicalresilience to share your stories of resilience and we’ll showcase them on our social media channels and in future issues of “Practical News.”
Fridays | 1 - 2 p.m.

Please join us during a one hour virtual meet-up to talk about the ongoing changes and challenges specific to your farms and markets due to COVID-19.

Our intention is to provide a place for producers to share their insights, struggles, ideas and strategies to manage current and anticipated changes related to consumer demand, market access, labor, and enhanced measures for food safety.

Keep informed, share events, meet other farmers, landowners and non-farmers interested in diverse agriculture and get the support you need to make practical food and farm decisions.
Are you looking to get paid, on-the-job training with experienced farmers in Iowa? The Labor4Learning program is designed for beginning farmers seeking employment and additional training in farm management and production skills. Practical Farmers of Iowa “trainer” farmers will be hiring in the early part of the new year for the upcoming growing season. Browse the list below for training opportunities near you.

We have 15 on-farm job openings with farmers across the state who are willing to provide additional training on what it takes to run a farm business. Experienced farmers participating in the Labor4Learning program in 2020 represent a wide range of enterprises and production practices for aspiring farmers to choose from.
Check out these resources for beginning farmers
We have recently updated our collection of business, financial, production and technical assistance resources to help aspiring and beginning farmers further their business goals. You can access them by clicking on the icons below.

We will continue to build this list and add new resources as they are available. If you see any resources missing that you find helpful, please share them with us. You can send them to Greg Padget at greg@practicalfarmers.org .

This page provides links to some resources we have found particularly useful, from reputable sources that are frequently updated with current information. If you have suggestions for resources we should add, or you're unable to find something you need, please contact any of our PFI staff and we will do our best to assist you.
Upcoming PFI Events
April 16:   Meet-Up -   Beginning Farmer
1 p.m. | Online

April 17:   Meet-Up -   Strange Times
1 p.m. | Online

April 24:  Meet-Up -   Strange Times
1 p.m. | Online
May 1:  Meet-Up -  Strange Times
1 p.m. | Online

May 8:   Meet-Up -  Strange Times
1 p.m. | Online
Labor4Learning 
Labor4Learning helps beginning farmers get paid on-the-job training with experienced farmers, and pays experienced farmers for their time and effort.

Savings Incentive Program
Savings Incentive Program is a 2-year program that pairs beginning and aspiring farmers with experienced farmer mentors; provides targeted learning and peer networking opportunities; offers business planning support and guidance. All this while you save money that we match dollar for dollar, up to $2,400, to use toward the purchase of a farm asset.

Find A Farmer
Find A Farmer allows for a comfortable place to start anonymous conversations with land-seekers or landowners. Search for users in a particular area that fit your specifications and begin the discussion.

Find A Farmer is FREE and available for anyone with internet access! No membership is required.
 
Looking for more?
Greg Padget
Next Generation Director
(515) 232-5661