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Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Aims to Develop a Strong, Diverse Next Generation of American Farmers; Supports Efforts to Bring Veterans and Socially Disadvantaged Entrepreneurs into Farming and Ranching

UPDATED RELEASE

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced more than $17 million in grants for organizations that will develop training and provide other resources for beginning farmers and ranchers across the nation. The awards are made through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, which is administered by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

"When new farmers and ranchers start their operations, the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program can help them implement tested strategies and new ideas that in turn benefit all of us by reducing food insecurity, growing economic opportunities, and building communities," said Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden. "Today, we are partnering with organizations who recognize that an investment in our beginning farmers and ranchers is also an investment in our future."

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program was first established by the 2008 Farm Bill and was continued in the 2014 Farm Bill. The program provides support to those who have farmed or ranched for less than 10 years. NIFA awards grants to organizations throughout the United States that implement programs to train beginning farmers and ranchers, which may take place through workshops, educational teams, training, or technical assistance.

The 2014 Farm Bill mandated that at least five percent of BFRDP funding must support veterans and socially disadvantaged farmers. This year, 10 percent of the funding supports veterans and farming, while about 50 percent of the funding will serve socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

Since 2009, 184 awards have been made for more than $90 million through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. These awards are part of USDA's deep commitment to empowering beginning farmers and ranchers across America.

Fiscal year 2015 grants include :

• Auburn University, Auburn, Ala., $711,213
• Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala., $459,914
• University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark., $681,459
• Farmer Veteran Coalition, Davis, Calif., $712,500
• Planting Justice, Oakland, Calif., $708,700
• American Farmland Trust, Washington, D.C., $669,796
• Hmong National Development, Washington, D.C., $711,623
• University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, $506,122
• Chicago Horticultural Society, Chicago, Ill., $712,500
• Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, $698,393
• Kentucky State University, Frankfort, Ky., $493,467
• Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Unity, Maine, $709,713
• World Farmers, Inc., Lancaster, Mass., $711,562
• The Greening of Detroit, Detroit, Mich., $100,000
• Hmong American Farmers Association, St. Paul, Minn., $712,500
• Mississippi Delta Council for Farm Workers Opportunities, Inc., Clarksdale, Miss., $681,628
• Winston County Self Help Cooperative, Jackson, Miss., $538,271
• Legal Aid of Nebraska, Omaha, Neb., $654,902
• Land for Good, Inc., Keene, N.H., $641,222
• Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J., $460,170
• Center of Southwest Culture, Inc., Albuquerque, N.M., $100,000
• Hawthorne Valley Association, Ghent, N.Y., $693,918
• Dakota Rural Action, Brookings, S.D., $225,079
• South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D., $706,907
• University of Texas - Pan American, Edinburg, Texas, $712,500
• Arcadia Food, Inc., Alexandria, Va., $100,000
• Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., $656,903
• University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., $720,989
• Organic Seed Alliance, Port Townsend, Wash., $251,237
• Tri-State Local Foods, Inc., Huntington, W.V., $100,000
• Easter Seals Wisconsin, Inc., Madison, Wisc., $496,914
• Southwest Badger Resource Conservation & Development Council, Platteville, Wisc., $219,274
• University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisc., $187,379
• Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, Spring Valley, Wisc., $310,419

Information on past awards can be found on the NIFA website.

Funding for the BFRDP program is authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit the Farm Bill page on the USDA website.

More information about USDA support for new farmers and ranchers is available on the New Farmers page on the USDA website.

NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and extension and seeks to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. To learn more about NIFA's impact on agricultural science, visit nifa.usda.gov/impacts or follow us on Twitter @usda_nifa using hashtag #NIFAImpacts.

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-- House and Senate Democratic Leadership Repeatedly Supported Collective Bargaining Changes -- 

Governor Rauner yesterday delivered remarks explaining how reforming collective bargaining is a bi-partisan idea and would save taxpayers billions. In fact, many Democrats, including the House Speaker and House Majority Leader as well as the Senate President and Senate Majority Leader, have voted in recent years to limit and remove collective bargaining requirements in an effort to save taxpayers money.

"Twice in the last four years, Illinois Democrats voted to reform collective bargaining, but now they are hiding behind it to try to force spending higher and raise taxes on the people of Illinois," Rauner spokesman Lance Trover said.  "The notion that collective bargaining is sacrosanct to the Democratic Party is nothing more than political gamesmanship to protect the status quo and hurt taxpayers."

SB 1 (Pension Reform of 2013)

Senate Democrats voting aye:

Biss, Cunningham, Harmon, Hunter, Jones, Landek, Martinez, McGuire, Morrison, Mulroe, Munoz, Raoul, Sandoval, Silverstein, Stadelman, Steans, Van Pelt, Mr. President

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/98/senate/09800SB0001_12032013_005000R.pdf

House Democrats voting aye:

Acevedo, Andrade, Arroyo, Bradley, Burke, D., Burke, K., Cassidy, Chapa LaVia, Conroy, Crespo, Currie, D'Amico, Davis, M., Drury, Dunkin, Evans, Feigenholtz, Fine, Flowers, Gabel, Harris, G., Hernandez, Hurley, Jones, Kifowit, Lang, Manley, McAsey, Mitchell, Moylan, Mussman, Nekritz, Sente, Soto, Tabares, Thapedi, Turner, Verschoore, Walsh, Welch, Williams, Willis, Yingling, Zalewski, Mr. Speaker

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/98/house/09800SB0001_12032013_006000R.pdf

SB 7 (Labor Reform of 2011)

Senate Democrats voting aye:

Biss (House), Clayborne, Collins, Cunningham (House), Delgado, Forby, Haine, Harmon, Holmes, Hunter, Hutchinson, Jones, Koehler, Landek, Lightford, Martinez, Mulroe, Munoz, Noland, Raoul, Sandoval, Steans, Sullivan, Trotter, Mr. President

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/97/senate/09700SB0007_04152011_059000T.pdf

House Democrats voting aye:

Acevedo, Arroyo, Beiser, Bradley, Burke, D., Burke, K., Chapa LaVia, Crespo, Currie, D'Amico, Davis, W., DeLuca, Dunkin, Feigenholtz, Flowers, Ford, Franks, Gabel, Gordon, Harris, G., Hernandez, Jackson, Jones, Lang, Lilly, Mautino, Mayfield, McAsey, Mussman, Nekritz, Phelps, Rita, Sente, Soto, Thapedi, Turner, Verschoore, Williams, Zalewski, Mr. Speaker

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/97/house/09700SB0007_05122011_002000T.pdf

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