Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has announced that USDA is making more than $17 million in grants available under the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. “This program underscores President Obama’s commitment to support the nation’s beginning farmers and ranchers,” says Vilsack. “Through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher grant program, we can help ensure we are doing all we can for the next generation of America’s farmers and ranchers.”

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program is an education, training, technical assistance and outreach program designed to help U.S. farmers and ranchers, specifically those who have been farming or ranching for 10 years or less. Congress authorized the fiscal 2009 funding for this program in the 2008 Farm Bill, with another $19 million in mandatory funding for fiscal 2010.

Under the program, USDA will make grants available to state, local, tribal, regional, non-profits, community based organizations, academic institutions and networks of appropriate private and public organizations to design programs to help beginning farmers and ranchers. The projects will be limited to three years. Budget requests in the proposals, which are due May 13, 2009, must not exceed $250,000 per year.

For more information go online to USDA.