Dairy Grazing Alliance Inc

STIMULATING THE ADOPTION OF MANAGED GRAZING PRACTICES ON DAIRY FARMS BY EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF INNOVATIVE PRECISION AG TECHNOLOGY AND DATA-DRIVEN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ENHANCE FARM PROFITABILITY.

EXPANDS MARKETS FOR CLIMATE-SMART DAIRY IN CT, IL, IA, IN, MA, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, WI AND WV SUPPORTING FARMERS WITH IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING OF CLIMATE-SMART PRACTICES.

RATIONALE. FOR VETERANS INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE, DAIRY FARMING ARGUABLY OFFERS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR A FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND INCOME, ALLOWING THE VETERAN TO FOCUS ON FARMING WITHOUT THE NEED FOR OFF-FARM INCOME. DAIRY GRAZING APPRENTICESHIP (DGA) IS A TWO-YEAR BEGINNING FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES A ROBUST BLEND OF PAID, HANDS-ON LEARNING ON APPROVED DAIRY FARMS (MASTER DAIRY GRAZIERS), FORMAL CLASSROOM TRAINING, AND PEER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO THE TRAINING, EACH APPRENTICE RECEIVES INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING FROM A LOCAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR. UPON GRADUATION, THE APPRENTICE RECEIVES ONGOING PEER SUPPORT AND FINANCIAL ADVISING AS THEY EMBARK ON THEIR DAIRY FARMING CAREER. DGA CURRENTLY OPERATES IN 11 STATES AND HAS THE CAPACITY, AS A FEDERALLY REGISTERED FORMAL APPRENTICESHIP, TO BE ESTABLISHED IN ANY STATE WHERE THERE ARE EXPERIENCED DAIRY FARMERS INTERESTED IN MENTORING AN ASPIRING FARMER. DGA HAS ATTRACTED SIGNIFICANT INTEREST FROM THE VETERAN COMMUNITY. THREE OF 45 CURRENT APPRENTICES ARE VETERANS AND 17 ADDITIONAL VETERANS HAVE APPLIED ON THE DGA WEBSITE.OVERALL HYPOTHESIS OR GOAL. DGA MASTER DAIRY GRAZIERS SEEK APPRENTICES WITH A BROAD RANGE OF SKILLS THAT MILITARY SERVICE CAN PROVIDE: A BLEND OF MANAGEMENT AND PHYSICAL SKILLS, DISCIPLINE, WORK ETHIC, AND COMMITMENT. BY CREATING AN EFFECTIVE OUTREACH AND SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS, DGA CAN PROVIDE VETERANS A PATHWAY TO A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE WHILE SUPPORTING THE GOALS OF DGA'S PARTICIPATING FARMERS TO FIND HIGH QUALITY EMPLOYEES, PARTNERS, OR SUCCESSORS FOR THEIR FARM BUSINESSES.SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES. DGA HAS A WELL-ESTABLISHED, HIGH-QUALITY TRAINING PROGRAM STARTED IN 2010 AND CURRENTLY WORKING WITH 145 APPROVED MASTERS. THIS PROJECT WILL EXPAND AVAILABILITY OF DGA TRAINING TO A LARGER GEOGRAPHIC AREA, CREATE A STREAMLINED, VETERAN-SPECIFIC SYSTEM OF ACCESS TO DGA PROGRAM INFORMATION, AND PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED OUTREACH AND COACHING FOR VETERANS RESULTING IN ENHANCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS TO BE HIRED, GAIN FARMING SKILLS, AND EMBARK ON A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE.APPROACH. DGA WILL CREATE AN ADVISORY TEAM INCLUDING CURRENT DGA MASTERS, APPRENTICES, AND APPRENTICE CANDIDATES WHO ARE VETERANS, AS WELL AS CURRENT PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS. THIS TEAM WILL HELP DGA IDENTIFY SYSTEMS, PROCESSES, AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO EXPAND VETERAN ACCESS TO DGA PROGRAMS. DGA WILL HIRE STAFF WITH MILITARY AND FARMING BACKGROUNDS TO RECRUIT AND COACH VETERANS INTERESTED IN FARMING, RECRUIT MASTERS IN NEW GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, AND SERVE AS A LIAISON TO BOTH THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND THE MILITARY. DGA WILL CREATE A VETERANS' PORTAL ON THE DGA WEBSITE WITH DECISION TOOLS, WEBINARS, FACT SHEETS, AND OTHER INFORMATION ADDRESSING SPECIFIC NEEDS OF VETERANS AS WELL AS A NEW DGA ONLINE EXCHANGE THAT WILL SERVE AS A CLEARINGHOUSE AND NETWORKING HUB FOR BOTH VETERAN AND NON-VETERAN PARTICIPANTS, ALLOWING MASTERS, APPRENTICES, AND JOURNEYWORKERS TO EXCHANGE IDEAS, SHARE RESOURCES, AND BUILD LOCAL AND REGIONAL COOPERATIVE NETWORKS FOR EVERYTHING FROM PURCHASING INPUTS TO CREATING VALUE-ADDED PROCESSING OPPORTUNITIES.POTENTIAL IMPACT AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES. THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE 1) THE AVAILABILITY OF DGA TRAINING GEOGRAPHICALLY, 2) THE NUMBER OF VETERANS APPLYING TO DGA, THE NUMBER OF VETERAN CANDIDATES THAT ARE HIRED, AND 3) THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION PROVIDED TO VETERAN APPRENTICES, RESULTING IN GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPATING VETERANS TO EMBARK ON A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE. DGA WILL DEVELOP AN EVALUATION PLAN, USING BOTH OUR EXISTING INTERNAL EVALUATION TOOLS AS WELL AS EXTERNAL EVALUATORS TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR VETERANS' OUTREACH PROGRAM.

DAIRY GRAZING APPRENTICESHIP: A NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR TRAINING NEW DAIRY FARMERS

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS: LINGUISTICALLY AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE SKILLS TRAINING, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT TO HELP UNDERSERVED FARMERS ACCESS USDA PROGRAMMING AND PREPARE FOR DAIRY FARM OWNERS

CLIMATE SMART TECHNICAL TRAINING AND OUTREACH FOR UNDERSERVED PRODUCERSIN GRAZING DAIRY PRODUCTION

IMPROVING ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING, RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNITIESIN DAIRY FARMING AND USDA PROGRAMS FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED BEGINNINGFARMERS

DAIRY GRAZING APPRENTICESHIP: BUILDING CAPACITY, CURRICULUM, AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR NATIONWIDE WORK-BASED TRAINING OF BEGINNING DAIRY FARMERS

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** TITLE: BETWEEN LEGACY AND LIVELIHOOD: DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE FARM TRANSFER PROGRAM FOR A NEW GENERATION OF MANAGED GRAZING DAIRY FARMERSTHIS PROJECT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN DAIRY GRAZING APPRENTICESHIP, WHICH IS A FARMER-LED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, AND PARTICIPATING PRODUCERS TO IMPROVE THE SUCCESS RATE OF BEGINNING DAIRY FARMERS BY ESTABLISHING A FARM TRANSFER PROGRAM THAT IS TAILORED TO THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN MANAGED GRAZING DAIRY.TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:CREATE A PLANNING PROTOCOL FOR FARM TRANSFER APPROPRIATE FOR MANAGED GRAZING DAIRY BASED ON EXISTING PROGRAMS, CASE STUDIES, AND INDUSTRY RESEARCH.DEVELOP A CUSTOMIZED CURRICULUM THAT INCLUDES TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND CLASSES TO HELP ESTABLISHED AND BEGINNING PRODUCERS PREPARE FOR FARM TRANSFER.PROVIDE DIRECT CONSULTING SERVICES TO ASSIST PRODUCER PAIRS IN DEVELOPING AN ACTIONABLE PLAN AND ASSEMBLING TEAM NEEDED FOR A SUCCESSFUL FARM TRANSFER.THE OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE FOUR PILOT PAIRS ARE PREPARED FOR TRANSFER, TEN ADDITIONAL BEGINNING FARMERS/ PAIRS GAIN UNDERSTANDING OF FARM TRANSFER PROCESS, AND MANAGED GRAZING FARMERS NATIONWIDE HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES TO ENHANCE MANAGEMENT AND FARM PROFITABILITY.PROJECT DIRECTORS: JOSESPH TOMANDL, III - PROJECT PDDAIRY GRAZING APPRENTICESHIPSAMANTHA GEHRETT - SUB-AWARD PD/PIPENN STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO EMPLOY A GRAZING SPECIALIST(S) TO DEPLOY PADDOCKTRAC ON WISCONSIN FARMS AND ASSIST PRODUCERS IN MEASURING AND MONITORING THEIR PASTURES.