Agricenter International Inc

TO ENHANCE AGRICENTERS EXISTING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TENNESSEE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE TO BOLSTER CONSERVATION AGRONOMY AND URBAN AGRICULTURE ACROSS TENNESSEE

AWARD PURPOSEIN ALIGNMENT WITH THE JUSTICE40 INITIATIVE, THE PURPOSE OF THE WORC INITIATIVE GRANTS IS TO CREATE ECONOMIC MOBILITY, ADDRESS HISTORIC INEQUITIES FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, RURAL AREAS, AND OTHER UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, AND PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOR WORKERS WHO LIVE OR WORK IN THE APPALACHIAN, DELTA, AND NORTHERN BORDER REGIONS, ENABLING THEM TO REMAIN AND THRIVE IN THESE COMMUNITIES. PROJECT TITLE: EXPANDING AGTECH CAREER PATHWAYS (EACP) FOR NEW ENTRANTS, AND DISLOCATED,AND INCUMBENT WORKERSGRANTEE REGION: DRADELIVERABLES EXPECTED OUTCOMESTOTAL PARTICIPANTS: 140PARTICIPANTS OBTAINING NEW OR ENHANCED EMPLOYMENT: 112INTENDED BENEFICIARIESTARGET POPULATION: DISLOCATED AND INCUMBENT WORKERS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (IN AT LEAST 10TH GRADE)AREAS TO BE SERVED: TENNESSEE: SHELBY COUNTYACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMEDSUMMARY OF PROJECT: AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL IS TARGETING NEW ENTRANTS AND DISLOCATED AND INCUMBENT WORKERS BY PROVIDING A SKILLS- AND WORK-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCE LEADING TO HIGH QUALITY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS SECTORS. LEVERAGING AGRICENTERS EXPERIENCE SERVING THE YOUTH OF THE GREATER MEMPHIS COMMUNITY, AGTECH 1.0 AND 2.0 INTEND TO PRIORITIZE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THE 10TH GRADE AS OF JANUARY 1 WHILE ALSO EXPANDING THE AGTECH MODEL TO SERVE DISLOCATED AND INCUMBENT WORKERS THROUGH ITS NEWLY DEVELOPED GRADTECH 3.0 PROGRAM. BY PARTNERING WITH REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY-BASED FIRMS, AGRICENTER IS EXPANDING ITS PROGRAMMATIC OFFERINGS TO IMPLEMENT A WORKFORCE TRAINING SOLUTION TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS, AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGISTS, AND UAV (DRONE) PILOTS.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIESTHE RECIPIENT INTENDS TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.

THE PURPOSE OF THE VETERANS EMPLOYED IN TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICE IN AGRICULTURE (VETS IN AG OR VETSA) PROGRAM IS TO SUCCESSFULLY PREPARE U.S. MILITARY VETERANS FOR CAREERS IN THE AGRICULTURAL SERVICE AND SUPPORT SECTORS, WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO OFFER ALMOST 75% OF THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS[1]. THESE CAREERS INVOLVE EMPLOYMENT WITH PRIVATE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES AS WELL AS STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES. VETSA'S FOCUS IS DIFFERENT FROM MOST VETERAN TRAINING PROGRAMS IN AGRICULTURE THAT PRIMARILY PREPARE VETERANS TO START FARMING OR RANCHING OPERATIONS AND BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN PRODUCTION. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE VETSA PILOT PROGRAM IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MILITARY VETERANS GAINING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF COMPREHENSIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES THAT WILL LEAD THEM TO SUCCESSFUL CAREERS IN THE AGRICULTURAL SERVICE SECTOR, WITH A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON CAREERS REQUIRING TECHNICAL SKILLS IN COMPUTERS, GIS/GPS AND MECHANICS. THE VETSA PROGRAM IS DESIGNED AS A 12-MONTH INTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH FORMAL AND INFORMAL COURSEWORK, IMMERSIVE, HANDS-ON PARTICIPATION IN ACTIVE FARMING AND RESEARCH PROJECTS OR A CHOICE OF CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE VALUABLE AND MARKETABLE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS WITH A SHORTER TIME COMMITMENT. VETERANS WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN TRADE WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES, NETWORKING AND POST-TRAINING SUPPORT. PROJECT SITES FOR THE VETSA PROGRAM INCLUDE AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, LONE OAKS FARM IN BOLIVAR, TENNESSEE (PART OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE), THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE MARTIN (UTM) AND MIDDLE TENNESSEE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER IN SPRING HILL AND LEWISBURG, TENNESSEE (MTREC). THIS PROGRAM WILL TARGET THREE POPULATIONS OF VETERANS:V1: VETERANS WHO ARE ABOUT TO TRANSITION INTO CIVILIAN LIFE AND INTERESTED IN PURSUING POST-SECONDARY TRAINING IN AGRICULTURE LEADING TO AN ASSOCIATE'S, BACHELOR'S, AND/OR GRADUATE DEGREE. VETERANS THAT QUALIFY FOR THE 12-MONTH V1 PROGRAM WILL ENROLL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE-MARTIN (UTM) TO TAKE CLASSROOM OR ONLINE COURSES. V1 VETERANS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF FOUR LOCATIONS: AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL, LONE OAKS FARM, MIDDLE TENNESSEE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER AND UTM, ALL OF WHICH HAVE FARMING OPERATIONS IN PLACE FOR TEACHING, RESEARCH, AND PRODUCTION. VETERANS WILL WORK 10-15 HOURS PER WEEK UNDER THE DIRECTION OF A SITE MANAGER AT THEIR ASSIGNED FACILITY. THIS WILL GIVE THEM IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES IN THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION OF A WORKING FARM. THE 12-MONTH DURATION OF THE PROGRAM GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF THE FARM PRODUCTION CYCLE.V2: VETERANS WHO ARE ABOUT TO TRANSITION INTO CIVILIAN LIFE AND INTERESTED IN PURSUING POST SECONDARY TRAINING IN AGRICULTURE THAT WILL TEACH ESSENTIAL SKILLS NECESSARY TO ENTER TECHNICAL CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE THAT MAY NOT REQUIRE AN ASSOCIATE'S, BACHELOR'S, OR GRADUATE DEGREE. VETERANS CHOOSING THE V2 COMPONENT WILL ENROLL IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TRAINING OPTIONS: 1) LAND SURVEYING/GIS/GPS THROUGH UT MARTIN, 2) TRACTOR MECHANIC CERTIFICATION THROUGH CNH INDUSTRIAL, 3) REMOTE PILOT IN COMMAND (RPIC) TRAINING WITH FAA CERTIFICATION/TRAINING IN OPERATION OF UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (UAS) WITH FARM SPACE SYSTEMS OR 4) YOUNG BEGINNING FARMER EDUCATION WITH FARM CREDIT MID-AMERICA. TRACTOR MECHANIC TRAINING AND YOUNG BEGINNING FARMER EDUCATION WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE AGRICENTER. RPIC TRAINING WILL BE AT LONE OAKS FARM. PARTICIPANTS THAT COMPLETE THE TRACTOR MECHANIC COURSE WITH CNH INDUSTRIAL AT THEIR TECHNICAL TRAINING FACILITY ON THE AGRICENTER CAMPUS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THEIR CERTIFICATE TO ANY CNH INDUSTRIAL FACILITY IN NORTH AMERICA AND BE ELIGIBLE FOR EMPLOYMENT.V3: PARTICIPANTS THAT COMPLETE THE NEW FARMER BOOT CAMP AND DECIDE NOT TO PURSUE FURTHER EDUCATION OR TRAINING WILL BE CLASSIFIED AS V3 VETERANS. THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO MEET WITH THE PROJECT EVALUATOR BEFORE EXITING THE PROGRAM AND WILL HAVE ACCESS TO SUPPORT RESOURCES TO HELP WITH THEIR TRANSITION. V3 VETERANS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR RE-ENTRY INTO THE PROGRAM VIA THE STANDARD APPLICATION PROCESS.THE NEED FOR COMPETENT PROFESSIONALS IN AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT INDUSTRIES AND AGENCIES IS CLEAR. AS THE FARMING POPULATION CONTINUES TO AGE AND WE RECRUIT NEW FARMERS IN THE COMING DECADES, HAVING A RELIABLE NETWORK OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT WILL BE CRITICAL TO THEIR LONG-TERM SUCCESS AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR NATION'S AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISE. GIVEN THE INCREASINGLY COMPLEX TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE, THERE IS A PARTICULAR NEED FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH STRONG TECHNOLOGY SKILLS. FILLING THESE JOBS WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY, SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN THE YEARS TO COME.VETERANS CAN HELP MEET THIS DEMAND BY BRINGING THEIR LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS TO THE AGRICULTURE SPACE AND FINDING NEW MISSIONS AT HOME. THERE IS ENORMOUS POTENTIAL WHEN MILITARY VETERANS ARE CONNECTED TO THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY. RURAL RESIDENTS ACCOUNT FOR 17% OF THE ENTIRE U.S. POPULATION AND MORE THAN 44% OF MILITARY RECRUITS COME FROM RURAL AREAS. PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS ARE 20% MORE LIKELY TO JOIN THE MILITARY THAN THEIR URBAN PEERS,[2] AND MANY WANT TO RETURN TO THOSE AREAS WHEN THEIR SERVICE IS COMPLETED. CAREERS IN THE AGRICULTURAL SERVICE AND SUPPORT SECTORS INVOLVE SKILLS GROUNDED NOT ONLY IN SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, MANAGEMENT, AND BUSINESS, BUT ALSO IN PRACTICAL AND APPLIED SKILLSETS ACQUIRED BY MANY VETERANS DURING THEIR MILITARY SERVICE.ONE VETERAN INTERVIEWED BY OPERATION STAND DOWN-TENNESSEE[3] DESCRIBED THE RETURN TO CIVILIAN LIFE AS ENTERING THE DISCOMFORT ZONE BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRAST BETWEEN THE STRUCTURED, MISSION-DRIVEN ENVIRONMENT OF THE MILITARY AND THE LESS STRUCTURED CIVILIAN LIFE. IN A MILITARY ENVIRONMENT, SAID ANOTHER VETERAN, YOU HAD A PURPOSE . . . EVERYTHING CLICKED AND YOU WERE AWESOME AT WHAT YOU DID. OUT IN THEWORLD, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT SAME PURPOSE. THE VETSA PROGRAM WILL GIVE VETERANS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE AWESOME AGAIN.[1] HTTP://WWW.PURDUE.EDU/USDA/EMPLOYMENT/[2] HTTP://WWW.AGWEB.COM/ARTICLE/RURAL-RECRUITS-MAKE-UP-ROUGHLY-HALF-OF-MILITARY-NAA-ASHLEY-DAVENPORT/[3] HTTP://OSDNTN.ORG

EXPANDING AGTECH CAREER PATHWAYS FOR NEW ENTRANTS AND DISLOCATED AND INCUMBENT WORKERS

FY 2019 SUSAN HARWOOD TRAINING GRANT FOR AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL

FY 2020 SUSAN HARWOOD TRAINING GRANT FOR AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL

SUSAN HARWOOD GRANTS

AWARD PURPOSE THE PURPOSE OF THE SUSAN HARWOOD TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SO THEY CAN CONDUCT FREE SAFETY AND HEALTH TRAINING TO WORKERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TRAINING. THIS HELPS ENSURE SAFER WORKING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL WORKERS. THE PROGRAM ADVANCES THE JOB QUALITY OF THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE BY PROVIDING HARD-TO-REACH WORKERS HAZARD AWARENESS, AVOIDANCE, AND CONTROL TRAINING TO PROTECT THEM FROM ON-THE-JOB HAZARDS, AND TO INFORM WORKERS OF THEIR RIGHTS AND EMPLOYERS OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH) ACT. ACTIVITIES PERFORMED GRANTEES DEVELOP TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR AT RISK, HARD-TO-REACH WORKERS THAT TEACH THEM TO RECOGNIZE, AVOID, AND PREVENTS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARDS IN THEIR WORKPLACE AS WELL AS INFORM THEM ABOUT THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION'S (OSHA) WHISTLEBLOWER PROGRAM. DELIVERABLES GRANTEES MUST TRAIN WORKERS FROM MULTIPLE EMPLOYERS AND/OR DEVELOP TRAINING MATERIALS ON WORKPLACE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARDS. PRE- AND POST-TRAINING KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT TESTS DEMONSTRATE THE INCREASE IN THE TRAINEE'S SAFETY AND HEALTH KNOWLEDGE. THE SUSAN HARWOOD TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM INCREASES WORKERS ACCESS TO LIFE-SAVING TRAINING. INTENDED BENEFICIARY THE PROGRAM IS BENEFICIAL TO BOTH THE GRANTEE ORGANIZAITON AND TO WORKERS IN HIGH-HAZARD INDUSTRIES, INDUSTRIES WITH HIGH FATALITY RATES, OR INDUSTRIES WHERE WORKFORCES HAVE HISTORICALLY NOT HAD ADEQUATE ACCESS TO OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH TRAINING. THE TRAINING AUDIENCE BENEFITING FROM THE TRAINING INCLUDES YOUNG, TEMPORARY, MINORITY , LOW LITERACY, LIMITED-ENGLISH SPEAKING, AND OTHER DISADVANTAGED AND HARD-TO-REACH WORKERS. INCREASED WORKER SAFETY BENEFITS THE WORKER COMMUNITIES. THE GRANTEE ORGANIZATION BENEFITS BY DEVELOPING/EXPANDING THEIR SAFETY AND HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WITH MOST CONTINUING TO CONDUCT TRAINING CLASSES AFTER THE END OF THE GRANT. THIS ALLOW FOR A GREATER OUTREACH TO UNDERSERVED WORKERS. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES NONE - GRANTEES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SUBAWARD GRANT FUNDS TO OTHERS TO COMPLETE THE GRANT ACTIVITIES.

THIS GRANT SUPPORTS THE COSTS INCURRED TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO RESPOND TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19), WHICH MAY INCLUDE WORKPLACE SAFETY, MARKET PIVOTS, RETROFITTING FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, WORKER HOUSING, AND MEDICAL EXPENSES. IT PROVIDES NEEDED RELIEF TO THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS FOR THEIR COSTS INCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY 27, 2020, THE DATE UPON WHICH THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE (HHS) UNDER SECTION 319 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, AND DECEMBER 31, 2021. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS.

SUSAN HARWOOD GRANTS