What Is the Mentorship Program for Future Livestock Farmers?

What is the mentorship program for future livestock farmers?

The mentorship program for future livestock farmers is a training and support program designed to provide people with the resources to plan, launch, and expand grass-based farm businesses in Southwest Wisconsin. The program builds on existing programs in the region by providing access to land in Southwest Wisconsin through the Southwest Badger Grazing Broker. The program specifically targets the following counties: Crawford, Dane, Iowa, Grant, Green, Lafayette, La Crosse, Richland, Sauk, and Vernon.

Who should apply to the program?

The program is designed to take careers in grass-based agriculture to the next level. We aim to help everyone find an appropriate mentorship and get started raising livestock, regardless of experience level. We also support an attitude of life-long learning. Ideal mentors for this program include:

·  Livestock producers with more than ten years of experience

·  Farmers with more than ten years of experience with livestock

·  Landowners who approach farming from a conservation perspective

·  People with livestock experience but who own neither land nor livestock

What can I expect from the mentorship program?

Through the mentorship program you will:

·  Share your knowledge and skills with the next generation of farmers

·  Learn how to be a better teacher

·  Learn how to be a better steward of the land

·  Access opportunities for land, livestock, and equipment use and/or rental

·  Learn state-of-the-art grazing management used on farms under a variety of conditions

The components of the mentorship program:

·  Training: all participants receive training on how to get the most out of the mentorship and are invited to workshops on contract grazing, grazing management, soil health, and more.

·  Mentorship: all participants receive matchmaking services to connect you with a beginning livestock farmer interested in your field of expertise. Mentors are paid up to $1800 per year ($15/hour for 3 hours/week for 41 weeks) upon completing the program requirements.

·  Access to land: all participants receive matchmaking and technical services from the Southwest Badger Grazing Broker to connect livestock producers and grassland landowners.

·  Financial coaching: all participants can attend business planning sessions. Beginning farmers only are eligible for a free business plan review from Badgerland Financial or the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection.

How to apply to the program

Application form: An application form is required for consideration into the program. Applications are accepted by email (preferred) or hard copy. If completing the application electronically, fill in the blanks and use the drop-down menus in the document to input your information. Save the document and email it to the program facilitator, Robert Bauer, . Hard copies can be sent to SW Badger RC&D, 1124 Professional Drive, Suite 500, Dodgeville, WI 53533.

Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Additional information: Program application forms and additional information are available from the project website at www.swbadger.org/beginning-farmers or are available in hard copy upon request. Contact Robert Bauer with questions or to review if the program is right for you by email or telephone at 314.662.3281.

The program is offered on a non-discriminatory basis

All programs and services of Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council are offered on a non-discriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital or family status, disability or political beliefs.

Program sponsors

The mentorship program for future livestock farmers is supported by a 2015-2017 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute for Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA).

Additional support is provided by our partners: Badgerland Financial, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, Mark Bearce, University of Wisconsin Extension, the Wisconsin Grassfed Beef Co-op, Iowa County Land Conservation Department, and the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers.

(the application form begins on the next page)

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Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council

Mentorship Program for Future Livestock Farmers

2016 Mentor Application

A.  Primary applicant contact information

1.  Contact information

Name: Farm name:

Address:

Address line 2:

City: State: Zip: County:

Email:

Telephone number 1: What type of phone number? Home or cell?HomeCell

Telephone number 2: What type of phone number? Home or cell?HomeCell

May we call you at work? Select yes or noYesNo

2.  Select all groups that you identify with:

Military veteran (provide detail, if you would like):

Woman farmer

Minority farmer (provide detail, if you would like):

Other (provide detail, if you would like):

3.  Will a family or business partner participate in the program with you? Select yes or noYesNo

Partner’s name: Partner’s relationship to you:

4.  Do you or your partner have any special needs we should know (dietary, other)?

5.  Please list one personal and one business reference, including contact info:

6.  How did you find out about the program? Select one and provide detail, if desiredInternetNewspaperConference/eventWord of mouthPhoneEmail

B.  Mentorship experience

1.  Why are you interested in being a mentor?

2.  What specifically would you like to learn from being a mentor?

3.  What knowledge, skills, and abilities would you like to teach as a mentor?

Pasture

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Stocking rates

Managed rotational grazing

High density rotational grazing

Grass finishing

Grazing annuals/cover crops

Stalk grazing

Stockpiling

Silage-making

Haymaking

Hayfeeding

Fence design and construction

Livestock water development

Pasture seeding/establishment

Plant id: grass, legume, weed

Pasture recordkeeping

Nutrition: concentrates, minerals

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Row Crops

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Choosing a crop rotation (corn, soybeans, winter wheat)

Choosing crop varieties

Planting: moldboard plow vs. chisel plow vs. no-till, dates

Management practices: pest and disease control, weed control, fertilizers

Harvesting: deciding when to harvest, handling, storage

Selling/marketing crops

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Livestock

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Manure management

Housing

Flight zones of animals

Breeding

Calving/lambing/farrowing/hatch

Castrating, dehorning

Disease prevention, treatment

Parasite management

Weaning

Culling/genetic management

Slaughtering

Home processing

Predator control

Livestock guardian dogs/herding dogs

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Milking center

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Milking center operation

Milk center design

Milk center repair, maintenance

Timing and seasonal variations in milking

How feed rations affect milk output

Milk quality/testing

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Machinery/Equipment

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Safety

Machine operation, maintenance

Buying equipment, machinery

Carpentry, plumbing, electrical, welding

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Business

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Business planning

Financial recordkeeping

Loans: obtaining, paying off

Land leases: contents, rates

Taxes: forms, dates, info needed

Insurance: farm, crop, liability

Direct marketing

Communication skills

Balancing business with family and lifestyle values and goals

Exposure to different perspectives

Legal considerations for employers

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What other competencies do you wish to share?

4.  What are the minimum, maximum, and ideal time periods (in days, months, or years) that you would like to mentor a farmer? Min: Max: Ideal:

5.  Are there specific times during the week that you would prefer a beginning farmer to visit and/or work on a regular basis? Select yes or noYesNo If yes, when?

6.  Do you have a space where a beginning farmer could stay overnight while helping on the farm? Select yes or noYesNo

7.  Would you provide lunch or other meals for a visiting beginning farmer? Select yes or noYesNo Comments:

8.  Are you willing to pay a beginning farmer for work? Select yes or noYesNo Comments:

9.  Would you like to be paired with a beginner who matches the group that you identified with in question A2, if possible? Select yes, no, or N/AYesNoI didn't answer question A2

10.  If you know of a beginning farmer you would like to be paired with, please give us his/her name and contact information:

C.  Learning experience

1.  List your prior learning experiences including internships, workshops, and military service:

2.  Select farmer training programs that you have completed or are enrolled in:

Select one and describe if otherNoneDairy Grazing ApprenticeshipFarmers Union Beginning Farmer InstituteLand Stewardship Project Farm BeginningsMOSES Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship ProgramNational Farmers Organization FarmStartsStateline Farm Beginnings Angelic OrganicsWisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and LivestockOther

3.  Indicate the areas you want to learn about through workshops or other training:

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Financial management

Business planning

Marketing

Legal issues and regulations

Profit and loss projections

Exposure to grass-based ag practices

Networking with other farmers

Quality of life (i.e. aging, mental health)

Conserving soil, water, wildlife

Other

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4.  Describe the best time of day for you and/or your partner to attend a workshop:

5.  Would you like childcare services to be offered during workshops? Select yes or noYesNo

If yes, would you be willing to pay? Select yes or noYesNo

D.  Farming experience

1.  Are you currently farming? (For our purposes, “farming” can include working as a manager on someone else’s farm). Select yes or noYesNo

2.  Describe your employment situations on- and off-farm: Do you work on- or off-farm?I farm and have off-farm employment.I farm and don't have off-farm employment.I work and do not farm.I am employed seasonally to complement farming.

3.  Describe your partner’s employment situations: Do they work on- or off-farm?I farm and have off-farm employment.I farm and don't have off-farm employment.I work and do not farm.I am employed seasonally to complement farming.

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4.  On what type of operation do you currently operate?

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Conventional Certified Organic 100% Grass-fed Other

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5.  Describe your current farming operation:

6.  If you are currently farming, what types of crops or livestock do you produce?

7.  Describe your goals for your farm in the next 5 years.

8.  What qualities or enterprises make your farm unique?

9.  How many years have you been selling your own farm products?

10.  How many years have you been raising livestock?

11.  Are you currently working with any financial advisors or production mentors? Select yes or noYesNo If yes, please list the affiliation:

E.  Access to land

1.  Check the statements that best describe your access to land for your current farm:

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I do not have access to land

I have access to rented land

I own land

I will need more land in 3-5 years

I may need more land in the future

I own land and plan to sell it in the future

I own land and it is kept in trust for my heirs

I own land and want to pass it on to a beginning farmer

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1.  In what location and what surrounding distance are you looking for land?

Location: Distance:

2.  Describe the land you are looking for: how large is it? How long during the year will the animals stay there? How many years would you like to own or lease the land? What kind and number of animals will you keep on it?

Acres: Time period: Years: Animal type: # Animals:

3.  How much are you willing to pay to rent land: per head per day? Per acre per month? Per grazing season?

4.  Are you willing to invest in fence and/or water to improve an area for grazing?Select yes or noYesNo

5.  Are you looking for livestock? Select yes or noYesNo Describe the kind and quantity:

6.  Are you open to renting or sharing land or livestock with a beginner? Select yes or noYesNo

F.  Program expectations

1.  Please list any questions or considerations you have about the program:

2.  Please check to confirm that you are willing to fulfill the following expectations as a mentorship participant:

Attend a mentorship orientation.

Host one or two beginning farmers on your farm twice during the season.

Communicate with the beginning farmers via phone or email to discuss farming issues at least twice per month.

3.  Please check to confirm that you understand the following aspects of the mentorship program:

I understand that interns/beginning farmers are not free/cheap labor. Whether or not an intern is paid depends on the relationship between the mentor and intern.

I understand that I will be responsible for selecting an appropriate intern for my farm. The program may provide matches but the final approval and selection will be my responsibility.

I understand that I will be responsible for setting and communicating rules and expectations for visitors to my farm.

I understand that I will have to document my time spent as a mentor to be eligible for compensation from SW Badger. My compensation will also depend on the satisfaction of the beginning farmer participant with my mentorship.

I understand that by submitting this application I consent to share the enclosed personal information with participants in the program. The program will use my personal information to provide matching beginning farmers for me.

G.  Application checklist

Applications must be completed and submitted to:

Robert Bauer

(preferred)

Southwest Badger RC&D

1124 Professional Drive, Suite 500

Dodgeville, WI 53533

If you have any questions regarding the application, email or call Robert Bauer at 314.662.3281.

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