FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2010

Institute receives $300,000 to train disadvantaged farmers

BATON ROUGE-Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced Dec. 9 that USDA is awarding more than $14 million in grants to organizations throughout the country that will provide training and assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

The Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center will receive $300,000 in funding to support the Small Farmer Agricultural Leadership Institute.

The Institute is a two year, course of study specifically designed to guide small, socially disadvantaged, limited resource farmers or minority farmers through the transformative process of becoming successful agricultural entrepreneurs, said Dawn Mellion Patin, PhD, MBA, institute director and agricultural specialist. The institute currently has 34 participants and has graduated 58 farmers from 14 states.

According to USDA, the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (OASDFR) grant program enables socially disadvantaged producers to successfully acquire, own, operate, and retain farms and ranches, and to assure equitable participation in the full range of USDA programs. A socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher is one of a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice without regard to their individual qualities.

Generally, socially disadvantaged producers who participate in OASDFR-funded projects develop profitable new farming or ranching practices, receive loans more rapidly, increase their farm or ranch income, continue farming or ranching longer and are less likely to go out of business.

This has been the case for the Southern University Ag Center's Institute graduates, said Patin. Graduates have been appointed to the advisory boards of Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education and Southern Region Risk Management Education programs, as well as, to state and local advisory boards and taskforces in 8 states. "They have been invited to serve as panelists and keynote speakers at conferences all across the country. They are serving as model farmers in several states and their farms are used demonstration sites. Three graduates have been selected as Small Farmers of the Year for their states." Graduates have also started farmers markets and Community Supported Agriculture initiatives and are featured in educational videos.

"Most importantly, (the graduates are) taking back to their communities what they have learned and sharing with others." For more information visit, http://aginstitute.suagcenter.com or contact Patin at (225) 771-2242 ext. 201.

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