NIFTI Training Materials

The National Incubator Farm Training Initiative (NIFTI) offers over 200 resources compiled from dozens of organizations across the country related to best practices for Incubator Farm Projects.

From sample curricula, to farmer leases and manuals, to site management protocols, NIFTI's library contains a wide range of tools to help your organization better serve beginning farmers.

If you have a resource you would like see, or one you would like to share with other incubator farm community of practitioners, contact nesfp@tufts.edu.

NIFTI Webinar #1 - Incubators 101

Media:

  • Video

This webinar covers: (a) the basic framework of our new National Farm Incubator Technical Assistance Initiative and how it can help you achieve the programmatic goals of your farm incubator project; (b) the reasons for starting a farm incubator and common strategies for meeting diverse farmer training and support goals; (c) presentations on how veteran incubator projects (New Entry, as well as our project partners ALBA, the Intervale Center, the New Farmer Develop Project, and the Big River Farms Training Program) operate successful and diverse programs; and (d) a 15 minute Q&A session regarding specific program operational practices.

NIFTI Webinar #2- Project Administration and Management

Media:

  • Video

This webinar covers the basics of farm incubator project administration. Partners from the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), the New Farmer Development Project (NFDP), the International Rescue Committee's New Roots program, and the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) delve deeply into topics such as fundraising, operations and staffing, program development, and how to track and evaluate your successes over time. This webinar is designed for those interested in or already operating land-based beginning farmer training programs.

NIFTI Webinar #4- Marketing Support for Incubator Farms

Media:

  • Video

This webinar exaplains how to integrate marketing support and cooperative marketing on incubator farms. Partners from the Intervale Center, the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) and the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) will discuss avenues for marketing incubator farmer's products, cooperative storage, distribution, and marketing infrastructure (food hubs), maintaining product quality, and food safety concerns.

NIFTI Webinar #5- Land and Site Management for Incubator Farms

Media:

  • Video

This webinar covers managing shared infrastructure and incubator sites. Partners from the Intervale Center, the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project, the International Rescue Committee and the Minnesota Food Association discuss a wide variety of topics including leasing land, soil fertility management, infrastructure development, urban farming initiatives and general site maintenance (budget, staffing, etc.).

NIFTI Webinar #6 - Transitioning Farmers Off the Incubator Site

Media:

  • Video

This webinar provides strategies for transitioning farmers successfully onto their own farm operations. Partners from the Intervale Center, the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) and the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) will discuss farmland matching programs, helping farmers access capital, and the structure and challenges of continued support for graduates.

NIFTI Webinar #7 - Advocacy for Incubator Farms and Farmers

Media:

  • Video

This webinar covers strategies for engaging farmers in federal and local advocacy efforts related to beginning farmer issues. Hear from the Land Stewardship Project, the National Young Farmers Coalition, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition about how your program can make sure beginning farmers voices are heard loud and clear in the upcoming Farm Bill debates.

NIFTI Webinar #9 - Metrics and Evaluation for Incubator Projects

Media:

  • Digital Download

This webinar will focus on best practices for developing evaluation protocols for your program. Learn from the experts on how to gather data and report on outcomes. We will have presentations from: Jessie Schmidt at the University of Vermont on the “Farmer Assessment Web” tool; Maggie Donin at the Intervale Center; the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association; and NIFTI will launch its brand new resource, “The Metrics and Evaluation Toolkit for Farm Incubators”.

Organic Farming Course 2011 - MOFGA

Media:

  • Digital Download

PDF Outline of two-day short course in organic farming, used to guide farmer trainers.  Includes schedule of course and lecture topics. All regions. English level: Intermediate. Knowledge Level: Beginner. Literacy Level: Moderate

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