TNP, Central State Extension Launch Farmer Training Program

WARREN, Ohio — Budding farmers can learn to get their hands dirty with a new training program offered by Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership and Central State University Extension.

TNP and CSUE will kick off the Beginner Farmer Training Program at the Mahoning Valley Farmers Market network meeting beginning at 5 p.m. Feb. 22 at Brite Energy Innovators at 125 W. Market St. The three-year funded grant program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture focuses on hands-on apprenticeships for growing and marketing fresh food, from soil to sales, according to a release.

The goal is to train individuals to start successful commercial farms and help existing farmers improve or diversify their farms. It’s available to individuals who have never managed a farm, with a focus on assisting minorities and veterans.

The Central State Extension will provide educational workshops, hands-on apprenticeships, seeds, fertilizer, compost, mulch, irrigation system, small farming equipment, access to USDA loans and grants for farm expansion, assistance in marketing and business planning, and much more.

Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership will be an external partner by providing a training site and access to water for student farmers, recruitment throughout the Mahoning Valley, connecting new farmers to local markets and restaurants, and connecting student farmers to land leases or sale

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.