The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced $17 million in grants is being given to 29 organizations that deal with new farmers and ranchers. Kathleen Merrigan, who is the deputy secretary for the USDA, said that new farmers and ranchers face challenges that are particular to them.
"The training and education provided through these grants will help ensure the success of the next generation of farmers and ranchers as they work to feed people in their local communities and throughout the world," Merrigan said.
The funds were made available through the Agriculture Department's National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. The grant funds will help with the training and education of farmers and ranchers in the country.
The grants are also part of the USDA's Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food campaign. The goal of the initiative, which was launched this year, is to connect those who provide agricultural products with the consumers who use them.
