Farmer
Training
Program 2025
Sustainable, Small Farm Incubator Program
A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
FOR NEW + BEGINNING FARMERS IN LOUISIANA
Applications for the 2025 cohorts
are now open from
February 14th - March 11th
Program Overview and Expectations
Connected by LSSAC with financial and systemic support provided by LSSAC and the USDA; the FTP is a year-long business development program for farmers that are currently in production and commerce, not for people aspiring to become farmers, or who are farming but haven’t begun selling their products yet. Suitable for new and beginning farmers with 1 - 10 years of experience growing and selling fruits, vegetables, niche crops, value-added products made from products they grow. Farmers looking to develop wholesale production and sales are strongly encouraged to apply.
Please complete and submit the above-linked application to be considered for the 2025 program.
Applications will be accepted from anywhere in the state but these are in-person workshops and field days that meet 2 to 3 times per month on average from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm for classroom workshops and during the day (morning or afternoon) for Field Days. Transportation is not provided and 100% attendance is required.
Space is extremely limited - we receive far more applications than we can accept. Please apply today. If you are accepted into the FTP there is an average time commitment of four (4) hours per week for March - September classroom and field-based workshops. Some of this time is self-directed learning on your own, and some is structured classroom and field-based learning.
The program also offers access to one-on-one technical assistance, custom business coaching, and on-farm implementation after graduation in September, based on the unique needs of each graduate.
All required materials and workshops will be provided at no cost to participants. Failure to attend any required portion of the program will result in removal from the program. Although this program is available at no cost to participants, there are certain expectations that the participants use the opportunities provided to invest in their business.
Program Cohorts and locations
There are 3 cohorts accepting applications in 2025 with separate geographical priority areas, interested applicants are encouraged to apply to the cohort that is easiest for them to access:
Cohort one is in Alexandria, LA with priority given to applicants that live/farm in Central Louisiana:
Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Rapides, Natchitoches, Vernon, Winn Parishes.
However, a limited number of seats in the Alexandria Cohort may be offered to applicants from parishes around the state.
Cohort two is in Shreveport, LA and priority is given to applicants that live/farm in North Louisiana:
Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, De Soto, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Red River, Richland, Sabine, Tensas, Union, Webster, and West Carroll Parishes.
Cohort three is in Lafayette, LA and priority is given to applicants that live/farm in South Louisiana:
Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, Cameron, Vermillion, Acadia, Evangeline, St. Landry, Lafayette, Point Coupee, Iberville, St. Martin, Iberia, St. Mary, West Feliciana, East Feliciana, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, St. Helena, Livingston, Ascension, Assumptions, Terrebonne, LaFourche, Tangipahoa, St. James, St. John, St. Charles, Washington, St. Tammany, Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines Parishes.
Application & Program Timeline
Applications will be accepted online from Feb 14 to March 11, 2025
You will be notified of your status: accepted, waitlisted, or declined within a week of the application deadline.
You will be asked to affirm your acceptance within 1-2 days of the notification if you are offered a spot in the program.
Not replying will be taken as declining and your spot will be offered to the next candidate.
The first workshop is on March 20th, 2025. (See Program Dates, below)
Eligibility Requirements for Participation
Successful applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the 2025 Farmer Training Program:
1-10 years experience farming and selling farm products.
Be available to attend all required workshops and field days.
Transportation to and from in-person workshops and field days.
Access to a computer and internet is beneficial but not required.
*If eligibility requirements create barriers to your participation, please consider applying and use the space provided on the application to explain the situation so that we may assess our ability to work with you to overcome the barrier if possible.
Program Dates
The Farmer Training Program is a year-long program and consists of the following workshops, field days, and on-farm implementation opportunities:
Program Dates 2025:
Classroom workshops (ALL required)
March 20th: Welcome and Introduction to Sustainable Farming for Profit
April 3rd: What Farm Food Safety Plan?
April 17th: Your Farm Profit as Local Food Policy
May 1st: Rematriating Landbased Wisdom: Climate Smart Louisiana Farming
May 15th: Marketing through Storytelling
May 29th: Growing for Multiple Income Streams, the buyers perspectives
June 12th: Crop Selection for Unique Goals, market diversity, seed saving, land race varieties, etc.
June 26th: Think Like an Entrepreneur to make your Cash Flow
Field Days (1 required at minimum, all strongly encouraged)
July 10th: Soil, Water, Seeds
July 24th: Third Party Certifications
August 7th: Labor and Cost Tracking by Crop
August 21st: Irrigation and hi/lo tunnels
September 4th: How do we soften our infrastructure for resiliency
September 18th: Post Harvest handling to preserve and add value
September 25th: Graduation
October - December: On-farm Implementation and 1:1 TA
Classroom Workshops are in-person 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm on Thursday Evenings, 2 to 3 times a month.
Field Days are 2 times a month and will be during the day at specific times TBD by each cohort.
On-Farm Implementation includes technical assistance, business coaching, and services related to implementing your farm plan and achieving your sales goals.
Program Objectives
In order to build a more sustainable and resilient food system in Louisiana, the Southeast, and the nation, we need more farmers growing diverse, climate and culturally appropriate fruits and vegetables. This business development program is designed to help new and beginning farmers (1-10 years experience) learn better business development, management skills, and explore farm sciences that support commercial production systems for smallholding fruit and vegetable farms.
Participants will gain knowledge to develop and implement a farm plan that achieves their income and sustainability goals.
Participants will connect with other farmers, technical assistance providers, researchers, and business coaches to form a network across the state.
Participants will become more confident in business and in farming.
program expenses for participants
There is no cost to participate in the FTP, however, admission is competitive and participants are required to attend each workshop, at minimum, one field day, and complete all assigned work in order to graduate and receive the certificate of program completion.
We expect participants to invest available resources into their business as needed in order to thrive.
If there are potential barriers to your participation that we may be able to address with you (lack of internet, verbal/written communication needs, etc.) there is room on the application to explain the situation. We encourage everyone with an interest to apply and we will make the program accessible to all participants to the extent it is feasible.