Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
New Agrarian ProgramApprenticeships in regenerative agriculture
New Agrarian Program, 2009 - 2016Avery Anderson Sponholtz, Virginie Pointeau, Sarah Wentzel-Fisher
2016 Apprenticeships• San Juan Ranch• James Ranch Artisan Cheese• Tooley’s Trees
Total apprentices trained - 22 Total program mentors engaged - 8Total partner mentors - 15
What is Apprenticeship?
2016 NAP
San Juan Ranch
Saguache, Colorado
James Ranch Artisan CheeseDurango, Colorado
Tooley’s Trees
Truchas, New Mexico
Scaling up in the Southwest and beyond
Roughly 3,000 acres of prime agricultural land in the U.S. are lost to
development every day.
Ag 101 EPA 2015
The world’s cultivated soils have lost between 50 and 70 percent of their original
carbon stock, much of which has become atmospheric CO2.
Rattan Lal, director of Ohio State University’s Carbon Management and Sequestration Center
Crops = 408 million acres (1/5 land area)
Ag 101 EPA 2015
The U.S. has more arable land than any other country on the planet…
Grazing = 613 million acres (1/4 privately owned land)
313,000,000 people in the U.S.
Ag 101 EPA 2015
Less than 1% claim farming as their occupation
Of that 1%:45% claim farming as their principal occupation.
= 1.4 million people, or roughly twice the population of Bernalillo County.
Average age of US Farmers = 58.3
Among 2.1 million principal farm operators:• 6% are less than 35 yrs. old• 61% are 35-64 yrs. old• 33% are over 65 yrs. old
2012 US Census of Agriculture
Half of all current farmers in the U.S. are likely to retire in the next decade.
USDA
• Engage the next generation
• Support ranchers and farmers
• Practice, teach, foster regenerative practices
• Build, regenerate, sustain SOIL
• Safeguard agricultural lands
The “Big NAP”Scaling up in the Southwest and beyond
In a NutshellNAP partners with skilled ranchers and farmers to offer annual
apprenticeships in regenerative agriculture.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Post Applications
Phone Interviews
In-Person Interviews
Orientation
Start
Selection
Hands-On Learning
Online Classroom
Site Visits
Quivira Conference
Evaluations
Skills Checklist
Graduation
ApprenticeshipWorking and Learning experience
Education• Experiential learning • Online classroom• Site visits• Quivira Conference
Compensation• Education• Employment• Housing and food• Days off• Personal leave
ApprenticeshipWorking and Learning experience
Who are NAP mentors?• Full-time ranchers
and farmers • 5 years experience • Healthy soil, food,
communities• Natural teachers,
mentors
MentorshipTeaching the next generation
What do mentors provide?• Work, housing and food• A work agreement• Balanced schedule• Weekly planning meetings • Apprentice evaluations • Annual mentor retreat • Seasonal conference calls • Quivira conference• Education, mentorship, life coaching….!
MentorshipTeaching the next generation
What are the benefits?• NAP outreach • NAP application • HMI classes• Administrative support• Apprentice labor• Mentor network• And……….
MentorshipTeaching the next generation
It’s FUN!!!
…to summarize:
You teach them everything you knowNAP helps you find the right person
