RU Ready to Farm? This is the name of a three-year beginner’s farming training program that launched in May 2021 at the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station last year.
The goal of the program is to provide a path for people who are interested in becoming farmers or who are already new and beginner farmers to either start or expand their farm business and be successful in New Jersey.
The program, funded by a USDA grant, is more than just growing plants and crops. It is a business course first.
Year one is an online course where students learn about the particulars of starting and managing a farm business in New Jersey.
Senior Program Coordinator Brendon Pearsall said students learn about policies, and regulations, how to deal with municipal zonings, pesticide licensing, environmental regulations, business planning, marketing, how to evaluate soil, and how to find the right farms for what they’re growing.
Read the complete article at www.nj1015.com.