Farmer and Rancher Mentoring (FARM) Program

Geographic Scope: Central Appalachia, Southwest Virginia region

The region's first on-farm internship opportunity for beginning farmers.

Program Components

• 200 Hours of Hands-On Learning: Beginning farmer interns work closely with their mentors on-farm for a minimum of 200 hours during the growing season
• Blog Submissions: Interns required to submit at least 2 blogs during their time on the farm to track progress and share experiences
• Individualized Learning Goals: Mentors and interns work together to develop written learning goals that serve as a roadmap to guide lessons learned on the farm
• Participation Stipend: $1,000 for participants who successfully complete the program

Focus Areas

• On-farm agricultural production training
• Beginning farmer development
• Career pathways in agriculture

Eligibility

• Beginning farmers interested in pursuing agriculture careers
• Must have reliable transportation
• Must attend required orientation meeting
• Must complete 200 hours minimum on-farm work
• Must submit timesheets monthly
• Must submit 2 blogs during internship

Contact Information

Program Manager: Michael Klarman, Producer Pathway Manager

• Email: (contact via ASD website)
• Phone/Text: (contact via ASD website)

ASD Main Campus:

• Address: 17444 Singingwood Lane, Bristol, VA 24202
• Phone: 276-623-1121

Appalachian Harvest Food Hub:

• Address: 280 Boone Trail Road, Duffield, VA 24244
• Phone: 276-431-3385

Application Process

1. Review Mentor Bios: Review mentor information at https://asdevelop.org/farm before completing application
2. Complete Online Application Form: Submit through the FARM Intern Application portal at https://asdevelop.org/farm-intern-application/
3. Provide Required Information:
   • Contact information (name, email, phone, address)
   • Preferred form of communication
   • Transportation availability
4. Answer Experience Questions:
   • Current agricultural experience level (options: no experience, less than 1 year, 1-3 years, more than 3 years)
   • Training or education received in agriculture (apprenticeships, formal education, mentorship, conferences, workshops, publications)
   • Gaps in education, skills, or experiences you hope to address
   • Farming plans for the coming season
   • Long-term farming plans for the future
5. Select Mentors: Choose up to two mentor preferences from available list
6. Confirm Program Requirements: Acknowledge understanding of:
   • Responsibility to communicate with mentor throughout program
   • Required attendance at FARM Intern orientation meeting in spring
   • Requirement to complete 200 hours of hands-on learning
   • Requirement to submit at least 2 blogs during internship
   • Requirement to submit timesheets monthly
7. Provide Demographics (Optional): Age, gender, ethnicity, military status, income level, employment status, education level, tobacco/coal industry background, substance use disorder impact
8. Interview: All applicants will be contacted with interview information

Required Materials

• Contact information
• Agricultural experience summary
• Education/training background
• Learning goals and expected outcomes
• Farm business plans (current and long-term)

Submission Format

• Online form submission through ASD website