U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue signed a memorandum of understanding last week with officials from SCORE, the nation’s largest volunteer network of expert business mentors, to support new and beginning farmers.
The agreement with SCORE provides tools and resources for beginning farmers and ranchers, veterans, women, socially disadvantaged Americans and others.
“Shepherding one generation to the next is our responsibility,” Perdue said in a statement. “We want to help new farmers, veterans and people transitioning from other industries to agriculture. They need land, equipment and access to capital, but they also need advice and guidance. That’s what SCORE is all about.”
SCORE matches business professionals and entrepreneurs with new business owners to mentor them through the process of starting-up and maintaining a new business.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its partners across rural America are working with SCORE to support new farming and ranching operations and identify and recruit mentors with a wealth of agricultural experience.
Perdue announced the new partnership during the Iowa Agriculture Summit in Des Moines. Perdue was joined by Steve Records, vice president of Field Operations for SCORE, in signing the agreement that will guide the groups as they partner in the mentorship effort, which will soon expand to other states.
“SCORE’s mission to help people start and grow vibrant small businesses is boosted by this new partnership with USDA. America’s farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses will benefit from the business knowledge and expertise SCORE can offer,” Records said. “The partnership allows both SCORE and USDA to serve more people, while providing America’s farmers added support to lead to more sound business operations, create profitable farms with sustainable growth and create new jobs. We are excited at the opportunity to extend SCORE’s impact to our farmers and the agriculture industry.”
SCORE mentors will partner with USDA and a wide array of groups already at work serving new and beginning farmers and ranchers, such as the FFA, 4-H, cooperative extension and land grant universities, nonprofits, legal aid groups, banks and technical and farm advisors. These partnerships will expand and integrate outreach and technical assistance between current and retired farmers and agribusiness experts and new farmers.
SCORE mentorship will also be available to current farmers and ranchers. Anyone interested in being a mentor can get more information and sign up on the USDA New Farmers’ website.