The goal of Growing Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in Wyoming is to provide education, mentoring, and technical assistance to offer beginning farmers and ranchers the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions for their operations and enhance their sustainability. The project looks to ensure Wyoming beginning producers are well-informed of risk management alternatives. This allows them to take full advantage of existing insurance products and other risk controls by offering training and resources covering various financial management, risk management, enterprise assessment, and risk analysis topics.

The project’s multidimensional approach will make available training and resources under four broad objectives.
* The project will provide educational opportunities directly to beginning farmers and ranchers through regionally offered on-site programming and online resources;
* Provide on-site and online educational programs to Wyoming’s new, beginning, and limited resource farmers and ranchers via FFA classrooms and other venues;
* Coordinate and provide hands-on internships on working farms and ranches to Wyoming’s beginning farmers and ranchers each summer in cooperation with state producer organizations and educational institutions; and
* Develop and circulate media-based education on various financial management, risk management, enterprise assessment, and risk analysis topics statewide via articles in agriculture-focused newspapers and producer-organization newsletters.

“We are excited by this opportunity to work with new and beginning operators across the state,” noted John Hewlett, project coordinator and UW Extension ranch/farm management specialist. “There are numerous resources available to help both get things off on the right foot, as well as keep them running smoothly once up and rolling. We look forward to making those resources better known, as well as putting individuals in touch with needed support via extension and the broader university.”