The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) was authorized in the 2008 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act to support programs and services that address the needs of limited resource beginning farmers or ranchers; socially disadvantaged beginning farmers or ranchers; and farm workers desiring to become farmers or ranchers.

The Fort Peck Community College BFRDP will provide financial, credit and marketing training for Socially-Disadvantaged, Limited-Resource, and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in Montana. Specially, the Fort Peck Community College BRRDP will meet the following two priorities for DFRDP projects: (1) business management and decision support strategies that enhance the financial viability of beginning farmers and ranchers, and (2) develop marketing strategies that enhance the competitiveness of beginning farmers and ranchers.

The target audience for this program will be 35 American Indian beginning farmers and ranchers who annually generate more than $10,000 gross revenue from farmer or ranching (which represents about 50% of Montana’s socially-disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Additionally, 100 limited-resource producers and high school students, will receive the same educational materials. Topics to be addressed include: record keeping and processing, credit referrals, entrepreneurship and business training, financial management training, tax management, risk management strategies, and the acquisition and management of agricultural credit.