Our Farmer Mentoring Program Focus

Hands-On Learning Is Personal

Farming and ranching require a diverse set of skills, and you need people in your corner-mentors and advisers from a wide range of backgrounds who can help you weather challenges and achieve your agricultural goals. Who do you turn to for support? Farmers who have the experience it takes to answer your questions. They're committed to helping another generation of producers.

Mentorship is the influence, guidance or direction given by a more seasoned farmer to a young producer getting start­ed. In a farm setting, a mentor influences the growth of a mentee.

But really, it is as simple as learning what you need to know about farming from someone eager to explain things to you. They want to help you make your plans work.
In our program, a mentee is chosen from beginning and intermediate producers who attend one of our farmer educa­tional seminars, or view our online learning series. You may be interested in grain, livestock or dairy.

For this progam, there are a couple of field days each year, where the mentee visits the mentor's farm to learn how an experienced producer goes about the daily business of running the farm. Along the way, you can ask questions and learn from the experience of a mentor who's been there and learned the ins and outs of agriculture.

You can interact with your mentor through the two field days a year, and via telephone calls, text or email messages, depending on what works for the mentor. 

Download our Information sheets for either mentees or mentors, and get started today! 

Simply fill out the form and email it to ageist@nfo.org. Questions? Call Austin at 641-750-7871.