CCESC is expanding technical assistance, education, outreach, and mentoring efforts to new and beginning farmers in the Catskills-Hudson Valley region by working with beginning farmers, organizational partners, and experienced farm operators. The target audiences are underserved and beginning farmers in operation for less than 10 years, that consist of small farms, organic farms, women farmers, low to moderate income farmers, and/or black and brown farms and farmworkers.

The project objectives and outcomes are to 1) Increase the number of farmers that understand federal USDA, NYS and local assistance opportunities 2) Increase beginning farmers knowledge of agricultural production, farm business management practices, business and marketing training and farm food safety, 3) Increase the number of beginning farmers with businesses, marketing and farm food safety plans and 4) Increase the number of beginning farmers who own or manage a farm operation, 5) Increase the profitability and sustainability of beginning farmers, 6) Increase the number of socially disadvantaged beginning farmers operating or managing a farm operation.