Agricultural apprenticeships offer hands-on experiential learning through intensive mentorship to the next generation of farmers and ranchers. New Entry Sustainable Farming Project works to coordinate the Ag Apprenticeship Learning Network (AgALN) to facilitate the growth of more mentorship opportunities to jointly train and support new agrarians. We conduct a yearly survey of apprenticeship programs, and this data represents 45 program responses over three years of reported information (2017, 2018, and 2019).

The University of Maryland Institute of Applied Agriculture (UM IAA) Internship Agreement is a contract between the student, the farm where they will be interning, and the internship coordinator. This template format includes contact information, job description, learning objectives, and evaluation plan, and can be applied generally for any combination of a mentor, mentee, and mentoring organization.

The Internship Search Self-Assessment form was created by the University of Maryland Institute of Applied Agriculture in 2019.  The IAA Internship Search Self- Assessment is a form for exploring various aspects of what one is looking for in their farming internship. The form focuses on skills types, industry, location, and work style.

Northeast Organic Farming Association - New York designed this “On Farm Skills Development Guide”

The NOFA-NY skills guide is a template where mentors and mentees can track progress of various skills across farming, including specific knowledge related to livestock, business, fruit, dairy, produce, and repair. The guide also includes a template for periodic evaluations.

Rogue Farm Corps’ internship and apprenticeship programs are designed to train the next generation of farmers and ranchers through a structured, educational framework that includes on-farm training, classes, farm tours, discussion groups, and independent projects.  These programs are designed to meet the legal criteria for unpaid internships and apprenticeships. Host farmers partner with Rogue Farm Corps and serve as primary mentors for the interns and apprentices on their farm.

While there are finite legal categories for on-farm labor and learning, many farms structure learning in ways that aren’t adequately described by existing terms, or that stretch the standard definitions of legal options. Here we suggest some terms and definitions for commonly used labor and learning arrangements. As a community of practice evolves in this work, we hope to continue to modify and refine these definitions. This short guide, adapted from the Ag Apprenticeship Toolkit, is intended for existing and aspiring mentor farmers and ag apprenticeship programs. 

Onboarding: An orientation guide for your Apprentice’s first days. A tip sheet from Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA)

Join us for a conversation with Brian Wheat from Lowcountry Local First (https://lowcountrylocalfirst.org/). Their Good Farming initiative supports sustainable agriculture and is designed to grow and connect the local food system by training new farmers, supporting existing farm businesses and educating consumers. Additionally, they provide consulting services for private companies, municipal government, and anchor institutions to cultivate local farms and fill gaps in economic development activities.

Presenters: Abby Sadauckas, farmer and the project manager for the grant; Leslie Forstadt, Human Development Specialist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

You may have found yourself asking: “Why is it so hard to manage the people on my farm?” or “Why do apprentices take so much time?” or “How can I be a better mentor?” or “What’s the best approach for curriculum design for apprenticeship programs?”

Webinar recording: This online event launched the Ag Apprenticeship Toolkit and offered a briefing on the power of networks by Andrew Crosson of Rural Support Partners. This event included a tour of the Ag Apprenticeship Toolkit, the capstone resource from Year 1 of the National Ag Apprenticeship Learning Network, and detailed how participation in networks can strengthen local, regional and national food systems work.