The challenges confronting New York’s agricultural sector are significant. The average age of farmers is 57, and many lack succession plans, while restrictive policies pose a threat to the stability of the food supply. Aspiring farmers are often discouraged by exorbitant land costs, substantial student debt, the uncertainties of climate change, and high operational expenses.

Furthermore, current farmers and farmworkers endure considerable economic and environmental pressures stemming from extreme weather, market volatility, and pest issues. These factors collectively result in diminished crop yields and consequently restrict consumer access to fresh, local food.

GrowNYC Beginning Farmers program (2001 – 2025) was dedicated to identifying, educating, and supporting experienced farmers and farmworkers to establish economically and environmentally sustainable farm businesses. Our annual cohorts comprised a diverse range of farmers at various stages of their entrepreneurial journey. We offered a free, comprehensive 10-week course on farm business fundamentals, provided in both English and Spanish.

The curriculum equipped participants with essential competencies in business planning, financial management, marketing, and the acquisition of land and capital. Graduates were offered pro bono, in-house business technical assistance services for a period of three years post-graduation, a benefit also extended to all current vendors participating in GrowNYC’s Greenmarkets and Food Hub.

GrowNYC’s Beginning Farmers program yielded substantial benefits for regional farmers and underserved New Yorkers, strengthening and supporting a more resilient and sustainable regional food system:

  • Support for BIPOC and Young Farmers: The program specifically looked to identify, educate, and support aspiring farmers with agricultural experience who are underrepresented in farm business ownership. 75% of graduates self-identified as BIPOC and/or women. The goal was to facilitate the establishment of economically and environmentally sustainable farm businesses within the NYC region. All programs are delivered in English and Spanish, with our flagship courses being the Farm Beginnings (FBP) course in English and the La Nueva Siembra (LNS) course in Spanish, both offered annually. The program operated for 25 years as the longest continuously operating farm business program in the Northeast.
  • Enhancing Farm Business Viability: We offered 600 graduated participants and beginning farmers assistance with assessing land opportunities, negotiating favorable leases, formalizing business structures, ensuring compliance with government regulations, and other critical initial steps toward business establishment. We provided both in-house and complimentary third-party technical assistance to enhance farmer profitability, including refining promotional strategies and optimizing market and product mixes. Additionally, we assisted farmers in applying for grants, loans, and other governmental and private programs designed to support their enterprises.
  • Fostering a Resilient Regional Food Economy: By aiding regional farmers in establishing and maintaining sustainable farm businesses, the Farmer Assistance Program strengthened the region’s food system holistically. Graduates of the beginning farmer program and GrowNYC farmers cultivate a diverse array of unique produce, expanding public access to high-quality, locally-grown, and culturally relevant farm products. These offerings include vegetables, specialty herbs, pastured poultry, eggs, cut and potted flowers, honey, small fruits, and plants, available at over 45+ farmers markets across New York City, the Hudson Valley, and New Jersey.
  • Farmland Preservation: GrowNYC farmers maintain farmland in active production throughout New York, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. We collaborate with farm incubators in New York and New Jersey to identify potential farmer tenants and connect retiring farmers with legal services to ensure their land remains in agriculture and is successfully transitioned to the succeeding generation of farmers.

GrowNYC has discontinued the Beginning Farmers program. However, we remain committed to supporting farmers who sell through Greenmarket and GrowNYC’s Wholesale network. Our current support focuses on targeted technical assistance, including business planning, compliance, branding, and market expansion strategies, all aimed at stabilizing farm operations during challenging economic times. Aspiring or out-of-network farmers are now directed to external organizations for resources related to training, land access, and startup needs.