List of organizations and programs involved in small farm work

Center for Rural Affairs
Description: Programs include: 1. Rural Enterprise Assistance Program (REAP) Training and loans for small businesses; 2. Land Link & Heifer Project - Matching service and interest-free livestock loans; 3. Value Added Programs (market Access Project) - Specialty markets; 4. Action Alerts - Legislative Updates (Federal and Nebraska Issues); 5. Rural Opportunity Stewardship Project Training for sustainable/profitable farming/ranching practices.
Center for Rural Affairs, 101 S Tallman St - PO Box 406, Walthill NE 68067, (402) 846-5428

Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society
Description: Our most valuable resource is our network of consumers, producers, educators, and resource providers. This network can be participated in with several approaches. Programs include local foods program, mentoring, organizational listserve, workshops, newsletters, and conferences. The Society provides up to date information of funding opportunities.
Paul Rohrbaugh, RR1, Box 66, Steinauer, NE 68441, 402-869-2288, Website: Nebsusag.org

University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension
Description: Programs include Kimmel/Arbor Day Foundation and the Rural Advantage Program. A wide array of programs in Agriculture, Natural Resources, Community Resources and Family and Consumer Science.
211 Agricultural Hall - East Campus, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0703, Cooperative Extension Offices are located in 84 sites throughout Nebraska

The Nebraska EDGE Program
Description: The Nebraska EDGE (Enhancing, Developing and Growing Entrepreneurs) is the umbrella organization for rural entrepreneurial training programs hosted by local communities, organizations and associations.
Marilyn Schlake (Program Coordinator), 53A Filley Hall - East Campus, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0947, (402) 472-4138, Website: nebraskaedge.unl.edu/

The University of Nebraska Food Processing Center
Description: The center provides a combination of technical and business assistance to the food industry on a confidential basis. The technical capabilities include pilot plants and laboratories to assist manufacturers on a wide range of food products and unit operations with product and process development. It offers a range of business development capabilities in market research, product costing, ingredient sourcing, market testing, and business venture development.
143 H.C. Filley Hall - East Campus, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0919, Website: fpc.unl.edu

The North Central Initiative for Small Farm Profitability
Description: This is a four-state, multi-institutional, farm-to-fork effort designed to improve the profitability and competitiveness of small and mid-size farms in the Midwest. Key and unique to the North Central Initiative for Small Farm Profitability are farmer clusters working with researches to put science-based, market-driven results into action in the four-state North Central region. The clusters are made up of farmers and ranchers in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin who have an idea or product, or who are already working on an idea or product, for increasing small farm profitability. Local resource providers support the clusters, and it is hoped cluster members will help apply knowledge learned from this initiative into their local communities.
Ken Wurdeman, Initiative Coordinator, 58 Filley Hall - East Campus, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-1772, phone (402) 426-0807, Website: www.farmprofitability.org/partners.htm

Natural Resources Conservation Service
Programs include: A. Limited Resource Farmer - Extra Consideration is given to farmers who are limited in their financial ability. B. Incentive Program with Equip C. AgrAbility Program - Program for handicapped individual to continue farming.
Room 152, Federal Bldg, 100 Centennial Mall - North, Lincoln, NE 68508, (402) 437-5300, Website: www.ne.nrcs.usda.gov/

Funding sources

FSA - Beginning Farmer Loan Program; Heifer Project; REAP (micro loans)

Websites

Center for Rural Affairs - www.cfra.org
University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension - extension.unl.edu
Web Sites are found in every Extension Office in Nebraska.
The Nebraska EDGE Program - nebraskaedge.unl.edu/
The University of Nebraska Food Processing Center - fpc.unl.edu
North Central Small Farm Profitability - www.farmprofitability.org/partners.htm

Publications

Center for Rural Affairs - www.cfra.org
Food Network Directory available from the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society

Nebraska Cooperative Extension - Publications range from information regarding crop production to family and consumer science to horticulture www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/.

Newsletters

Center for Rural Affairs Newsletter, published monthly. Available at www.cfra.org or by contacting the Center through the website or by email; info@cfra.org

Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society - bimonthly newsletter

Cooperative Extension in Nebraska - as a wide variety of newsletters that it releases weekly and monthly.

North Central Small Farm Profitability - annual newsletter

Regular events (annual workshops, field days, tours, etc)

Center for Rural Affairs - Annual Meeting usually in the fall. Check newsletter for exact date.

Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society - Annual Healthy Farms Conference; A partnered Conference in the Fall; Geographical and informational dispersed tours and workshops

The Nebraska EDGE program is a statewide network of public/private partners working together in their local communities. The mission of the coalition is to foster and promote entrepreneurship in the region or community.

The Food Processing Center offers a variety of workshops throughout the year. Examples include Entrepreneur Workshops, Food Allergens, Ingredients and ingredient Functionality, Extrusion Workshops and others.