Beginning Farmer Institute
The application period for the 2026 BFI has closed. The application period for the 2027 BFI will open in Spring 2026.
National Farmers Union Beginning Farmer Institute (BFI) is a free, online, 10-week intensive program intended to improve the health of your farm or ranch business. The program is open to producers ages 18 and up and is inclusive of all operation types and scales of production.
A team of Farmers Union staff and leadership will review each application. All application content will be kept confidential. You will be notified of your admission status no later than Tuesday, September 1, 2025. Acceptance is conditional upon your submission to – and NFU review of – a background check, to ensure the safety of participants during the program’s in-person session.
Each cohort is selected through a competitive application process. If accepted, you will attend online seminars, network with peers, pursue independent learning activities, and receive one-on-one technical assistance. Participants who complete all the necessary requirements will be considered for an additional in-person session, which will include additional trainings, farm tours, and networking with Farmers Union leadership.
The program is structured around The Resilerator™, a program of California FarmLink. The Resilerator ™ includes weekly online trainings led by experts in business management over the course of 10 weeks from October to December. Participants will be expected to watch 30-60 minutes of video trainings each week, followed by participation in weekly, 2-hour question and answer sessions with Resilerator (™) instructors.
Application Process
Each applicant must submit an application (online or print), a current, one-page resume, one reference letter in support of your candidacy for NFU’s Beginning Farmer Institute, and a 2-3 page essay (typed, double-spaced) describing: your current farm or ranch operation, how you envision your operation in five years, and how participating in BFI will help you achieve this.
The application period for the 2026 BFI has closed. The application period for the 2027 BFI will open in Spring 2026.
Program Objectives
Participants will gain an understanding of the following topics:
Business Formation and Planning
- Choose or maintain the appropriate business structure for your circumstances.
- Improve your process for tracking and managing assets put into your business.
- Develop or improve your business plan.
- Identify best practices within your operation for profitability and wealth creation.
Taxation and Accounting
- Identify specific tax deductions available for your farm or ranch business.
- Develop a list of questions to bring to a CPA for assistance with your tax return.
- Begin using your balance sheet as a management tool.
- Establish or improve your processes for calculating cost of production and cost of sales.
Credit and Insurance
- Create or update your current month-by-month business cash flow budget.
- Identify sources of operating credit, credit for asset purchase or improvement, and credit for land acquisition.
- Identify specific types of insurance your operation should have.
- Develop a list of questions for your insurance provider about getting coverage.
Land Management and Labor
- Determine how much farm or ranch land you can afford to purchase or lease.
- Identify the steps required to create a succession plan for your operation.
- Identify responsible labor practices for managing family, contractors, apprentices, and volunteers.
- Understand applicable laws governing wages, working hours, Worker’s Compensation, and payroll taxes.
What You’ll Get
Each participant will receive:
- All Resilerator™ video lessons and course content.
- Lifetime access to the Farmers Union Learning Lab, an online hub for agricultural and cooperative education.
- A one-year membership to Farm Commons. This membership puts ready-made legal knowledge at your fingertips through interactive and on-demand workshop series, resource libraries, and community forums.
- Farmers Union membership. Participants who are not already Farmers Union members will be reimbursed for a one-year membership, which offers benefits ranging from local networking and advocacy opportunities, to discounts for farm apparel, equipment, and seeds.
- Direct technical assistance. Following the 10- week course participants will have the opportunity to schedule a one-on-one meeting with the instructor to ask questions about their individual situations.
Program Eligibility
- Must be 18 years or older
- Should be currently farming/ranching, have have 2+ years of experience, and be either an owner or considered a key decision- maker in the operation
- Operation must be for-profit (the substance of BFI is not suitable for non-profit operations)
- Must be a resident of the United States or Puerto Rico
Operations of any size and type are eligible to apply, and owning an operation is not required.
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