A USDA matchmaking program
Farm and Ranch January 4, 2011 USDA has a new online program that is helping to match two different types of farmers and ranchers. Tjeersdma: “And it attempts to make a connection between retired or retiring farmers or ranchers who have CRP acres that are expiring with beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.” Lynn Tjeersdma of the Farm Service Agency who says the Transitions Incentive Program had been in place the last few months prior to the release of the TIPNET online component. Tjeersdma: “What the program does is provides an additional two-years of CRP payments to an eligible retiring farmer or rancher who leases on a long term basis, five years or more, or sells that land to a beginning or social disadvantaged farmer or rancher.” Tjeersdma says those involved in the CRP program for years weren’t quite sure how the Transitions Incentive Program would be accepted. He says it has proven quite popular. With the program in place only a few months Tjeersdma says that as of the end of November 2010 there were 372 contracts on more that 52-thousand acres with nearly five million dollars obligated. Tjeersdma: “So, this sent a message to us that without the online too if this program is this successful and has this must interest, then we need to do more to make sure we get interested parties together.” More details on TIPNET can be found online at
I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net.
