The New Farmer Development Project (NFDP) identifies, educates, and supports immigrants with agricultural experience to establish their own economically and environmentally sustainable small farm businesses in the NYC region.

By training the next generation of regional farmers, the NFDP helps keep farmland in production and strengthens rural communities, farmers markets and the region’s food system as a whole. NFDP farmers grow a range of unique products originating from around the world, and expand public access to high-quality, locally-grown farm products.

The NFDP was created in 2000 as a partnership between Greenmarket and Cornell Cooperative Extension's NYC Program. The project is based in New York City and supports new farmers witin the city, New York's Hudson Valley & Catskill Regions, New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania.

Project Facts and Milestones:

• More than 165 aspiring immigrant farmers have completed the NFDP farm business planning course, La Nueva Siembra.
• 22 immigrant farmers and their families have started their own independent farm businesses with the support of the NFDP.
• NFDP farmers sell a variety of vegetables, specialty herbs, pastured poultry, eggs, cut and potted flowers, honey, small fruits and plants at nearly 60 farmers markets throughout New York City and the Hudson Valley.
• NFDP farmers keep a total of 325 acres of farmland in production.
• 6 NFDP farmers have purchased farmland, and collectively own 72 acres.
• 5 NFDP farmers have long-term leases with landowners.
• 9 NFDP farmers sell through 18 CSAs city-wide, providing approximately 1,100 individual shares.
• NFDP farmers are extremely effective at reaching low-income customers, selling at 23 farmers markets and 10 CSAs in low-income neighborhoods.
• In 2010, NFDP farmers had over $60,000 in EBT (Food stamp) sales and approximately $385,000 in WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program sales.