The number of small and medium-sized farms in Georgia is falling while the average age of farmers keeps climbing. The Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program is our answer: a comprehensive training pathway designed by the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture and partners, built for people ready to start a farm business or sharpen one they have recently begun.
Participants build a working farm business plan, train in either small fruit and vegetable production or small ruminant production, and, where local capacity allows, gain hands-on experience through internships, mentorships, or local farm tours. A certificate is awarded after course completion and a passing knowledge evaluation.
Center-designed. Delivered locally.
We designed the Journeyman Farmer curriculum here at the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture, in partnership with Georgia Organics, Fort Valley State University, the UGA Small Business Development Center, AgSouth, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association. The program is delivered across the state by county Extension agents, and each county’s offerings vary based on what the local Extension team is set up to host. If a program is not running in your area, you are welcome to travel to classes in nearby counties, and your county agent can point you to what is currently available.
The three components
Step 1: Farm business planning
Small Farm Business Planning
Four two-hour sessions developed with the UGA Small Business Development Center, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and Georgia Organics. Covers lessons from successful small farms, market feasibility, balance sheets, income statements, risk management, marketing, technology, and preparing a business plan. Graduates leave with the foundation to write their own farm business plan.
AgAware
A one-day workshop run by AgCredit, aimed at young, beginning, small, and minority farmers. Covers balance sheets, income statements, family finance and budgeting, applying for financing, risk management, marketing, and business plan preparation. Participants receive an FSA borrower certificate and a certificate of completion.
Step 2: Production training
Small Fruit & Vegetable Production
A seven-week training developed with Georgia Organics and the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. Topics include soil health and fertility, amendments and fertilizers, cover crops, crop rotation, pest management, crop selection and propagation, equipment, post-harvest handling, food safety, and marketing.
Small Ruminant Production
A six-week training developed by Fort Valley State University with UGA Extension. Topics include goat and sheep breeds and selection, nutrition and body scoring, pasture management, predator control, health and disease, reproduction and kidding or lambing, integrated parasite management, and meats and marketing. A live-animal session covers body condition scoring, hoof trimming, and checking for internal parasites.
Step 3: Hands-on production (optional, county-dependent)
Some Journeyman programs offer a hands-on component through internships, mentorships, or local farm tours with experienced farmers. Availability depends on the Extension team hosting the program in your area. To qualify, you typically must complete and pass Steps 1 and 2, and then apply for the opportunity. Placement is not guaranteed. Check with the county agent running the program for details.
Who should attend
The USDA defines a beginning farmer as anyone who has farmed less than ten years continuously. The Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program is built for people in that window, whether you are still planning a farm business or are one or two seasons in and looking to operate with more confidence.
Find a program, or tell us where one should be
Start by checking with your county Extension agent to see whether a Journeyman Farmer program is currently scheduled in your area and which components they plan to offer. If there is nothing nearby, let us know you are interested using the form below. We use the interest list to plan where future programs are set up.
Program contact
Whitney Ottinger
SARE Sustainable Ag Educator
Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture (GCUA)
2662 Mt. Carmel Church Rd
Murray County Extension Office
Chatsworth, GA 30705
The Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2015-70017-22861. It is a partnership among the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture, UGA Extension, Georgia Organics, Fort Valley State University, the UGA Small Business Development Center, AgSouth, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association.