The National Immigrant Farming Initiative (NIFI) proposes a project with the long-term goal of continuing to improve food security and community development among a network of partners in the Paso del Norte region of southern New Mexico and west Texas. NIFI supports beginning farmers with the knowledge, skills, and tools they identify as needed to make good farm business decisions and enhance sustainability.
Aligned with BFRDP goals, NIFI's target audience consists of socially disadvantaged and limited resource immigrant farmers and ranchers who have not operated a farm or have operated a farm for not more than 10 years. This project also serves military veterans, the majority of whom, though not all, are also in the category of limited resource immigrant farmers. NIFI has worked with immigrant and veteran farm families with outreach and training to support their initiation and development of agricultural enterprises. Maintaining this farm support network allows NIFI to continue to learn and support the needs of these socially disadvantaged farmers so they can develop sustainable operations and remain in farming. NIFI intentionally follows the leadership of the beginning farmers based on the farmers expressed needs for training and technical assistance.