Humane Farming Mentorship Program

FACT's Humane Farming Mentorship Program pairs livestock and poultry farmers with an experienced mentor over a 20-week session, offered twice a year. It has two tracks: a Beginner Farmer track and a Production Farmer track. Production Farmers receive a $2,000 award for a completed on-farm project.

Beginner Farmer track: 0-3 years of farming experience; comprehensive support for new and beginning livestock or poultry farmers interested in raising animals humanely for food. Production Farmer track: active livestock/poultry farmers with 4+ years of experience who are providing meat, dairy, or eggs to their community, consider their farming a business, and seek focused guidance to transition to or scale up humane, pasture-based practices. Six spots per track per session.

Program duration is 20 weeks (5 months), with two sessions annually. Beginner track: $50 enrollment cost; personalized mentorship with bi-weekly to monthly meetings and 2-3 goals. Production track: $200 enrollment cost; weekly to bi-weekly mentorship, a single significant project goal (up to two additional goals), and an award for a completed project. Both tracks include a priority Conference Scholarship up to $400, access to FACT webinars, and additional consideration for FACT's Fund-a-Farmer Grant. Note: the live page shows both a $2,000 award (current banner) and a $1,000 award (in a stale 2025 block); the $2,000 figure appears current.

Applications for the Winter/Spring 2027 session open in November 2026. Join FACT's Farmer Newsletter to be notified. Questions or track guidance: Katie Meade, kmeade@foodanimalconcerns.org.