Humane Farming
Mentorship Program
Photo courtesy of Great Heritage Farm LLC, 2025 Mentee & Mentor
Applications for our Winter/Spring 2027 session open in November 2026!
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Gain the necessary knowledge to achieve your humane farming goals with support from an experienced Mentor.
Program Details
Two options to meet farmers’ specific needs:
Beginner Farmer and Production Farmer
Production Farmers receive a $2,000 award for completed projects!
2- 20 week Sessions a year to accommodate the seasonal needs of farmers
Winter/Spring Session: Feb- July
Summer/Fall Session: July - Dec.
Limited spots per session, applicants can opt in to the waitlist for future sessions.
“I went in thinking of it as a checklist item… something to cross off my to-do list. After a few times of meeting with my mentor, I discovered I looked forward to it! A way to connect with someone who has similar but different ideas from me and a way to grow, learn and improve my ability to persevere in the farming world.“ Owner Tasha with Hangry Hen Farms, 2025 mentee
Beginner Farmer Mentees
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Sharpen your skills and clarify your farm goals with the one-on-one guidance of an experienced mentor.
0-3 years farming experience (some hands on knowledge is beneficial.)
Comprehensive support for new and beginning livestock/poultry farmers interested in raising animals humanely for food.
Sample topics for begnner farmers include:
steps to grow from a family farmer to a viable business
selecting breeds /species to meet your abilities and property
assessing healthy starter stock
fencing design and set-up
setting up water & feed systems
animal handeling
getting started with breeding (experience with animals req)
on-farm dairy; goat, cow or sheep
raising pastured poultry for meat & eggs
business planning
getting started with sales
connecting with your community
and more!
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Cost: $50 (for 20 week session)
Number of spots available: 6
Program Duration: 5 months (20 weeks), 2 sessions annually
Winter/Spring Jan 27-June 16th, 2025
Summer/Fall July 21-Dec 8, 2025
What to Expect
Personalized mentorship with an experienced farmer to guide your journey.
Bi-weekly to Monthly mentor meetings to ensure ongoing support, guidance, and accountability.
Set 2-3 clear, impactful goals to drive your humane farming success and growth.
Opportunity to transition to the Production Farmer level in future sessions.
Additional FACT Benefits:
Priority Conference Scholarship up to $400
Access to all FACT Webinars
Connect with other mentees in your cohort
Additional considerations for FACT’s Fund-a-Farmer Grant for the year you are enrolled
Production Farmer Mentees
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Take your humane, pasture-based livestock or poultry business to new heights!
With invaluable guidance from an experienced mentor and financial support toward an impactful project, FACT’s Production Farmer track is dedicated to improving the welfare of livestock through supporting the farmers that make it all possible!
This track is for active livestock/poultry farmers who
have 4+ years farming experience
are actively providing meat, dairy or eggs to their community
consider their farming activities a business
seek focused guidance to
a) transition to pasture-based, humane practices or
b) improve, expand or scale up their existing operations
Our Production Mentee’s can focus on a variety of Humane Farming business related topics. For example:
increase stocking rates
launch breeding program/ improve genetics
introduce new species to existing operations
improve/update handling systems
begin/update on-farm butchering systems
Improve grazing systems, water access, manure handling…
launch/improve on-line sales platform
begin a Meat or Dairy CSA
launch agrotourism or educational programs
and more!
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Cost: $200
Number of spots available: 6
Program Duration: 5 months (20 weeks), 2 sessions annually
Winter/Spring Jan 27-June 16th, 2025 or
Summer/Fall July 21-Dec 8, 2025
What to Expect
Personalized mentorship with an experienced farmer
Weekly to bi-weekly mentor meetings to ensure ongoing support, guidance, and accountability.
Mentees will determine a single significant “project goal” that enhances their humane farming practices or associated business operations
Receive $1,000 award for a project completed within the 20 week session.
Mentees can have up to two additional goals to work on with their mentor
Additional FACT Benefits:
Priority Conference Scholarship up to $400
Access to all FACT Webinars
Connect with other mentees in your cohort
Additional considerations for FACT’s Fund-a-Farmer Grant for the year you are enrolled
Mentors
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Mentors are the backbone of our program! We have many wonderful farmers across the country who are passionate about supporting their fellow farmers while also improving our food system for the better.
If you are interested in joining our network of mentor farmers, please read the info below to see if this is a good fit for you.
We consider Mentors able and willing to:
dedicate the necessary time to actively engage and support their mentee. This often includes regular phone calls and emails with their mentee, and possible farm visits. Mentors can expect to connect weekly for brief check-ins and bi-weekly/monthly for more focused talks.
10 years of experience or more raising animals using Humane and pasture-based practices.
Some experience in a teaching or mentor role is helpful but not required.
Retired? No problem. You are not required to be actively farming to be a great mentor.
Mentors are required to demonstrate working knowledge and be in support of humane animal management practices.
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Compensation:
$300 mentoring a Beginning Farmer
$500 mentoring a Production Farmer
Program Duration: 5 months (20 weeks), 2 sessions annually
Winter/Spring Jan 27-June 16th, 2025
Summer/Fall July 21-Dec 8, 2025
What is Expected
Weekly check-in’s
Bi-weekly / monthly focused meetings to ensure ongoing support, guidance, and accountability.
Dedication to the time necessary to actively engage and support a mentee. This often includes regular phone calls, text and emails with their mentee, and possible farm visits.
FACT maintains a thorough matching process and we ask you to be available for a brief interview with any potential mentee matches. All parties must agree before FACT makes any formal assignments
Open-minded and understanding that mentees may have different backgrounds, challenges, financial needs and beliefs than your own.
Mentors are not expected to give financial, legal or veterinarian care advice.
Support from FACT staff through the entire 20 week session
Additional FACT Benefits:
Priority Conference Scholarship up to $400
Access to all FACT Webinars
Connect with other mentors in your cohort
Have questions or wondering which track is right for you?
Email Katie at kmeade@foodanimalconcerns.org
Testimonials
“As first-generation farmers doing our part to humanely and ethically raise high-quality local meats for our community, private foundation grant support is hugely helpful as we are building our farm from the ground up, paying cash as we go for new infrastructure and operations. Thank you to FACT for caring about humane farming and supporting local farmers who are truly making an impact in communities around the country.” Emilee Hoff, owner Hoff the Grid Meat Co. 2025 Production Mentee
“... this program is highly successful in not only helping people identify what they truly want from their agricultural enterprises... it helps people set priorities on how they wish to create the quality of life that they have.”
James Maginot, mentor 2020- current