Very few young people become farmers today, and half of all U.S. farmers are between the ages of 45 and 65, while only 6% of all farmers are under the age of 35.
The US honeybee population--,responsible for pollinating an estimated 15-30% of all food consumed in the United States— has been reduced by about half in the past fifty years by the toxic chemicals present in pesticides.
Excessive use of chemical fertilizers and over-application of manure have contributed to the creation of an oxygen-depleted “dead zone,” an area in the Gulf of Mexico where no aquatic life can survive.
Financials
We have recently been approved for our non-profit status and we have not yet begun the process of funded grants at this time. We expect to begin our grant process in late 2009 or early 2010.