How do you become a Certified Farm Seeker?

All Certified Farm Seekers: (1) are registered on Virginia Farm Link (2) have on-farm experience (3) have developed a farm business plan and (4) have a resume to demonstrate these items. There are two tracks for becoming a certified farm seeker:

A) Experienced Farmer Track - for farm seekers who already have experience farming and

B) Regular Track - for farm seekers just beginning farming without experience.

A) Experienced Farmer Track: To become a certified farm seeker when you already have experience farming (as demonstarted on your resume) complete the following steps:

1. Register for Virginia Farm Link: Registration can be done for free by following this link: Register as a farm seeker.  Once registered as a farm seeker you can search and contact farm owners via the Virginia Farm Link system.  Once you are a Certified Farm Seeker, you will be listed on the Virginia Farm Link Map (with a red tractor icon).  Non-certified farm seekers are not listed on the map and are not visible to farm owners to contact directly. Farm owners can only respond to non-certified farm seekers if the seeker sends a message to the farm owner first via the Virginia Farm Link system. Certified Farm Seekers also display the CFS logo prominently on their user profile. 

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2. On-Farm Experience: If you already have experience farming, you may bypass the normal Whole Farm Planning Module and complete a shortened version. This shortened version of the whole farm planning module can be found below either as a plain .pdf to print and complete by hand or in a form you can fill out online and then save and send electronically.  

• Whole Farm Planning Module for Experienced Farmers (plain .pdf file)
• Whole Farm Planning Module for Experienced Farmers (electronically fillable .pdf form)  IMPORTANT NOTE: If you complete the electronically fillable form, first save the form to your computer and then fill it out. The "Submit Now" option does not work in some internet browsers like Google Chrome. 

Once complete, send  a copy to the Virginia Farm Link Administrator who will review and determine if you are ready to start your Farm Business Plan.

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   Develop Your Farm Business Plan:  The Whole Farm Planning Module helped you to write out your short and long-term farming goals.  Use those foundational goals to complete a farm business plan.   You can work with a professional to develop a farm business plan or develop one yourself. The Virginia Farm Link resources webpage provides information for completing your farm business plan. 

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   Farm Resume:  The final step is showing your farm experience on a professional resume.  Consult the On-Farm Experience Module for methods of drafting a resume that highlights on-farm experience. 

B) Regular Track: To become a certified farm seeker as someone new to farming without experience, complete the following steps:

1. Register for Virginia Farm Link: Registration can be done for free by following this link: Register as a farm seeker.  Once registered as a farm seeker you can search and contact farm owners via the Virginia Farm Link system.  Once you are a Certified Farm Seeker, you will be listed on the Virginia Farm Link Map (with a red tractor icon).  Non-certified farm seekers are not listed on the map and are not visible to farm owners to contact directly. Farm owners can only respond to non-certified farm seekers if the seeker sends a message to the farm owner first via the Virginia Farm Link system. Certified Farm Seekers also display the CFS logo prominently on their user profile. 

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2. On-Farm Experience: You will need to gather experience working on a farm before you may become a Certified Farm Seeker. You can gain farm experience in many different ways. Contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension Office and join the Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Program (VBFRCP) to build your farming network and skill set.  If you have on-farm experience, then you are closer to becoming certified.  Complete the Whole Farm Planning Module listed below.

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3. Complete the Whole Farm Planning Module: To complete this step you need to complete the Whole Farm Planning Module.   Whole farm planning is the process of short-term and long-term decision making and evaluation that takes into consideration the whole farm – it is the short and long-term vision your family has for itself and the farm – it is why you want to be a farmer!

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4. Develop Your Farm Business Plan:  The components and worksheets in the Whole Farm Planning Module provide the guidance needed to develop your short and long-term farming goals that are the foundation of your farm business plan.   You can work with a professional to develop a farm business plan or develop one yourself. The Virginia Farm Link resources webpage provides information for completing your farm business plan. 

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5. Farm Resume:  The final step is showing your farm experience on a professional resume.  Consult the On-Farm Experience Module for methods of drafting a resume that highlights on-farm experience. 

Once you have completed the above requirements, submit them via e-mail to the Farm Link Administrator, who will confirm:

1) Demonstration of on-farm experience (as shown on your resume);

2) Completion of the Whole Farm Planning Module; and

3) Completion of a Farm Business Plan.

Once the Farm Link Administrator has reviewed the submitted material, you will be contacted. If you are not able to be certified, staff will instruct you on what is necessary to become certified and you can re-submit when ready.  The review time is typically 30 days.

Note: Virginia Farm Link cannot guarentee that any connections made between farm owners and farmer seekers (certified or not) will be successful.  All matches between parties are facilitated by the two parties - no additional matching assistance is provided by the Virginia Farm Link program.

Important Links

 

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CFS Benefits

Non-certified farm seeker

Certified Farm Seeker

Farm owner understands that the farm seeker is serious about farming and is either already farming or ready to begin farming?

?

YES

Farm seeker has a farm business plan ready to share with a farm owner?

?

YES

Farm seeker has on-farm experience?

?

YES

Shown on the interactive map like farm owners?

NO

YES

   1. Whole Farm Planning Module (required module for the CFS program)

   2. Business Management Module (optional module for the CFS program)

   3. Land Acquisition and Tenure Module (optional module for the CFS program)

   4. Marketing Module (optional module for the CFS program)

   5. On-Farm Experience Module (optional module for the CFS program)