New Century Farm Fellows will receive a comprehensive, hands-on farming education and will gain essential skills, land and market access, capital resources, and community support needed to build a thriving farm business.

The New Century Farm Fellowship (NCFF) program is a two year program that will launch in March 2026. Four beginning farmers will be hired as professional staff and receive a living wage and competitive employee benefits during the first year of the fellowship. 

This project aims to build upon Iowa Valley RC&D’s education initiatives and farming expertise to establish a learning center and community hub for aspiring farmers. Fellows will learn the essential skills needed to farm successfully and be connected with mentors, markets, land access, and other opportunities to establish their own viable farm businesses. 

The first year of the NCFF fellowship will include 40-hr work weeks at the IVRCD Grow: Johnson County farm under the supervision of our Farm Manager. Fellows will also attend weekly training sessions and field trips to learn about topics such as business and enterprise planning, market and land access, crop planning, animal husbandry, integrated pest management, food safety practices, equipment functions and operations, infrastructure building and repairs, crop handling, and more.

During the program fellows will receive their own ⅛-acre plots at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farmand specialize in one or two crops, with access to technical assistance, farm equipment and the farm facilities to support their new enterprises. Continued opportunities will be provided to attend educational workshops, field days, and networking opportunities with regional farmers, farmer educators, food/farm businesses, and funding agencies.

During their second year, fellows will be matched to a regional farm selected based on their individual farming goals. On these farms fellows will gain additional experience as an employee of this farm. During the second year fellows will continue to manage their personal 1/8 acres plots and receive technical assistance.

  • Eligibility

    • 2+ years of farming experience

      • Large home production is acceptable

      • A business goal of scaling up/transition, earning partial or full income from farming  

    Who is Eligible to Apply? 

    Eligible fellows will have previous farming experience and a goal of starting or growing their own small farm business. Fellows should live or be willing to relocate within commuting distance of the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm (Iowa City) and will be willing to commit to full-time employment at IVRCD in year one of the program and part-time as an employee on a regional farm in year 2.

  • Fellows will be considered full-time IVRCD employees during year one and will be eligible for employee benefits. The benefit structure is as follows:

    Fellowship Year 1 Employment Benefits 

    Fellows will be considered Full-Time IVRCD staff during year one and will be eligible for company benefits including health, dental, vision, 401k, and paid holidays.

    Fellowship Year 2 Employment Benefits 

    • Fellows will be employees of a regional farm. Pay and benefits will vary to each farm.

  • IVRCD is dedicated to supporting Fellows during their training.  

    • Year 1: Full Time: Commitment of 32 hours/week or 40 hours/week

    • Year 2: Part Time commitment of 20-24 hours/week at a regional farm and commitment to match your personal 1/8 plot.

    • Pay for year 1 for IVRCD Employment: $20/hour.

  • The Fellowship program will include hands-on training, educational opportunities, networking, and a space for personal production.

    Field Training

    Fellows will be paid to work alongside IVRCD Grow Johnson County program staff to learn field and growing techniques. 

    • Seeding and transplanting 

    • Irrigation Systems

    • Equipment Training

    • Cultivation Techniques

    • Food Safety and Packhouse Procedure 

    Personal Field Production

    Fellows will be assigned a production space to trial 1-2 crops for market. 

    • IVRCD will provide a small stipend for seeds, irrigation, and potting soil in year 1

    • Greenhouse space for seed starting

    • Fellows will be assigned a 1/8 acre available for each participant

      • Year 1: 50% cover crop rotation, 50% cultivation

      • Year 2: full cultivation 

    Additional Education

    There will be an emphasis on facilitating networking opportunities for future resource providers such as loan providers, land access navigators, buyers

    • Workshops - Field and Business

    • Farm Tours

    • Conferences

    • Networking 

    • USDA Resources and Connections

  • The Fellowship program is a 2-year commitment. It is built to allow for flexibility and support for beginning farmers.  If you have questions, please email Program Director Emmaly Renshaw at emmaly@ivrcd.org.

  • Interest forms for the NCF Fellowship are now open to gauge interest. If you are interested in applying to the program, please fill out this short interest form.  A staff member will set up a 20-mintue call to answer questions and then send the full application. 

    Deadline January 15th

    Interest Form

NCFF was made possible through a federally-funded USDA Land, Capital, and Market Access (LCMA) Grant.