Business Support Resources

Airbnb and American Farmland Trust are launching the Farm to Stay Grant Program through AFT’s Brighter Future Fund. This national grant will support farmers and ranchers creating or expanding farm stays and experiences as an additional income stream. We will distribute approximately 25-30 grants of up to $10,000 each.

Farmers and ranchers are navigating rising costs, volatile markets, and weather-related risks. At the same time, traveler interest in rural destinations and farm stays is growing. Not only will this partnership help farmers and ranchers build an additional income stream; it will also give more people a meaningful connection to working farms and ranches and the families who operate them.

Eligibility and guideline details will be made available before applications open in late November 2026.

This training is designed for all fishermen, including crewmen, to learn or hone fundamental safety and survival skills. Through hands-on training, fishermen learn about EPIRBs, Signal Flares, MAYDAY Calls, Man Overboard Recovery, Firefighting, Flooding & Damage Control, Dewatering Pumps, Immersion Suits, PFDs, and Life Rafts. For interested fishermen, this is the first day of the 2-day AMSEA Drill Conductor Certification.

Dig deeper into what you learned in the Safety & Survival Class including new information on cold-water survival, helicopter rescues, stability, liability and emergency procedures. Then apply your knowledge and skills to your own fishing vessel. Working with our USCG-Certified Marine Safety Instructors, you will create an emergency station bill and learn how to lead monthly, on-vessel safety drills. By practicing your emergency response together as a team, you and your crew are ensuring you understand your responsibilities, retain your knowledge, and build your muscle memory in a way that has proven to save lives. Fishermen that complete these two days of training are AMSEA certified Drill Conductors, which meets USCG requirements under 46 CFR 28.270(c).

Agricultural Resource Guide
A Collection of Resources for Rhode Island Farmers & Ranchers
Prepared by the Center for Mediation & Collaboration RI
Funded through the USDA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network Grant
in partnership with the RI Department of Environmental Management Division of Agriculture

Get Started! A Guide to USDA Resources for Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers is a new multi-agency publication that provides information on assistance and targeted opportunities available to minority, women, veteran, beginning and limited resource producers

So You Want to Start a Farm?
Interested in Starting a Farm?
Want to Expand the One You Have?
We often get calls at the Farm Bureau office from people looking for land to farm, or interested in turning their property into a farm. Sometimes they are interested in a new farm venture. This led me to create a quick handout to email those callers, and I named it, “So You Want to Start a Farm?”

New England Ag Exchange
Welcome! This is your online forum for connecting about farming + land + jobs + other agricultural stuff.

Section 1 – General Resource References
Section 2 – Natural and Cultural Resources Information
Section 3 – Resource Concerns and Planning Criteria
Section 4 – Practice Standards and Supporting Documents
Section 5 – Conservation Effects

RI Farmland Access Clearinghouse
The Division of Agriculture and our partners have identified improving access to farmland as a major priority. Farmland values in Rhode Island are among the highest in the country and lack of access to affordable farmland threatens RI’s agricultural sector. Listed below are ways to access farmland around the state. If you are looking to sell the development rights to your farmland, please visit the state Farmland Preservation Program page here.