01/24/05 Alternative Careers for Idaho Farmers

It started as a pilot program but the Alternative Careers for Idaho Farmers has helped many families who were struggling to stay on the farm. ACIF coordinator Brad Jahn says nearly 200 Idahoans have taken advantage of the program. JAHN "We do that through providing financial support to farmers who want to take education and training either to make their operations more profitable or to develop a supplemental career that they can use to support their farm income. And for those people who are having to leave agriculture for whatever reason our program provides transitional support to help farmers and farm spouses develop new careers and find employment in their new field." ACIF is a University of Idaho Extension program that has federal funding which is expected to last through 2007. JAHN "For the foreseeable future we will be able to help Idaho farmers meet the needs that they have for supplemental training or to develop new careers." The deadline application for those taking summer college or university courses is March first with the fall application deadline on June first. There are no deadlines for non-university applicants. In our next report how ACIF not only saved a farm, it saved a marriage and a family. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott