Click here to watch Start2Farm.gov: A Study in Public Information.

Start2Farm.gov was developed as a special information tool for the USDA's Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. It has a public facing interface that includes a searchable database and a restricted access extranet with special functions for grant recipients. Challenges in this project include determining and meeting the needs of the grant program, creating tools and interfaces for diverse users, development of the database and the integration of external content sources. Successes include the creation of a comprehensive national resource for a specific user group and the implementation of an extranet function for grant recipients. This presentation will examine Start2Farm.gov in terms of its ability to meet the needs of the various end users including the grant recipients, the public users, and the federal grant program itself.