Our Mission Statement: The mission of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) is to assist people with limited resources who have an interest in small-scale commercial agriculture, to begin farming in Massachusetts. The broader goals of New Entry are to support the vitality and sustainability of the region's agriculture, to build long term economic self-reliance and food security among participants and their communities, and to expand access to high-quality, culturally appropriate foods in underserved areas through production of locally-grown foods. New Entry provides services for beginning farmers such as locating farmland, education, training, business/enterprise development, and production and marketing assistance. The project provides opportunities for economically disadvantaged farmers, preserves farmland, and promotes New England agriculture. New Entry began in 1998. New Entry is one of the first initiatives nationwide to assist immigrants and refugees to develop commercial farming opportunities. Our work focuses primarily in the Lowell and Worcester sections of Massachusetts because of their population makeup, a strong interest in agriculture among immigrant and refugee residents, and the support of community organizations. New Entry has worked with farmers from a number of countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Liberia, Ghana, Cameroon, Lebanon, Colombia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Poland, Haiti, Kenya, Burundi, and Vietnam. New Entry has also worked with farmers from Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. Over 60 farmers, primarily Hmong, Khmer, African, and Latino, have graduated from the New Entry Farm Business Training Course since 2005. Currently the technical assistance is provided to farmers on sites in Dracut and surrounding Massachusetts communities. One New Entry graduate has even developed his own commercial farm enterprise in Pennsylvania!