Regenerative Agriculture Leadership Training
Are you passionate about helping more producers learn how to transition to regenerative agriculture?
Do you want to take your practice of Holistic Management to a whole new level and be a resource to your community?
Is becoming an HMI Certified Educator or Whole Farm/Ranch Community Trainer your next career move or an opportunity for professional development?
Are you ready to be part of a global network that is solving environmental challenges and protecting rural communities?
Certified Educator Testimonials
At HMI, our Certified Educators and Whole Farm/Ranch Community Trainers play an important role in educating land stewards, government employees, activists, and policy makers around the globe in regenerative agriculture to create healthy land and thriving communities. Most of them teach workshops, consult with farmers & ranchers and practice Holistic Management in their own operations, as successful businesses and educational farms & ranches. This network of passionate educators often trains over 10,000 people/year, influencing over 10 million acres each year!
We provide our educators and trainers with top-level curriculum and support to help them be successful whether as a trainee or as a veteran Certified Educator. As an HMI Certified Educator or Whole Farm/Ranch Trainer trainee you will have HMI’s recognized educational resources at your disposal and will have the opportunity to be part of HMI’s educational team, assisting in online courses and having other educational opportunities as well as developing your own learning community.
HMI’s training program is designed for those working with land stewards, professional educators, and consultants who want to attain the highest level of competency and teach others to reap the benefits of Holistic Management. This training program has been funded by the USDA five times to provide this agricultural leadership training and professional development to agricultural educators around the U.S. HMI is the ONLY organization that provides this rigorous training. You can find a current list of Educators in our community map and directory.
Educator Training Path Options
We offer two primary tiers of educator training for an individualized training approach that offers you the right level of educator training – HMI’s Certified Educator Training Program and our Whole Farm/Ranch Community Trainer Program. These programs are overseen by HMI educational staff and we engage experienced and knowledgeable HMI Certified Educators to mentor our educator candidates through the program and to make sure they get the experience and educational opportunities they need to be successful.
This self-directed training program provides a solid foundation in effectively facilitating and coaching the principles and practice of Holistic Management to help your clients achieve success. You can individualize your training by choosing where and how you will learn and take advantage of the international travel and exposure that increase your learning opportunities.
HMI staff will work with you to carefully select your mentoring team to maximize your learning experience. You will also receive support from HMI staff throughout our program as well as a thorough evaluation of your learning portfolio and recommendations for further learning.
Becoming an HMI Certified Educator (2-Year Program)
The Learning Experience
The two required content areas that you will be trained as a Certified Educator to teach are:
1) 1-on-1 Holistic Management® Foundation
2) 1-on-1 Financial Planning
In addition, you will be trained to teach in three areas of your choice from the list below:
3) 1-on-1 Marketing / Business Planning
4) 1-on-1 Grazing Planning
5) 1-on-1 Land Planning
6) 1-on-1 Biological Monitoring Planning
7) 1-on-1 Cropping Planning
You will deepen your learning of this material and practice teaching and coaching it to your “learning community” that you develop as part of the program. Your mentor will help you provide effective feedback to your “clients”. When you are ready you will have the opportunity to assist an HMI educator in a place-based or online course or coach members of your learning community and write reports about those interactions that will be reviewed by HMI staff and your mentor. You will work with staff to review your lesson plans and curriculum before your events.
Throughout your training, you will work closely with HMI staff and your mentor to maximize your learning, engage with the Holistic Management network, and explore different learning techniques. You will also have access to all HMI Curriculum: including powerpoints, worksheets, agenda templates, manuals, as well as numerous recorded webinars and support no matter your geographic location. We’ll connect you with HMI’s Educator network so that you will develop your skills with some of the most innovative educators in the world!
We pull from a wide pool of Certified Educator mentors so you will be introduced to a broad range of knowledge and experience about Holistic Management and effective facilitation techniques. HMI staff works closely with these educators to make sure you get the support you need.
Application
To be accepted into HMI’s Certified Educator Training Program, you must demonstrate a basic level of Holistic Management practice and training. See the HMI Certified Educator Application for more information. You must successfully complete our 1-on-1 Learning training program or an HMI-approved training in order to apply for this program. One of your letters of reference must be from a Holistic Management® Certified Educator from which you have received training. You must also have a learning community that will support you in your learning process and with whom you can practice your instruction. We can help you identify that community as part of the application process.
Timeline
Year One
- Your program mentor will help you develop your coaching opportunities with your learning community.
- Mentor identifies support resources within the Holistic Management practitioner and educator network and with HMI programming.
- Participate in monthly trainee webinars to learn from your fellow educator trainees and practice presenting presentations, discuss facilitation techniques, share lesson plans, and practice developing different practice plans.
- Develop a learning plan that will evolve into a learning portfolio representing the work you have done to fulfill the program requirements.
- Complete a mid-term exam
- Coach, provide assistance to a Certified Educator, and/or facilitated required 5 modules to your learning community.
Year Two
- Develop your portfolio including the writing of a case study or promotional video.
- Continue with monthly trainee webinars
- Complete all required assignments
- Complete oral portfolio review with HMI staff and mentor and Technical Review Committee
Certified Educator Benefits
As an HMI Certified Educator your name and contact information will be published in HMI’s publications and on our website.
From this point on you will continue to have access to the resources listed above and will be eligible for referrals from HMI. You can also participate in training and consulting contracts with HMI as they arise and as skill or specialty area permits.
Most importantly, you are certified to teach Holistic Management and to market yourself as an HMI Certified Educator. This certification demonstrates that you have met the standards set forth by Holistic Management International to ensure the quality of the training or consulting services you provide. Certification is renewed annually each year and you will have access to additional Certified Educator professional development with our Certified Educator network and HMI staff.
What Some of our Certified Educators Are Doing
● Teaching Holistic Management at universities and schools
● Offering educational programming from their farms and ranches
● Working for educational farms to provide Holistic Management programming
● Providing consultation or process consulting/coaching for individuals, businesses, families and communities
● Creating companies that offer management and/or financial planning services and sustainability evaluation
● Working with international development organizations around the world to offer training to their staffs and the indigenous populations they serve
● Providing guidance in using Holistic Management® decision-making and planning in government agencies like Extension or NRCS
● Working for HMI as trainers and liaisons for communities and organizations as part of grant-funded community projects or our fee-based educational programs
● Having greater success on their farms and ranches because of their deeper understanding of Holistic Management.
Cost
The cost for this training program will vary per individual. However, there are some basic costs that will be universal for all trainees. The Certified Educator Training Program is $4,000 which covers all training costs, educational materials, tests, learning portfolio evaluation, and mentoring. Depending on whom the trainee selects and additional needs of the trainee in regards to distance for travel, the travel, food, and lodging costs will vary from trainee to trainee and will not be covered under the cost of the program. These costs are the responsibility of the trainee.
Scholarships and fellowships are available after practitioner level training has been completed. Please fill out a scholarship application here.
Whole Farm/Ranch Community Trainer Program (1-Year Program)
The Learning Experience
The required content areas that you will be trained as a Whole Farm/Ranch Community Trainer to teach or coach is:
1) 1-on-1 Holistic Management® Foundation
In addition, you will be trained to work with agricultural producers in two areas of your choice from the list below:
2) 1-on-1 Financial Planning
3) 1-on-1 Marketing / Business Planning
4) 1-on-1 Grazing Planning
5) 1-on-1 Land Planning
6) 1-on-1 Biological Monitoring Planning
7) 1-on-1 Cropping Planning
You will deepen your learning of this material and practice teaching and coaching it to your learning community that you develop as part of the program. You will have a program mentor and your trainee cohort group to help you provide effective feedback to your clients. When you are ready you can have the opportunity to assist an HMI educator in a place-based or online course or coach members of your learning community and write reports about those interactions that will be reviewed by HMI staff and the program mentor.
Throughout your training, you will work closely with HMI staff and your mentor to maximize your learning, engage with the Holistic Management network, and explore different learning techniques. You will also have access to all HMI Curriculum: including powerpoints, worksheets, agenda templates, manuals, as well as numerous recorded webinars and support no matter your geographic location. We’ll connect you with HMI’s Educator network so that you will develop your skills with some of the most innovative educators in the world!
We pull from a wide pool of Certified Educator mentors so you will be introduced to a broad range of knowledge and experience about Holistic Management and effective facilitation techniques. HMI staff works closely with these educators to make sure you get the support you need.
Application
To be accepted into Whole Farm/Ranch Trainer Program, you must demonstrate a basic level of Holistic Management practice and training. See the HMI Educator Application for more information. You must successfully complete 3 modules from our 1-on-1 Learning training program or an HMI-approved training in order to apply for this program. You must also have a learning community of at least 3 producers that will support you in your learning process and with whom you can practice your coaching of the modules you are committed to learning. We can help you identify that community as part of the application process.
Whole Farm/Ranch Community Trainer Benefits
As an HMI Whole Farm/Ranch Community Trainer your name and contact information will be published on HMI’s website.
From this point on you continue to have access to the resources listed above and will be eligible for referrals from HMI. You can also participate in training and consulting contracts with HMI as they arise and as skill or specialty area permits.
Most importantly, you are certified to teach Holistic Management and to market yourself as an HMI Whole Farm/Ranch Community Trainer. This certification demonstrates that you have met the standards set forth by Holistic Management International to ensure the quality of the training or consulting services you provide. Certification is renewed annually each year and you will have access to additional HMI Educator professional development with our Certified Educator network and HMI staff.
Cost
The cost for this training program will vary per individual. However, there are some basic costs that will be universal for all trainees. The Whole Farm/Ranch Community Trainer Program is $2,500. Depending on whom the trainee selects and additional needs of the trainee in regards to distance for travel, the travel, food, and lodging costs will vary from trainee to trainee and will not be covered under the cost of the program. These costs are the responsibility of the trainee.
Scholarships and fellowships are available after practitioner level training has been completed. Please fill out a scholarship application here.
Approved Certified Educator Mentor List
For more information on this program, please contact:
Dr. Ann Adams
HMI Education Director
[email protected]
Scholarship funding support comes from the L&L Nippert Charitable Foundation.
Adelene is a resident of Arkansas and loves exploring the state’s natural trails. Her passion for education and technology led her to earn a master’s in learning systems technology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. With her professional experience managing student/client databases and instructional design, Adelene will bring skill and understanding to her role as Office Manager & Instructional Designer at HMI. Her focus on making education more accessible to diverse communities is evident through her volunteer work as an board member for a scholarship program. Adelene is devoted to creating educational opportunities that align with HMI’s mission to promote healthy, resilient lands and thriving communities.
Seth Wilner has been a Holistic Management International Certified Educator since 2005. For 22 years he has worked as an agent educator with University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension where he specializes in farm business management with an emphasis on whole farm planning.
Dana was first introduced to Holistic Management in the 1990s while working in the Texas Hill Country. She strongly believes that Holistic Management can positively impact families that are on the land, the communities they are a part of, and larger landscape resource regeneration efforts.
Sarah Robertson grew up in Taos, New Mexico and has always been passionate about land stewardship, growing things, and nurturing others. After completing a BA in Communication from the University of New Mexico and working with local non-profits, she started her journey as a first-generation farmer. Since 2015, she has been learning and growing alongside her husband on various leased properties in Albuquerque, NM and running a small market farm with goats, chickens, and a CSA. In her role as Programs Assistant at HMI, Sarah brings her enthusiasm for regenerative agriculture, devotion to supporting others, and drive for lifelong learning and growing.
Jozua Lambrecht is from South Africa and divides his time between their home in Somerset West and their family farm in Sutherland, one of the coldest places in South Africa, where they farm with sheep. He is married to his wife Therese and they have two daughters.
Alejandro Carrillo is a fourth-generation rancher, and he is quite familiar with the challenges of running a profitable cattle ranch in the Chihuahuan desert. Because annual precipitation seldom exceeds nine inches, every drop counts when it comes to growing more grasses. Grazing year-round with only sea salt as an input, he is not willing to waste any water in such a brittle environment.
Jared L Talley was born and raised in Southwestern Idaho and now seeks to help rural communities adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world. He is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Service at Boise State University, earning his PhD in Philosophy from Michigan State University and his MPA in Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management from Boise State University. An environmental philosopher by training and an interdisciplinary scholar in practice, he seeks to better understand how communities relate to the land and how this relationship poses obstacles and opportunities for collaboration and governance. In doing so, he studies the role of science in collaborative policy, the role of place in environmental identity, and the role of the imagination in mediating both. Specifically, he studies grazing management and public land permitting, community-led conservation programs, rural education and entrepreneurship, place-based environmental governance, and the imaginative experience of our natural and built environments — all in the contexts of the intermountain American West.
