WASHINGTON, DC—California FarmLink, a Sebastopol-based non-profit that provides a range of services to beginning farmers, has been awarded $525,000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The award is among more than $17 million in grants announced Tuesday. It was awarded through USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), which is designed to help U.S. farmers and ranchers who have been farming or ranching for less than 10 years.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma), a strong supporter of BFRDP, applauded the grant.

“With approximately 70% of U.S. agricultural land expected to change hands in the next 20 years, we need innovative programs like those run by California FarmLink to prepare the next generation of farmers,” said Woolsey.

California FarmLink, which was formed in 1988, supports family farming and works to conserve farmland in California by linking aspiring and retiring farmers and assisting intergenerational farm transitions.