Farm Aid President Willie Nelson signs 2018 grant checks from his kitchen table. Photo Credit: Farm Aid.
Vermont Business Magazine In the midst of the worst farm crisis since the 1980s,Farm Aidannouncedtodaythatitdistributed more thanhalfa million dollars in grantfunding in 2018, including Rural Vermont in Montpelier. Farm Aid grants invest in organizations workingtobuild resilient farmers, who are key to the creation of a thriving farm and food system.In2018, FarmAid granted$695,679to farmers and 78familyfarm, ruralservice andurban agricultureorganizations in 36 states andthe Districtof Columbia. Emergency grants totaling$45,000 were made to farmfamilies to cover essential household expenses. These$500emergency grants are recommended on a case-by-case basis by Farm Aid's farm advocates, who answer calls on the 1-800-FARM-AID hotline and connect farmers with helpful services, resources and opportunities specific to their individual needs.
"As farmers continue to face incredible threats to their survival, our grant decisions were guided by the need to first and foremost strengthen organizations that provide essential resources to keep family farmers on the land,"said FarmAid PresidentWillie Nelson. "We are so grateful for the hard work and commitment of folks across the country who fight for family farms."
Other granting priorities include work that builds agricultural resiliency to combat the impacts of natural disasters and climate change and work addressing systemic inequities in the farm and food system, specifically for farmers of color.
"Thanks to generous supporters from across the country, today Farm Aid makes grants to grassroots groups and advocates doing the hard work to keep family farmers on the land," said Executive DirectorCarolyn Mugar. "Farm Aid grants strengthen family farm agriculture, challenge corporate power in our food system, increase access to good food for all of us, and grow new farmers to steward our soil and water. These are critical activities that benefit us all."
In New England, where FarmAid held itsannualmusic and food festivalat XFINITYTheatreinHartford, Connecticut,thispastSeptember, FarmAid invested$100,000in 18programs thatsupportfamilyfarmers tothrive, take action to change thefarmand food system, and grow the Good Food Movement. Awardeesinclude:
- Bridgeport Farmers Market Collaborative,Bridgeport, Connecticut, to sustain Bridgeport Farmers Markets and local farmers.
- CitySeed, Inc.,New Haven, Connecticut, to support farm viability inConnecticutby building networks betweenConnecticutfood businesses and farmers.
- Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, Inc.,SouthDeerfield, Massachusetts, to engage the community to support local agriculture not just as consumers, but also as advocates for a resilient and diverse local food economy.
- Farm Fresh Rhode Island,Pawtucket,Rhode Island, to deepen community connections in low-to-moderate income areas inRhode Island.
- Green Village Initiative,Bridgeport,Connecticut, to cultivate new farmers inBridgeportthrough Youth Leadership Programming for young people and Urban Farmer Training Programming for adults.
- Hartford Food System,Hartford,Connecticut, to engage farmers in the development of aConnecticutfood system plan through Farmer Listening Tours.
- Real Food Challenge,Cambridge,Massachusetts, to create a system-wide shift in the university foodservice industry that consistently invests in family farms and sustainable food enterprises.
- Red Tomato,Plainville,Massachusetts, to help midsized growers through marketing efforts promoting advanced integrated pest management and agroecological tree fruit production.
- Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership,SouthDartmouth, Massachusetts, to strengthen their technical assistance for farmers, and for local food promotion in theSoutheastern Massachusettscommunity.
- Connecticut Farmland Trust,Hartford,Connecticut, to permanently protect farmland for agricultural use.
- KNOX, Inc.,Hartford,Connecticut, for its incubator farm program that provides low-income beginning farmers with land, training and connections to scale up their production and launch their own family farming businesses.
- Land For Good,Keene,New Hampshire, to provide no- and low-cost coaching and advising to farm seekers, transitioning farm families and others who control farmland, and to support the New England Farmland Finder.
- Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association,Unity,Maine, to provide family farmers with ongoing resources to start farming, transition to more sustainable practices, and continue farming.
- New Entry Sustainable Farming Project,Lowell,Massachusetts, to grow and scale its farmer training programs and to establish the Central Incubator Training Site as a centralized beginning farmer training hub.
- The Carrot Project,Boston, Massachusetts, to foster a sustainable and diverse food system by supporting ecologically- and financially-sustainable small and midsize farms and food processors with financing and financial literacy training.
- The Livestock Institute of Southern New England,Westport,Massachusetts, to revitalize and strengthen livestock farming in southern New England by creating a meat processing facility and educational opportunities for partner farmers.
- Northeast Organic Farming Association Interstate Council,Barre,Massachusetts, to bring together farmers, farm groups, environmental organizations, and other potential soil health proponents to advance soil health advocacy.
- Rural Vermont,Montpelier,Vermont, to lead the resurgence of community-scale agriculture through education, advocacy and organizing.
Earlierthis year, FarmAid granted$40,500to assistfarmand ranch familiesinthe Carolinas who suffered devastation after Hurricane Florence. FarmAid continues toworkwithpartnersinthe regionto assessthe long-term needsof impactedfarmersand ranchers. Grants of$19,179 providedscholarships to farmers to participate in leadership trainings, policyadvocacy and other gatherings where farmers' perspectives are essential.
Farm Aid's grant-making is one aspect of its work to keep family farmers on the land, growing good food for all. In addition, other Farm Aid programs inspire an increased demand for family farm food; bring farmers, advocates and activists together for trainings and other opportunities; advocate for policies that serve farmers and consumers alike; and invite everyone to be part of building a thriving family farm system of agriculture.
Fora completelistingofFarmAid's 2018 grant recipients, visitwww.farmaid.org/2018grantees.
FarmAid welcomes donations atwww.farmaid.org/donate.
FarmAid's annualmusic and foodfestivalis a majoreffortofthe organization, offeringthe opportunityfortensofthousands ofpeopleto gathertogethereach yeartoshowsupportforfamilyfarmers. Theannualfestivalfeatures performances donated bytopartists, HOMEGROWN Concessions® made withfamilyfarmfood and theHOMEGROWNVillage withhands-on activitiesthatshowcasefamilyfarmers, soil,waterand ways we allconnectto the roots ofourfood.
Forupdatesthroughouttheyear, follow FarmAid onTwitter(@FarmAid), Facebook(facebook.com/FarmAid),Instagram(@FarmAid)andvisitfarmaid.org/concert.
FarmAid's mission is tobuilda vibrant,familyfarm-centeredsystemofagriculture in America. FarmAid artistsand board members WillieNelson, NeilYoung,JohnMellencamp andDave Matthewshostan annualfestivaltoraisefundsto supportFarmAid's workwithfamilyfarmers and toinspire people to choose familyfarmfood.Formore than 30 years, FarmAid, with the supportoftheartists whocontribute theirperformanceseachyear, hasraised more than$53 millionto supportprograms thathelpfarmers thrive, expandthereach ofthe Good FoodMovement, take actiontochange the dominantsystemofindustrialagricultureandpromote food fromfamilyfarms.
SOURCE CAMBRIDGE,Mass.,Dec. 17, 2018/PRNewswire/ -- Farm Aidwww.farmaid.org