National Young Farmers Coalition

TO SHIFT POWER AND CHANGE POLICY TO EQUITABLY RESOURCE OUR NEW GENERATION OF WORKING FARMERS.

FIELD AND NATIONAL ORGANIZING: THE COALITION ORGANIZES A GRASSROOTS NETWORK OF FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND SUPPORTERS WORKING FOR A BRIGHTER, MORE JUST FUTURE FOR AGRICULTURE. COALITION CHAPTERS ARE THE HEART OF OUR GRASSROOTS NETWORK, CONSISTING OF 30 FARMER-LED TEAMS ACROSS 24 STATES WORKING ON THE GROUND AND IN COMMUNITY. THIRTEEN OF THESE CHAPTERS ARE RESOURCED THROUGH OUR CHAPTER FISCAL SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM, A TOOL ORIENTED TOWARDS ECONOMIC JUSTICE THAT ALLOWS CHAPTERS TO RAISE MONEY AND SELF-DESIGN LOCAL PROJECTS. CHAPTERS FOCUS ON ON-THE-GROUND, HIGH-IMPACT INITIATIVES WHILE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COALITION TO ENSURE THEY CAN SUSTAINABLY MEET THEIR LONG-TERM GOALS. INITIATIVES LIKE THE WEST MICHIGAN FARMERS OF COLOR LAND FUND FACILITATED BY OUR WEST MICHIGAN CHAPTER AND A PODCAST SERIES BY THE HOOSIER INDIANA CHAPTER CONSTITUTE IMPORTANT EXAMPLES OF LOCAL FARMER LEADERSHIP IN ACTION, SUPPORTED BY OUR CHAPTER FISCAL SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, THE COALITION ENGAGES A GROWING MEMBERSHIP BASE OF 6,000 INDIVIDUALS AND HOSTS FARMER-CENTRIC EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE STORYTELLING, WE CREATE A UNIFIED VOICE THAT INSPIRES OTHERS TO ACT TO ADVANCE POLICY CHANGE THAT CAN PROVIDE TRANSFORMATIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG AND BIPOC FARMERS. WE RESOURCE AND TRAIN FELLOWS AND FARMER LEADERS TO SHARE THEIR COMPELLING STORIES THROUGH PRESS, BROADCAST MEDIA, AND PODCASTS, ACHIEVING 900+ PRESS HITS IN 2023. OUR STORYTELLING STRATEGY AMPLIFIES THE VOICES OF YOUNG FARMERS AND FARMERS OF COLOR TO EDUCATE DECISION-MAKERS, RECRUITS NEW MEMBERS TO OUR MISSION, AND INSPIRES A NEW GENERATION TO CARE MORE DEEPLY ABOUT THE FOOD AND FARM POLICY THAT IMPACTS WHAT THEY EAT, WHO THEY PAY FOR THEIR FOOD, AND THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. TO SUPPORT FARMER LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY FOR LAND IN THE UPCOMING FARM BILL, THE COALITION CONTINUED THE SECOND YEAR OF THE NATIONAL LAND ADVOCACY FELLOWSHIP, DESIGNED TO BUILD THE SKILLS OF A BIPOC-MAJORITY COHORT OF 100 FARMER LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ADVANCE BOLD LAND ACCESS POLICY. ON MARCH 6-9TH, 2023, WE WELCOMED 135 LAND ADVOCACY FELLOWS AND OTHER FARMER LEADERS TO WASHINGTON, DC, FOR OUR LARGEST YOUNG FARMER FLY-IN TO DATE. AT THE FLY-IN, FARMERS SHARED COMPELLING STORIES WITH DECISION-MAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL THROUGH 159 MEETINGS.IN ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL LAND ADVOCACY FELLOWSHIP, WE HOSTED SEVERAL OTHER MAJORITY-BIPOC AND QUEER-ABUNDANT FELLOWSHIPS FOCUSED ON RESOURCING KEY AGRICULTURAL REGIONS AND INTERSECTING ISSUE AREAS RELEVANT TO THE NEEDS OF YOUNG FARMERS. WE REPRISED OUR WATER FELLOWSHIP IN COLORADO FOR A COHORT OF TEN FARMERS AND CONCLUDED THE TEN-FARMER WATER FELLOWSHIP IN NEW MEXICO. ADDITIONALLY, WE FACILITATED THE NATIONAL-LEVEL POWER IN LAND, AGRICULTURE, CLIMATE, AND EQUITY (PLACE) FELLOWSHIP TO SUPPORT A COHORT OF TEN FELLOWS IN DEVELOPING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AT THE INTERSECTION OF CORPORATE POWER, CLIMATE, AND FARMLAND ACCESS. TO SUPPORT OUR GROWING MEMBERSHIP IN THE SOUTHEAST, WE INAUGURATED THE RED CLAY FELLOWSHIP IN MAY 2023 FOR A COHORT OF SIX SOUTHERN FARMERS. IN TOTAL, 138 FARMERS PARTICIPATED IN FELLOWSHIPS IN 2023, GAINING VALUABLE SKILLS IN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY ADVOCACY. IN ADDITION TO MEETING WITH DECISION-MAKERS, MANY FELLOWS LAUNCHED SELF-DIRECTED COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT EXEMPLIFY HOW RESOURCING FARMER LEADERS CAN REVERBERATE TO LOCAL COMMUNITY LEVELS AND DRIVE TANGIBLE CHANGE. PROJECT EXAMPLES INCLUDE ENGAGING WITH INTERGENERATIONAL AGRICULTURAL MENTORSHIP IN SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI, HEMP PRODUCTION AS AN OPTION FOR BIPOC COMMUNITIES LOOKING TO CREATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH, AND COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ECOSYSTEMS IN NEW YORK CITY. MOREOVER, MANY FELLOWS ENTERED FORMAL LEADERSHIP ROLES, WHERE THEY WILL GUIDE DECISIONS RELATED TO CONSERVATION, LAND ACCESS, AND WATER EQUITY. FOR EXAMPLE, 75% OF COLORADO WATER FELLOWS SUCCESSFULLY SECURED A SEAT ON A WATER CONSERVATION BOARD OR RELATED ROLE AFTER COMPLETING THE FELLOWSHIP

POLICY CAMPAIGNS AND LAND: THE COALITION WORKS TO ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT ADDRESS THE STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES PREVENTING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM SUCCEEDING IN FARMING, SUCH AS ACCESS TO LAND, CREDIT, SKILLED LABOR, CLIMATE CHALLENGES, RACIAL INJUSTICE, AND STUDENT LOAN DEBT. IN 2023, WE STOKED MOMENTUM FOR THE ONE MILLION ACRES FOR THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN, WHICH SEEKS TO WIN A HISTORIC INVESTMENT IN EQUITABLE LAND ACCESS FOR YOUNG FARMERS AND FARMERS OF COLOR THROUGH THE UPCOMING FARM BILL. IN SUPPORT OF THIS CAMPAIGN, THE COALITION SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE USDA INCREASING LAND, CAPITAL, AND MARKETS PROGRAM, WHICH MADE $300 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY-LED LAND ACCESS PROJECTS. TO ENSURE THIS FUNDING WAS ACCESSIBLE TO FARMERS OF COLOR AND EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED TO FARMERS WHO NEED IT MOST, WE MOBILIZED A RAPID RESPONSE GRANT WRITING TEAM TO SUPPORT FARMERS IN APPLYING FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. WE SUCCESSFULLY PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO 92 ORGANIZATIONS AND GRANT WRITING SERVICES FOR 19 ORGANIZATIONS. WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROJECT SELECTEES FROM USDA IN JUNE 2023, WE LEARNED THAT 13 OF THE 19 ORGANIZATIONS WE ASSISTED WERE AWARDED FUNDS. TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CAPITAL, THE COALITION MAINTAINS A FIVE-YEAR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE USDA TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO YOUNG BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC) FARMERS IN ACCESSING FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) PROGRAMS. THROUGH THIS RELATIONSHIP, WE AIM TO ADDRESS LONG-STANDING STRUCTURAL INEQUITIES AND ESTABLISH MORE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE USDA FOR FARMERS MOST MARGINALIZED IN THE FOOD SYSTEM. BUILDING UPON THIS WORK, IN 2023, WE MADE MORE THAN 450 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REFERRALS TO THE USDA'S DISCRIMINATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SECTION 22007 OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT) FOR PRODUCERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED PRIOR DISCRIMINATION FROM THE USDA.

FARMER MENTAL HEALTH: CULTIVEMOS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE FARMER AND RANCHER STRESS ASSISTANCE NETWORK (FRSAN-NORTHEAST), IS BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE NETWORK OF SERVICE PROVIDERS DEDICATED TO ADVANCING THE MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND FINANCIAL WELL-BEING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, WORKERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE NORTHEAST. CULTIVEMOS IS A PARTNERSHIP LED BY NATIONAL YOUNG FARMERS COALITION, UNIVERSITY OF MAINE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, THE MIGRANT CLINICIANS NETWORK, NORTHEAST FARMERS OF COLOR LAND TRUST, FARM FIRST, AND FARM AID. TOGETHER WITH 160+ MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS, THE NETWORK FOCUSES ON SERVICE PROVIDERS WORKING WITH FARMWORKERS, YOUNG FARMERS, AND UNDER-RESOURCED FARMERS, IN PARTICULAR, BIPOC FARMERS, THROUGH PROGRAMMING INCLUDING PEER GROUPS, A RESOURCE CLEARINGHOUSE, TRAININGS, AND HOTLINE SERVICES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.