Friends Of Family Farmers

ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE CAPITAL HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT BARRIER TO THE SUCCESS OF SMALL, DIVERSIFIED, LOCAL MARKET AND FARMERS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN OREGON. THE PURPOSE OF THE CAPITAL ASSISTANCE FOR LOCAL FARMERS (CALF) OREGON PROJECT IS TO BRING TOGETHER GOVERNMENT GRANT MAKERS, CONVENTIONAL LENDERS, AND USDA RESOURCES WITH TRUSTED, FARMER-SERVING REGIONALLY AND CULTURALLY SPECIFIC NONPROFITS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL, HIGHLY DIVERSIFIED, LOCAL MARKET FARMERS. FARMERS WITHOUT ACCESS TO INTERGENERATIONAL WEALTH, LAND, OR FAMILY KNOWLEDGE OF AGRICULTURE, ARE AT A DISTINCT DISADVANTAGE WHEN ACCESSING CAPITAL AND BUILDING FARM BUSINESSES. THIS IS COMPOUNDED BY BARRIERS THAT HIGHLY DIVERSIFIED, SPECIALTY, AND LOCAL MARKET PRODUCERS OFTEN FACE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCESS GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS THAT THEY QUALIFY FOR, BUT ARE DESIGNED FOR COMMODITY MARKETS AND SINGLE CROP LIVESTOCK SPECIES PRODUCTION. THIS APPLIES MOST OFTEN TO FIRST-GENERATION FARMERS, YOUNG FARMERS, AND BIPOC FARMERS.THIS PROJECT IS AIDED BY TWO SETS OF PARTNERS. THE TA PARTNERS ARE A GROUP OF TRUSTED, FARMER-SERVING NONPROFIT ENTITIES AROUND THE STATE WHO SHARE FOFFS DESIRE TO BETTER CONNECT THE FARMERS IN THEIR NETWORK TO AVAILABLE RESOURCES. THEY JOINED THIS PROPOSAL TO DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THESE PROGRAMS, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH GRANTMAKERS AND CREATE FEEDBACK LOOPS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THESE RESOURCES TO THESE GROUPS OF FARMERS. OUR TA PARTNERS ARE ALL EITHER REGIONALLY OR CULTURALLY SPECIFIC AND BRING THIS EXPERTISE BACK TO EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE TO TRANSLATE IT INTO THEIR SPECIFIC CONTEXT. THE TA PARTNERS ARE FRIENDS OF FAMILY FARMERS, BLACK FARM BUREAU, ADELANTE MUJERES, WILLAMETTE FARM AND FOOD COALITION, HIGH DESERT FARM AND FOOD ALLIANCE, COAST FORK OF THE WILLAMETTE WATERSHED COUNCIL, ROGUE VALLEY FOOD SYSTEM NETWORK, NORTH COAST FOOD WEB, ROGUE FARM CORPS, AND OREGON COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEM NETWORK.THE SECOND GROUP OF PARTNERS INVOLVED ARE THE FUNDING PARTNERS WHO MAKE UP STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND CONVENTIONAL LENDING INSTITUTIONS WHO WANT TO BETTER CONNECT WITH THE FARMERS THAT THE TA PARTNERS SERVE. EACH OF THE PARTNERS HAVE EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS TO BETTER COMMUNICATE THE GOALS AND CRITERIA OF THEIR PROGRAMS AND TO BE IN COMMUNITY WITH THE NONPROFIT LEADERS WHO HAVE TRUSTED ACCESS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES OF PRODUCERS. THIS ALLOWS THE FUNDING PARTNERS TO BENEFIT FROM THE TA PARTNERS OUTREACH THROUGH THEIR EXISTING PROGRAMS. THEY ALSO WILL GET ACCESS TO ALL THE DATA COLLECTED FOR THE PROJECT REPORT TO PROPOSE CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS OR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA BASED ON THE COMMUNITY NEED (WHERE APPROPRIATE). THE FUNDING PARTNERS ARE FARM SERVICE AGENCY, AGWEST, NRCS, JACKSON SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, AND OREGON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.OVER THE COURSE OF THE TWO-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, THE 15 MEMBER COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE WILL MEET QUARTERLY TO INCREASE SERVICE PROVIDER KNOWLEDGE, DISCUSS BARRIERS TO KEEPING THE MORE THAN 13,000 FARMERS SERVED BY THE TA PARTNERS APPRISED OF UPCOMING DEADLINES, AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON MAKING APPLICATIONS COMPETITIVE. THE INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED WITH NETWORK RESEARCH AND CONSOLIDATED INTO A NETWORK RESOURCE INVENTORY WHICH WILL EASILY LAY OUT EXISTING PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES, PROVIDING DIRECTION FOR FARMERS AND AVOIDING PROGRAM DUPLICATION FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS. THIS INFORMATION, ALONG WITH PRODUCER FEEDBACK THROUGH PARTNER FOCUS GROUPS AND A PROJECT-WIDE SURVEY, WILL BE USED TO DELIVER A REPORT ON THE GAPS AND BARRIERS EXPERIENCED BY CURRENT APPLICANTS AND THE GROUPS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE COLLABORATION. THE REPORT AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GROUP WILL BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND PRESENTED AT SMALL FARM FOCUSED EVENTS HOSTED BY THE TA PARTNERS AND WIDER COMMUNITY. THE REPORT WILL SERVE AS A BASIS FOR DESIGNING NEW TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO FILL THAT NEED ACROSS OREGON.