Land Connection Foundation

LAND ACCESS SOLUTIONS FOR ILLINOIS' NEXT-GENERATION FARMERS PHASE 2 WILL EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN ILLINOIS' STATEWIDE LAND ACCESS SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS (BFRS). THE LAND CONNECTION FOUNDATION (TLC) WILL PROVIDE LAND ACCESS EDUCATION, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVISING, BUSINESS TRAINING, MENTORSHIP, PEER-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND INNOVATIVE LANDOWNER ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO HELP BFRS SECURE LONG-TERM FARMLAND ACCESS.TO ADDRESS THE BARRIERS ILLINOIS' BFRS FACE IN OBTAINING FARMLAND, THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL LAUNCH A PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BFRS AND LANDOWNERS, WHILE ALSO DEVELOPING STAKEHOLDERS' KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TOWARDS THE CREATION OF VIABLE, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL LAND ARRANGEMENTS. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WILL FOCUS ON STAKEHOLDER-DRIVEN TOPICS, INCLUDING BUSINESS PLANNING, FINANCIAL DECISION-MAKING, AND SUCCESSION AND TRANSITION PLANNING. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL DELIVER CUSTOMIZED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FACILITATE PEER-LEARNING AND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF NEW FARM BUSINESSES.BY 2029, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL SUPPORT 50 BFRS IN SECURING ACCESS TO FARMLAND, IMPACTING AT LEAST 4,500 ACRES, ASSISTING 10 BFRS IN OBTAINING 10 ENTRY-LEVEL LAND OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH ONE-YEAR AGREEMENTS, AND HELPING 15 LANDOWNERS TO DRAFT AND PUBLISH SECURE FARMLAND OPPORTUNITIES. ADDITIONALLY, 80% OF PARTICIPATING FARMERS WILL COMPLETE A BUSINESS PLAN INCORPORATING A LAND ACCESS STRATEGY AND REPORT INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN MAKING FARM BUSINESS AND LAND ACCESS DECISIONS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO ADVANCE SYSTEM-LEVEL CHANGES BY INCREASING PARTNER COORDINATION AND LAUNCHING TWO INNOVATIVE, MULTI-ORGANIZATIONAL LAND ACCESS SOLUTIONS IN ILLINOIS.COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE FARMERS RISING AND STEPWELL STRATEGIES. APPROXIMATELY 14.2% OF TOTAL FEDERAL FUNDS REQUESTED ARE ALLOCATED TO PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** LAND ACCESS SOLUTIONS FOR ILLINOIS' NEXT-GENERATION FARMERS

PROVIDENCE FARM COLLECTIVE S (PFC) IMPROVING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FRESH, CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT FOOD FORIMMIGRANT, REFUGEE AND BLACK FAMILIES IN WESTERN NEW YORK PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE NEED OFMARGINALIZED AND LOW-RESOURCE FARMERS OF COLOR TO ACCESS MARKE

RESILIENCY REALIZED: UTILIZING E-COMMERCE, MARKETING STRATEG, AND INNOVATIVE BUSINESS MODELS TO HELP FARMERS FACE THE FUTURE

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CHAMPAIGN FARMERS MARKET

TITLE: ADVANCING MECHANICAL WEED MANAGEMENT IN THE MIDWEST THROUGH ON-FARM DEMONSTRATIONS AND EDUCATION PD: EVERS, JACQUELYN INSTITUTION: THE LAND CONNECTION WEED MANAGEMENT IS CONSISTENTLY IDENTIFIED AS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO SUCCESSFUL ORGANIC PRODUCTION, YET ACCESS TO CURRENT MECHANICAL WEED CONTROL EDUCATION AND EQUIPMENT DEMONSTRATIONS REMAINS LIMITED ACROSS THE MIDWEST. STUDIES ALSO IDENTIFY EXTENSION FIELD DAYS, WORKSHOPS, AND ROUNDTABLES AS GREAT INTERVENTIONS TO HELP FARMERS OVERCOME THESE BARRIERS TO ADDRESS THESE CRITICAL ISSUES, THE LAND CONNECTION WILL HOST FOUR EDUCATIONAL EVENTS: TWO IN- PERSON MECHANICAL WEED CONTROL FIELD DAYS AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (SEPTEMBER 2026) AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN (SEPTEMBER 2027), AND TWO VIRTUAL WEBINARS FOCUSED ON ORGANIC ROW CROP (DECEMBER 2026) AND VEGETABLE WEED MANAGEMENT (MARCH 2027). FIELD DAYS WILL FEATURE EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS, ON-FARM EQUIPMENT DEMONSTRATIONS OF EMERGING MECHANICAL WEED MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, AND VENDOR NETWORKING. WEBINARS WILL BUILD FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE AHEAD OF THE 2027 FIELD DAY. CONTENT WILL BE DELIVERED BY EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS, RESEARCHERS, AND PRACTICING ORGANIC FARMERS. PROJECT OBJECTIVES INCLUDE REACHING A MINIMUM OF 400 PARTICIPANTS, WITH 85% OF IN-PERSON ATTENDEES REPORTING INCREASED KNOWLEDGE OF AT LEAST ONE MECHANICAL WEED CONTROL PRACTICE AND 50% OF FOLLOW- UP SURVEY RESPONDENTS REPORTING ADOPTION OF A NEW WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICE. OUTCOMES WILL BE MEASURED THROUGH POST-EVENT EVALUATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP SURVEYS. RECORDINGS AND FIELD DAY SUMMARIES WILL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY ADVANCES OREI PRIORITIES BY DELIVERING TOOLS FOR EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS ADVISING ORGANIC PRODUCERS AND SHOWCASING EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES MEETING NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY AND IMPACT O

BOOSTING FARMERS' MARKET SNAP PURCHASES OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES USING STRATEGIC INCENTIVES

THE ORGANIC GRAIN CONFERENCE: BUILDING A NEXUS OF COLLABORATION FOR ORGANIC FARMERS, INDUSTRY EXPERTS, AND RESEARCHERS