Mountain Roots Food Project

IN SOUTHWEST COLORADO, SNOWMELT AND PRECIOUS RIVERS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF RURAL MOUNTAIN AND HIGH DESERT COMMUNITIES. ENTREPRENEURS AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS ARE WORKING TO BUILD EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEMS WITH SHORTER, VALUE BASED SUPPLY CHAINS THAT PROVIDE LIVING WAGES TO GROWERS AND HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS TO COMMUNITIES. THE PROJECTS 18 MONTH PLANNING PROCESS INVOLVED 300 STAKEHOLDERS, PILOTED LIKELY SOLUTIONS, AND IDENTIFIED 8 CRITICAL FACTORS FOR SUCCESS IN THE ROADMAP FOR REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY. THE SOUTHWEST COLORADO FOOD HUB TO HUB CONNECTIVITY PROJECT IS A COLLABORATION OF FIVE NONPROFITS AND FIVE FOOD HUBS COVERING ONE QUARTER OF THE STATE THAT WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO AND AVAILABILITY OF LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY PRODUCED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. THE PROJECT WILL 1) EXPAND AND CONNECT THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF FIVE MID TIER VALUE CHAIN ENTERPRISES (FOOD HUBS) BY (A) ESTABLISHING A NEW FOOD HUB FACILITY IN GUNNISON, AND (B) EXPANDING FOUR HUB TO HUB DISTRIBUTION ROUTES TO MEET INCREASED DEMAND WITH GREATER EFFICIENCY, FREQUENCY, CONSISTENCY, AND RELIABILITY AND 2) DEVELOPING THE WHOLESALE MARKET FOR LOCAL REGIONAL SPECIALTY CROPS THROUGH A 3 YEAR REGIONAL MARKETING, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN AN ANNUAL SERIES OF AGRITOURISM (FARM TOURS) EVENTS AND FIVE SPEED DATING EVENTS BETWEEN CHEFS BUYERS AND PRODUCERS IN THE REGION. THESE INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES ADDRESS SUPPLY SIDE AND DEMAND SIDE ISSUES SIMULTANEOUSLY. PRODUCERS ACROSS THE REGION WHO WANT TO SCALE UP THEIR BUSINESSES GAIN RELIABLE PATHWAYS TO NEW, WIDER MARKETS. NEW AND EXISTING MARKETS GAIN ACCESS TO A WIDER NUMBER OF PRODUCERS AND PRODUCTS, ALONG WITH RELIABLE, FREQUENT, AND CONSISTENT DELIVERIES. THE PROJECT WILL INCREASE LOCAL FOOD PURCHASES FROM 344 PRODUCERS BY 3.8M OVER THREE YEARS.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** MOUNTAIN ROOTS NEXTGEN REGEN BEGINNING FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM - SOLUTIONS FOR RESILIENCE IN A CHANGING CLIMATEOUR CURRENT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM IS UP TO A HUGE TASK: BY 2050, WE WILL NEED TO INCREASE FOOD PRODUCTION BY ABOUT 70% IN ORDER TO MEET THE CALORIC NEEDS OF A GLOBAL POPULATION OF 9.8 BILLION PEOPLE. TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE ALREADY USES 70% OF GLOBAL FRESHWATER AND 38% OF THE EARTH'S NON-FROZEN LAND. CLEARING LAND AND MAXIMIZING YIELDS THROUGH INTENSIVE EXTRACTIVE METHOD COMES WITH HIGH SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL TRADEOFFS. CLIMATE CHANGE THREATENS AGRICULTURAL YIELDS WITH DRIER CLIMATES IN ALREADY DRY AREAS AND WETTER CLIMATES IN ALREADY WET AREAS, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER IMPACTS. THESE EFFECTS WILL ONLY WORSEN THE FOOD INSECURITY IN COLD, DRY PLACES AROUND THE WORLD. WE KNOW THAT THE WORLD NEEDS MORE FARMERS, THAT MORE ACCESS AND INCENTIVES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED AUDIENCES, AND THAT IN GENERAL BEGINNING FARMER TRAINING PROGRAMS ACCELERATE THE LEARNING CURVE OF BEGINNING AND ASPIRING FARMERS, GIVING THEM VALUABLE CONNECTIONS, RESOURCES, SHOVEL-READY PLANS, INSIGHT INTO MARKET OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE KNOW-HOW TO TAKE THEIR BUSINESS IDEA TO THE NEXT LEVEL. OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO INSPIRE AND PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS TO ADDRESS THE PRESSING ISSUES OF LOCAL /SUSTAINABLE FOOD RESOURCES, FOOD ACCESS AND EQUITY, WATER CONSERVATION, SOIL HEALTH, CLIMATE RESILIENCY, AND FARMLAND PRESERVATION.MOUNTAIN ROOTS FOOD PROJECT IS A LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS INITIATIVE FOUNDED IN 2010 AND IS A LEADING LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER BASED IN GUNNISON, COLORADO, A HIGH MOUNTAIN REGION IN THE CENTRAL ROCKY MOUNTAINS THAT IS A HEADWATERS REGION FOR THE COLORADO RIVER, AN ERS-DOCUMENTED FOOD DESERT, AND A PLACE WHERE INNOVATIVE, CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS ARE WORKING TO TRANSFORM FOOD SYSTEMS AND TO IMPROVE THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OF OUR REGION. WITH KEY PARTNERS GUNNISON GARDENS AND WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY, OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS (2025-2027) WE WILL IMPLEMENT THE MOUNTAIN ROOTS NEXTGEN REGEN BEGINNING FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM - SOLUTIONS FOR RESILIENCE IN A CHANGING CLIMATE. THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE SUPPORTED EDUCATION, MENTORING, TRAINING, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS TO 60 ASPIRING AGRARIANS OVER 3 YEARS, GIVING THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND TOOLS NEEDED TO ENTER OR PURSUE CAREERS IN REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND/OR HYDROPONIC FARMING, WITH A FOCUS ON ENGAGING UNDERREPRESENTED AUDIENCES. THIS IMMERSIVE BEGINNER FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM HAS TWO CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE FOCUS AREAS: REGENERATIVE AND HYDROPONIC FARMING, AND TWO LEARNING TRACKS: SEASONAL PATHWAYS INTERNSHIPS AND A COMPREHENSIVE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP IN REGENERATIVE FARMING. PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH TRACKS RECEIVE HANDS-ON, EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING, RELATED CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, AND WILL ATTEND INDUSTRY CONFERENCES TO EXPAND THEIR NETWORKS AND KNOWLEDGE BASE.TRACK 1: OVER THREE YEARS 36 HIGH SCHOOL, UNDERGRAD S,TUDENTS, AND/OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL BE PLACED IN INTRODUCTORY LEVEL HANDS-ON SEASONAL INTERNSHIPS ON WORKING FARMS AND RANCHES WHERE THEY WILL PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON LEARNING AND RECEIVE DIRECT MENTORSHIP IN FARMING AS A PATHWAY TO EXPLORE CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE.TRACK 2: UP TO 12 INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ENROLLED IN THE IMMERSIVE, 18-MONTH REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP THAT COVERS 58 CORE COMPETENCIES LEADING TO A CERTIFICATE IN REGENERATIVE FARM MANAGEMENT. THEY WILL LEARN CROP PRODUCTION, SOIL HEALTH, RESOURCE CONSERVATION, IPM, SEASON EXTENSION, POST-HARVEST HANDLING, MARKETING, FARM MAINTENANCE, AGRIBUSINESS, LAND ACCESS, FOOD POLITICS & SOCIAL ISSUES, PERSONAL GROWTH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND OPTIONAL ADD-ONS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, PERMACULTURE DESIGN, HYDROPONICS, MEDICINAL HERBS. THE PROGRAM WILL START 4 APPRENTICES EACH SPRING SO THAT EVERY YEAR THERE ARE FOUR PARTICIPANTS STARTING YEAR ONE WHILE FOUR ARE IN YEAR TWO OF THE PROGRAM, ENHANCING PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND CONTINUITY.WHILE THERE ARE OTHER BEGINNING FARMER TRAINING PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY, MOST COST PARTICIPANTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND MAY FEEL OUT OF REACH FOR UNDERREPRESENTED AND MARGINALIZED AUDIENCES. THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH AMERICORPS, WE HAVE A RARE PROGRAM MODEL THAT SUPPORTS TRAINING PARTICIPANTS ON BOTH TRACKS WITH A LIVING ALLOWANCE AND PROVIDES AN EDUCATION AWARD UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM THAT CAN BE USED TO FURTHER EDUCATION OR TO PAY BACK STUDENT LOANS. REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE WAGES ON A 3-TIER PAY INCREASE SCHEDULE. THIS PROGRAM WILL BE THE SECOND REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP LAYERED WITH AMERICORPS IN THE COUNTRY.ADDITIONALLY, OUR APPROACH INCLUDES EXPANSION OF DEI IN RECRUITMENT AND PLACEMENT FOCUSING ON UNDERSERVED AUDIENCES INCLUDING WOMEN, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, AND VETERANS THROUGH AN ADVISORY GROUP AND THROUGH TARGETED OUTREACH/PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT WITH HIGH SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND AFFINITY GROUPS OF TARGET AUDIENCES.AS A RESULT OF THIS BEGINNING FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM, THE LEARNING CURVE OF BEGINNING AND ASPIRING FARMERS WILL BE ACCELERATED, LAUNCHING THEM INTO FARM MANAGEMENT OR INDEPENDENT FARMING BUSINESSES BY GIVING THEM VALUABLE CONNECTIONS, RESOURCES, SHOVEL-READY PLANS, INSIGHT INTO MARKET OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE KNOW-HOW TO TAKE THEIR BUSINESS IDEA TO THE NEXT LEVEL.TRAINEES WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL TRAINING, MENTORING, AND RESOURCES TO BUILD A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE. THEY WILL GAIN PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN REGENERATIVE FARMING PRACTICES, ENHANCING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS. THIS WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED FARM MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING CROP PLANNING, PEST MANAGEMENT, AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS, RESULTING IN BETTER FARM PRODUCTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY. ADDITIONALLY, APPRENTICES WILL BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER FARMERS, AGRICULTURAL PROFESSIONALS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, EXPANDING THEIR NETWORK AND POTENTIAL COLLABORATIONS.WE EXPECT 80% OF APPRENTICES TO DO ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: ESTABLI,SH/EXPAND THEIR OWN FARM; DEVELOP A BUSINESS PLAN; FIND WORK ON SOMEONE ELSE'S FARM; PURSUE ADVANCED EDUCATION/TRAINING; ACCESS LAND/RESOURCES TO ESTABLISH/GROW FARM BUSINESSES; ENGAGE IN NETWORKING AND MENTORSHIP; IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABLE AND REGENERATIVE PRACTICES.ULTIMATELY, THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS WILL BE INSPIRED AND PREPARED TO ADDRESS THE PRESSING ISSUES OF LOCAL/SUSTAINABLE FOOD ACCESS, SOIL HEALTH, FARMLAND PRESERVATION. GRADUATES OF THE PROGRAM WILL IMPLEMENT REGENERATIVE FARMING TECHNIQUES ON THEIR FARMS, LEADING TO IMPROVED SOIL HEALTH, INCREASED BIODIVERSITY, AND ENHANCED RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS CAN REDUCE INPUT COSTS, IMPROVE CROP YIELDS, AND ENHANCE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ON THEIR FARMS, LEADING TO INCREASED PROFITABILITY AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. REGENERATIVE FARMS ARE BETTER ABLE TO WITHSTAND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND PRODUCE HEALTHY, NUTRIENT-DENSE FOOD, CONTRIBUTING TO IMPROVED COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND FOOD SECURITY IN COLORADO. GRADUATES OF THE PROGRAM DEVELOP STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH LOCAL MARKETS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND CONSUMERS, INCREASING ACCESS TO MARKETS, ENABLING THEM TO EFFECTIVELY MARKET THEIR REGENERATIVELY GROWN PRODUCTS AND EXPAND THEIR CUSTOMER BASE. THE INCLUSION OF UNDERREPRESENTED AUDIENCES IN THE TRAINING PROGRAM EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL REGENERATIVE AND/OR HYDROPONIC FARM MANAGERS, PROMOTING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN COLORADO.KEY PARTNERS ARE MOUNTAIN ROOTS FOOD PROJECT, SUSAN WYMAN OF GUNNISON GARDENS, AND WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY. COLLABORATORS INCLUDE INFINITY GREENS HYDROPONIC FARM, GUNNISON VETERAN'S SERVICES, CULTURAL INTEGRATION STRATEGIES, SOUTHWEST INSTITUTE FOR RESILIENCE, AMERICORPS, AND NUMEROUS WORKING FARMS/RANCHES.

MOUNTAIN ROOTS - SOUTHWEST COLORADO LOCAL FOOD HUB-TO-NODE CNNECTIVITY PROJECT (PLANNING)