Farmshare Austin

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE LONG TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO GET MORE SKILLED FARMERS ON LAND IN CENTRAL TEXAS USING CLIMATE SMART SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES GROWING FOOD FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.IN THIS PROJECT FARMSHARE AUSTIN WITH AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES PROGRAM, GREEN GATE FARMS AND HOPE FULL FARM, WILL LAUNCH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FARM INCUBATOR COLLABORATIVE. THE COLLABORATIVE WILL PROVIDE BEGINNING FARMERS IN THE START-UP PHASE OF THEIR BUSINESS WITH ACCESS TO LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE, MENTORSHIP, BUSINESS TRAINING AND MARKETING OUTLETS TO BRIDGE BARRIERS TO STARTING AND SUSTAINING A FARM. BY EMBRACING A COLLABORATIVE MODEL, WE ARE ABLE TO DRAW ON THE COLLECTIVE FARMLAND AND THE COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MENTOR FARMERS, THEREBY REDUCING THE BARRIER OF LAND ACCESS FOR BEGINNING FARMERS WHILE LEVERAGING THE FERTILE RESOURCES OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE BELIEVETHIS COLLABORATIVE MODEL WILL BE VITAL IN SERVING MORE FARMERS FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME IN AN AREA WHERE LAND ACCESS IS LIMITED AND WILL FOSTER COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS ACROSS OUR REGION BETWEEN EMERGING AND EXPERIENCED FARMERS.THE 2022 NATIONAL SURVEY OF YOUNG FARMERS SHOWS FINDING AFFORDABLE LAND IS THE TOP CHALLENGE FOR YOUNG FARMERS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, AN AREA THAT, ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S 2022 STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT, IS LOSING 16 ACRES OF FARMLAND A DAY TO DEVELOPMENT. COUPLE THAT WITH THE DISRUPTIONS IN THE FOOD SUPPLY WE SAW DURING COVID AND 2021'S WINTER STORM URI AND THE FACT THAT, PER THE 2022 USDA CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE, THE AVERAGE AGE OF FARMERS IN CENTRAL TEXAS IS 60, IT BECOMES MORE AND MORE APPARENT THAT SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS IS PARAMOUNT TO THE RESILIENCY OF OUR COMMUNITY.IN THE FIRST 3 YEARS OF THE INCUBATOR COLLABORATIVE FUNDED BY THIS GRANT, AT LEAST 15 NEW FARMERS WILL LAUNCH AND/OR EXPAND THEIR NEW FARM BUSINESSES. THESE 15 FARMERS WILL IMPROVE PRODUCTION PRACTICES, BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND BE CONNECTED TO NEW MARKETS. THROUGH A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AT LEAST 100 FARMERS WILL GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIC AND CLIMATE SMART PRACTICES, 75 FARMERS WILL IMPROVE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF FOOD SAFETY PRACTICES AND 20 NEW FARMERS WILL GAIN COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING ON LAND ACCESS STRATEGIES. FRAMEWORK AND PROCEDURES WILL BE DEVELOPED TO ONBOARD ADDITIONAL LANDOWNERS TO THE COLLABORATIVE, ACCESSING MORE ACREAGE TO SUPPORT MORE FARMERS IN THE YEARS BEYOND THIS GRANT.

FRESH FOR LESS MOBILE MARKETS: BUILDING MARKETS FOR CENTRALEXAS FARMERS WHILE IMPROVING HEALTHYFOOD ACCESS IN AUSTIN'SEASTERN CRESCENT AND EASTERN TRAVIS COUNTY

FRESH FOR LESS MOBILE MARKETS AND CURBSIDE DELIVERY PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION: INCREASING INCENTIVES AND EQUITY FOR LOCAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO GET MORE SKILLED FARMERS GROWING FOOD SUSTAINABLY IN CENTRAL TEXAS. WITH AN AWARENESS OF BARRIERS TO FARMING EXPERIENCED BY SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS, FARMSHARE ENDEAVORS TO DEVELOP SERVICES PARTICULAR TO CENTRAL TEXAS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE FARMING COMMUNITY AND CREATES GREATER EQUITY FOR ALL WHO DESIRE TO ENTER FARMING. WE PROPOSE TO REACH THIS GOAL, IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, BY BUILDING OUT A COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY TO FARMING, COMPRISING A CONTINUUM OF PROGRAMS INTENDED TO EMPOWER AND SUPPORT NEW FARMERS FROM THINKING THEY MAY WANT TO FARM, ALL THE WAY TO FARM MANAGEMENT/OWNERSHIP.BUILDING ON FARMER STARTER, A HANDS-ON 5-MONTH INTENSIVE OFFERING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR BEGINNING FARMERS WITH LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE, THIS PROJECT WILL LAY OUT THE NEXT STEPS ALONG THE EDUCATION PATHWAY FOR FARMERS WHO HAVE PASSED THE ENTRY LEVEL STAGE BUT ARE NOT QUITE READY TO BEGIN THEIR OWN FARMS.IN CENTRAL TEXAS, THE AVAILABILITY OF CONTINUING HANDS-ON FARM EDUCATION IS LIMITED. IN ADDITION, TEXAS HAS BEEN SLOW TO BUILD OUT ITS SUPPORT NETWORK FOR NEW FARMERS, ESPECIALLY SUPPORT FOR BEGINNING SPECIALTY CROPS AND SUSTAINABLE GROWERS ON SMALL TO MID-SIZED FARMS AND SUPPORT TO SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS. AND WHILE TEXAS HAS SEEN A DECLINE IN OVERALL ACREAGE IN FARMING FROM 2012 TO 2017, THE STATE HAS A GROWING NUMBER OF FARMS UNDER 49 ACRES AND A GROWING NUMBER OF NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS. WITH FOOD SHORTAGES AND CONTINUING FOOD ACCESS AND FOOD INSECURITY, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS MAGNIFIED THE NEED FOR CREATING AND SUPPORTING A RESILIENT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM. FARMERS NEED OUR HELP NOW MORE THAN EVER TO ENSURE VIABILITY.TRULY IMPACTFUL PROGRAMMING MUST GROW OUT OF THE NEEDS AND PREFERENCES OF THOSE WE WISH TO EMPOWER. THE PROJECT COMBINES 1) FOCUS GROUPS WITH FARMER STARTER ALUMNI AND OTHER CENTRAL TEXAS BEGINNING FARMERS, 2) ANALYSIS OF THE INFORMATION GATHERED DURING THE FOCUS GROUPS, AND 3) DEVELOPMENT OF A CONTINUUM OF FARMSHARE BEGINNING FARMER PROGRAMS/SERVICES. JUST AS IMPORTANT AS GATHERING THE DATA IS SHARING IT AMONGST THE FARMER SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM. TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD ON OUR VARIOUS STRENGTHS, MAKING THE WHOLE STRONGER THAN ITS PARTS. THIS PROPOSAL WILL LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR A MORE ROBUST AND EQUITABLE FARMER TRAINING SUPPORT SYSTEM SHAPED BY AND GROUNDED BY THE NEEDS OF BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

AS A NON-PROFIT FARM COMMITTED TO TEACHING NEW FARMERS AND INCREASING FOOD ACCESS, FARMSHARE AUSTIN IS STRIVING TO REACH A SUSTAINABLE BALANCE BETWEEN FULFILLING OUR MISSION AND GENERATING REVENUE. TO MEET THESE GOALS, FARMSHARE IDENTIFIED THE NEED TO DEV

THIS GRANT SUPPORTS THE COSTS INCURRED TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO RESPOND TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19), WHICH MAY INCLUDE WORKPLACE SAFETY, MARKET PIVOTS, RETROFITTING FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, WORKER HOUSING, AND MEDICAL EXPENSES. IT PROVIDES NEEDED RELIEF TO THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS FOR THEIR COSTS INCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY 27, 2020, THE DATE UPON WHICH THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE (HHS) UNDER SECTION 319 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, AND DECEMBER 31, 2021. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS.