Global Growers Network Inc

CONNECTING REFUGEE, IMMIGRANT AND BIPOC FARMERS IN ATLANTA TO KNOWLEDGE,NETWORKS AND CAPITAL

THE PURPOSE OF THE GLOBAL GROWERS LOCAL MARKETS PROJECT IS TO EXPAND OUR SALES PROGRAM TO CONNECT FARMERS AND BUYERS THROUGH A VARIETY OF NEW AND EXISTING MARKET ACCESS POINTS RANGING FROM FARMERS MARKETS AND FARM STANDS TO RETAIL AND WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS. GGN WILL LEVERAGE EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS AND NEWLY ESTABLISHED COLLABORATIVE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL POSITION US TO EXPAND THE SALES PROGRAM.THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE BEGINNING, SMALL-SCALE, AND HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS (REFUGEES, IMMIGRANTS, AND FARMERS OF COLOR), WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM INCREASED ACCESS TO LAND, AGRICULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LOCAL MARKETS. THE PROJECT ALSO BENEFITS LOCAL BUYERS AND DISTRIBUTORS, WHO WILL BE CONNECTED WITH FARMERS PREPARED TO ACCESS LARGER MARKETS. ULTIMATELY, LOCAL COMMUNITIES WILL HAVE INCREASED ACCESS TO HEALTHY AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE FOODS PRODUCED WITHIN THEIR REGION. KEY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: DEVELOPING MARKETING PLANS WITH FARMERS HOSTING AGRITOURISM EVENTS TO CONNECT CUSTOMERS FARMERS CREATING ON-FARM MARKET ACCESS POINTS FACILITATING AGGREGATION DISTRIBUTION MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO AGGREGATION DISTRIBUTION INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT MARKET READINESS IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE INTRODUCING FARMERS TO RECORD-KEEPING TECHNOLOGIES CONNECTING FARMERS WITH FOOD SAFETY AND MARKET READINESS RESOURCES, AND ACHIEVING GAP CERTIFICATION.DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: A REFRESHED MARKETING PLANS IMPROVED AGGREGATION AND STORAGE SYSTEMS AT TWO LOCATIONS REDUCTIONS IN ON-FARM FOOD WASTE IMPROVED USE OF TECHNOLOGY IMPROVED FOOD SAFETY PRACTICES FACILITATION OF SALES BETWEEN FARMERS AND LOCAL REGIONAL BUYERS AT A VARIETY OF SCALES AND MARKET ACCESS POINTS STRENGTHENED MARKETS FOR LOCAL PRODUCE AND INCREASED VIABILITY OF SMALL-SCALE FARMS. AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT, FARMERS WILL INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL VALUE CHAINS AND MARKET ACCESS POINTS, INCREASE CONNECTIONS WITH BUYERS, IMPROVE RECORD-KEEPING, IMPROVE MARKET READINESS, AND IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES THROUGH AGGREGATION AND DISTRIBUTION. GGN WILL STRENGTHEN OUR SALES PROGRAM MODEL, INCREASE COLLABORATIVE MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION AMONG LOCAL FARMERS, AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO AND INCREASE CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL FOOD IN LI LA AREAS. THE FOLLOWING PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS WILL PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN ACHIEVING THE PROJECT S GOALS BY CONTRIBUTING THEIR EXPERTISE, RESOURCES, AND CONNECTIONS TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF PARTICIPATING FARMERS AND THE OVERALL ENHANCEMENT OF THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM:- GARNISH GATHER, WILL CONTRIBUTE TO MARKET READINESS PROGRAMS BY PROVIDING BUYER REQUIREMENTS, PRODUCT NEEDS, AND PRICING INFORMATION, PROMOTING AGRITOURISM OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENGAGING WITH GGN PARTNER FARMERS. GARNISH GATHER IS A LONGTIME MARKET PARTNER OF GGN.- COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKETS (CFM), WILL CONTRIBUTE TO MARKET READINESS PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE AGRITOURISM OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING THEIR MARTA MARKETS PROGRAM. CFM HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT.- COMMON MARKET SOUTHEAST (CMSE), WILL CONTRIBUTE TO MARKET READINESS PROGRAMS, SHARE FOOD SAFETY AND MARKET READINESS RESOURCES, AND ENGAGE WITH GGN PARTNER FARMERS. CMSE IS A NATIONAL LEADER IN SUPPORTING REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS AND VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT.- METROPOLITAN ATLANTA RAPID TRANSIT AUTHORITY (MARTA), WILL PROVIDE LAND FOR AN URBAN FARM LOCATION AND CONNECT FARMERS TO THEIR MARTA MARKETS NETWORK.- LEGACY PARK DECATUR, WILL PROVIDE A LOCATION FOR AGRITOURISM EVENTS AT DECATURS LARGEST GREENSPACE AND PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES TO PURCHASE FROM LOCAL FARMERS.- DR. HILARY KING, DIRECTOR OF MASTERS IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE AT EMORY UNIVERSITY, WILL LEAD THIRD-PARTY ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION, TRAIN AND RECRUIT EVALUATION CONSULTANTS, AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT. DR. KING HAS CONDUCTED EVALUATIONS FOR GGN SINCE 2018, INCLUDING EVALUATIONS OF FOUR PREVIOUS FEDERAL GRANT AWARDS.

TO PARTNER WITH DIVERSE PEOPLE, PRIMARILY REFUGEES/IMMIGRANTS, TO GROW FRESH FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND LOCAL MARKETPLACES

GLOBAL GROWERS FARMER DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NEW AMERICAN AND IMMIGRANT FARMERS FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO STARTING AND MAINTAINING SUCCESSFUL FARMING BUSINESSES. THEY OFTEN LACK THE RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO START FARM BUSINESSES, AND EVEN WHEN ESTABLISHED, THESE FARMERS STRUGGLE TO COMPETE WITH SUBSIDIZED LARGE-SCALE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCERS WITH MUCH LOWER PRODUCTION COSTS DUE TO THEIR RELIANCE ON CHEMICALS, LARGE-SCALE MONO-CROP PRODUCTION, AND GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES. THESE ISSUES EXTEND BEYOND THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, IMPACTING OUR ECONOMY AND SOCIETY AT LARGE. WHEN SMALL FARMS FLOURISH, THEY CONTRIBUTE TO LOCAL ECONOMIES, CREATE JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND HELP DIVERSIFY THE AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE. THEIR SUCCESS ALSO ALLOWS FOR MORE LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE IN OUR MARKETS, BENEFITING OUR ENVIRONMENT BY REDUCING CARBON FOOTPRINTS ASSOCIATED WITH LONG-DISTANCE TRANSPORT OF GOODS.OUR PROJECT AIMS TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT THESE FARMERS IN A VARIETY OF PRACTICAL AND ESSENTIAL WAYS, GIVING THEMTHE TOOLS THEY NEED TO CULTIVATE A PROSPEROUS FARM AND BUSINESS. WE WILL MATCH GROWERS WITH AVAILABLE FARMLAND, PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THEIR AGRICULTURAL SKILLS, AND ASSIST THEM IN NAVIGATING THE MARKET TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. WE WILL ALSO CONNECT GROWERS WITH RESOURCES FROM THE USDA AND OTHER PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, HOSTING WORKSHOPS, FACILITATING FARMER EXCHANGES, AND CREATING A RESOURCE MAP OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL SERVICES.OUR GOAL IS TO EMPOWER NEW AMERICAN AND IMMIGRANT FARMERS SO THAT THEY CAN SUCCEED IN THEIR AGRICULTURAL BUSINESSES. THIS WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT THE INDIVIDUALS WE WORK WITH: BY AIDING IN THE CREATION OF THRIVING, DIVERSE LOCAL FARMS, WE SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF ROBUST LOCAL ECONOMIES, ENHANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR FOOD SYSTEMS, AND FOSTER GREATER INCLUSIVITY WITHIN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.

THIS PROJECT BUILDS ON A 2016 COMMUNITY FOODS PROJECTS PLANNING GRANT TO CONDUCT THE CLARKSTON FOOD NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND TO FORM THE FOOD PLANNING NETWORK. THROUGH THESE, CLARKSTON FOOD INITIATIVE MEMBERS DETERMINED THREE AREAS OF FOCUS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS: 1) INCREASE ACCESS TO FOOD PRODUCTION SPACE AND GARDEN-BASED EDUCATION FOR THE CLARKSTON COMMUNITY WITH AN EMPHASIS ON REFUGEE FAMILIES; 2) INCREASE SALES AND MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS, WHILE ALSO INCREASING PUBLIC ACCESS TO, AND AWARENESS OF, LOCAL FOODS AND HEALTHY EATING; AND 3) STRENGTHEN THE RESOURCE NETWORK AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR BOTH CONSUMERS AND GROWERS.

MARKET READY FARMS COLLABORATION

PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR FOOD SAFETY ON SMALL, DIVERSIFIED FRUIT & VEGETABLE FARMS

CLARKSTON FOOD INITIATIVE

GLOBAL GROWERS FARMERS

PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR FOOD SAFETY ON SMALL DIVERSIFIED FRUIT AND VEGETABLE FARMS

GLOBAL GROWERS NETWORK INC WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THE ADVOCATES IN THE FIELD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IN GEORGIA.

CLARKSTON FOOD INITIATIVE

INCREASING FOOD ACCESS AND LOCAL FOOD SALES THROUGH GLOBAL GOWERS SALES ENTERPRISE EXPANSION

CLARKSTON FOOD INITIATIVE