Project Grant 20207001733055

AGRICULTURE IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FACES MAJOR CHALLENGES WHICH ARE FUNDAMENTALLY RESHAPING FARMING AND LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS, EVEN MORE AMPLIFIED NOW WITH COVID-19. THE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FARMERS OF COLOR COLLABORATIVE (SNEFCC) IS A NASCENT ORGANIZATION OF BEGINNING FARMERS OF COLOR AND COLLABORATORS WHO WANT TO INCREASE THE SUCCESS OF FARMERS OF COLOR IN CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS, AND RHODE ISLAND. SNEFCC HOPESTO POSITION FARMERS OF COLOR FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS AND RESOURCES TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN SUCCESSFUL FARM ENTERPRISES NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. THIS WILL REQUIRE A SOLID FOUNDATION OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING; ONGOING MENTORING AND COACHING; SKILL AND RESOURCE SHARING; AND OTHER FORMS OF MUTUAL SUPPORT AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. OUR PROJECT PARTNERS HAVE SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORDS OF EDUCATING BEGINNING FARMERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME CRITICAL GAPS IN TRAINING THAT THEY CANNOT SATISFY BECAUSE THEY LACK THE CAPACITY OR THE TOPICS ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR CENTRAL MISSION. WITH BFRDP FUNDING, THE COLLABORATIVE INTENDS TO DEVELOP TRAINING AND COACHING PROGRAMS THAT WILL MEET THESE NEEDS AND ESTABLISH STRONG NETWORK OF BEGINNING FARMERS OF COLOR WHO WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY ACROSS THE REGION.THE CENTRAL COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT WILL FEATURE A TRAINING PROGRAM THAT WILL REACH 90 FARMERS OF COLOR OVER 3 YEARS. THE TRAINING TOPICS WILL BE DETERMINED FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF EXISTING TRAINING RESOURCESAND OFFERINGS FOR BEGINNING FARMERS ON SOIL AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, LAND ACCESS, GRANT WRITING AND FUNDRAISING, AND BUSINESS PLANNING AND MARKETING FOR SCAFFOLDING THIS NEW TRAINING. THE TRAINING FORMAT FEATURES ANANNUAL INTENSIVE FULL DAY TRAINING EACH WINTER FOR 10 FARMERS IN EACH OF 3 CITIES: HARTFORD, CT; BOSTON, MA; AND PROVIDENCE RI. AS A FOLLOW UP EACH SPRING, ALL 30 TRAINEES WILL RECONVENE FOR A COMBINED ONLINE TRAINING TOEQUALIZE THE INSTRUCTION AT ALL THREE TRAININGS SHOULD THE INSTRUCTOR HAVE MADE ANY CHANGES/IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE FIRST SESSION TO THE LAST. IN ADDITION, ALL ATTENDEES FROM ALL LOCATIONS CAN MEET AND INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER ONLINE, A PRECURSOR TO FUTURE NETWORKING AND ONLINE COLLABORATION. THIS FOLLOW UP SESSION WILL ALLOW FARMERS TO SHARE ANY PROGRESS THEY HAVE MADE ON BUSINESS AND MARKETING PLANS, STRATEGIES FOR FUND RAISING, IN PROGRESS GRANT APPLICATIONS, ETC.A SECOND MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT IS TO CREATE AN ORGANIZATION OF FARMERS OF COLOR IN NEW ENGLAND TO SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR FARMERS. THE CORE TEAM OF THIS PROJECTAND THE FARMER TRAINEES REPRESENTS THE START OF SUCH A NETWORK. THE COLLABORATIVE'S ONLINE COMMUNITY PLATFORM WILL ALLOW FARMERS TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS/ORGANIZATIONS/FARMER AND RANCHER GROUPS:THE FOOD PROJECT, MANEW ENTRY SUSTAINABLE FARM PROJECT, MAURBAN FARMING INSTITUTE, MAKENEY PARK SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT, CTNOFA/MASSASHMONT FARMERS MARKET, MAFOOD SOLUTIONS NEW ENGLANDAMERICAN FARMLAND TRUSTUCONN CAHNR EXTENSION, CTMSAADA PARTNERS, LLC, MA