Project Grant 20214940035627

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS IS CALLED "LITTLE EGYPT" AS THE SOUTHERN 16-17 COUNTIES FORM THE "LAND BETWEEN THE RIVERS" ANALOGOUS TO THE NILE RIVER DELTA. THIS AREA IS GEOGRAPHICALLY DISTINCT FROM THE REST OF THE STATE, WITH ROLLING HILLS, FRAGILE SOILS AND A UNIQUE CLIMATE THAT MAKES IT CONDUCIVE TO YEAR-ROUND FOOD PRODUCTION, BUT ALSO BRINGS CHALLENGES OF PESTS AND DISEASES. THIS AREA ALSO ENCOMPASSES SOME OF THE HIGHEST POVERTY RATES IN THE STATE AND A NUMBER OF AREAS ARE CONSIDERED "FOOD DESERTS." IT IS ALSO NO SURPRISE THAT, ACCORDING TO THE 2017 ILLINOIS FARM CENSUS, TODAY'S ESTABLISHED FARMERS ARE OVERWHELMINGLY MALE (72%) AND WHITE (99%). (1) THE POPULATION OF PEOPLE FARMING IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE OVERALL DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS.FOOD WORKS HAS FOCUSED ITS EFFORTS ON REGENERATIVE FARMING SINCE ITS INCEPTION AND RECOGNIZES THE POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH IN SOUTHERNMOST ILLINOIS. FARMERS UNDER 35 YEARS ARE INCREASING IN NUMBERS AND THEY ARE PRIMARILY STARTING SMALL SCALE FARMS. (2) DESCRIBED AS HIGHLY EDUCATED, EX-URBAN, FIRST TIME FARMERS WITH DREAMS OF CAPITALIZING ON THE BOOMING CONSUMER DEMAND FOR LOCAL, SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED FOOD - THIS GROUP, 69% OF YOUNG FARMERS, HAVE POTENTIAL TO BROADLY IMPACT THE FOOD SYSTEM (2). HOWEVER, FIRST GENERATION FARMERS OFTEN LACK THE BACKGROUND TO DEEPLY UNDERSTAND THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF WHOLE FARM SYSTEMS INCORPORATING SPECIALTY CROPS, ANIMALS, AND AGROFORESTRY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. THEY ALSO OFTEN LACK RESOURCES INCLUDING ACCESS TO LAND, WORKING CAPITAL, AND A SUPPORT NETWORK TO HELP THEM OVERCOME THE INEVITABLE CHALLENGES OF FARMING.ENTREPRENEURIAL SMALL FARMERS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (ESFSI) ADDRESSES THIS DEEP NEED FOR SKILL AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT BY BUILDING UPON AN EXISTING PROGRAM, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS FARM BEGINNINGS. THE PROGRAM IS FARMER-LED AND BASED ON PRINCIPLES OF HOLISTIC FARM MANAGEMENT FOR DECISIONS THAT ARE ECONOMICALLY, ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY SOUND - "THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE". TRAINEES BEGIN BY HONING THEIR FARM VISION WITH CLASSROOM SESSIONS ON BUSINESS AND MARKETING. FROM THERE, ESFSI EXPANDS THE PROGRAM WITH SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN SPECIALTY CROPS, HUMANE ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, AND AN EXPLORATION OF HOW NEW FARMERS CAN GAIN ACCESS TO LAND FOR FARMING AND RESOURCES FOR CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT. EACH OF THESE THREE NEW COMPONENTS PROVIDES 8-10 HOURS OF FOCUSED LEARNING THROUGH A COMBINATION OF CLASSROOM AND EXPERIENTIAL FARM-BASED SEMINARS WITH FARMERS AND OTHER EXPERTS. TRAINEES ALSO COMPLETE AN ADDITIONAL 8-10 HOURS OF SELF DIRECTED STUDY WITH EACH COMPONENT, EXPLORING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES THAT WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL FARM BUSINESS PLAN. ADDITIONALLY, TRAINEES GAIN SKILLS AND NETWORK WITH OTHER FARMERS BY ATTENDING ON FARM FIELD DAYS, BECOMING MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS FARMING ALLIANCE, AND COMPLETING A 10-HOUR MENTORSHIP WITH AN ESTABLISHED FARMER. TO ASSIST TRAINEES WITH START-UP COSTS (SUCH AS THE PURCHASE OF SEEDS, SOIL AMENDMENTS, ANIMALS OR ANIMAL FEED, BEES OR HIVES, OR CERTIFICATION EXAMS), TWO STIPENDS OF $500 EACH WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO EACH TRAINEES AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH THE PROGRAM (APRIL 1, 2022 & JULY 1, 2022).ESFSI WILL GROUND A DIVERSE GROUP OF BEGINNING FARMERS WITH THE EDUCATION, MENTORSHIP, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT THEIR DREAMS OF A SUSTAINABLE FARM BUSINESS USING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL. HOWEVER, THIS PROJECT BENEFITS MORE THAN JUST THE BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS WHO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM. FARMERS WHO USE REGENERATIVE PRACTICES TO PROTECT FRAGILE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SOILS AND PROTECT WATERWAYS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT, WHICH BENEFITS ALL SOUTHERN ILLINOISANS, AS WELL AS THOSE LIVING DOWNSTREAM. ENTREPRENEURIAL FARMERS WHO PROVIDE FRESH, HEALTHY FOODS TO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS COMMUNITIES ALSO STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL ECONOMY, AND IMPROVE THE AVAILABILITY OF HIGH QUALITY FRESH AND HEALTHY FOODS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS COMMUNITIES. BY STEWARDING A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE INTO FARMINGAS A PROFESSION, OUR COMMUNITIES BECOME MORE JUST, EQUITABLE, AND TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A MORE RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM FOR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS.(1) CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE, VOLUME 1, CHAPTER 1:STATE LEVEL DATA - ILLINOIS 2017 AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.NASS.USDA.GOV/PUBLICATION/AGCENSUS/2017/FULL_REPORT/VOLUME_1,_CHAPTER_1_STATE_LEVEL/ILLINOIS/ ACCESSED 2/20/21(2) FROST, J. 11/20/2017. BECOMING (AND REMAINING) A FARMER IS HARD. CIVIL EATS. AVAILABLE AT HTTPS://CIVILEATS.COM/2017/11/20/BECOMING-AND-REMAINING-A-FARMER-IS-HARD/ ACCESSED 02/20/21.