Finding Success with Next Generation Farmers

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Ed Avalos, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, on April 8, 2014 at 12:00 PM

Under Secretary Ed Avalos (left) listens to Carlos and Greg Chavez explain the ongoing effects of drought on farms in Texas. Greg, a next generation farmer, has worked to increase the sustainability and success of his family farm by implementing new technology and irrigation methods that decrease water consumption.

Not everyone goes to work every day knowing that they will be inspired by the people they meet—I’m very fortunate in that way.  From the federal agencies that I oversee to the farmers and ranchers I visit with, I am truly inspired by their dedication to serving the American people and their commitment to the success of rural America.  And many of the issues that they work on or face in their daily lives are the same issues that we are all concerned with—sustainability and conservation, short-term and long-term stability, and making sure our children and the next generation have paths to success.

During a recent visit to the Texas Panhandle, I stopped to have breakfast and visit with the father and son team who run the Chavez family farm.  Carlos and Greg Chavez farm 3,600 acres of corn, wheat and cotton, and run 1,200 head of cattle on winter wheat.  Greg, the son, has focused his attention on implementing new crop watering techniques, leveraging technology and conservation practices to combat the inherent dryness brought on by the strong Panhandle winds.

Working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on this effort, Greg’s changes involve using a low nozzle-to-ground-height ratio to water his crops.  By reducing the distance the water falls, less evaporation occurs.  This means more water reaches the soil.  In an area that had single-digit inches of rainfall in both 2011 and 2012, finding more efficient ways to get better results and better crops—while using less water—is vital to the long-term success of the family farm.  As a next-generation farmer, Greg is constantly looking to new methods and new technology to boost the efficiency and sustainability of the farm.

Across USDA, our agencies and programs are also focused on projects that help support the next generation of rural Americans.  Through the Specialty Crop Block Grants (SCBG) program administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), we are helping encourage young and new farmers to apply technology and expand the variety of crops grown.  One SCBG project in Nebraska offered students hands-on classes and workshops that focused on growing and selling fruits and vegetables instead of traditional cash crops.  The coursework included business and marketing plans, and resulted in at least 50% of the students planning to pursue further education in agriculture.

Another project—this time in Pennsylvania—supports a partnership between the state Department of Agriculture and AgChoice Farm Credit to help increase the chances of long-term success for young (below age 35) and beginning farmers (those with less than 10 years of experience). Over the next couple of years, they will offer these next-generation farmers scholarships to participate in the AgBiz Masters course. The course is a two-year learning process designed to provide sound business concepts and financial management skills for agricultural businesses. By creating business-aware, fiscally-minded farmers and ranchers, Pennsylvania hopes to increase the number of new farms and cost-savings for existing farms.

These are just a few examples of how I am inspired by all of the hard-working people who are helping ensure the future of American agriculture. At USDA, we will continue to support next generation farmers like Greg Chavez as they look to make their farms and businesses more sustainable.  And we will continue to work with states and communities across the country to support the next generation of American farmers and ranchers.

Working Together to Bring Healthy Foods to Communities in Need

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Doug McKalip, Senior Policy Advisor for Rural Affairs at the White House Domestic Policy Council, on March 26, 2014 at 12:00 PM

Cross posted from the White House Rural Council Blog:

Recently, representatives from the White House Domestic Policy Council, the US Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of the Treasury joined representatives from various community projects from around the country to discuss how to increase healthy food access to communities in need.  The event included representatives from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, the Food Research and Action Center, Policy Link, and the Fair Food Network.

Participants shared their stories of success, and what we can do to encourage more healthy foods in these communities.  For example:

Mary Donnell, the Executive Director of Green City Growers Cooperative, spoke about her urban greenhouse project in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. After its inception in 2012, Green City Growers has become the largest food production greenhouse in a core urban area in the United States. The cooperative manages over three acres of urban space and employs twenty-five people from the community. It produces over three million heads of lettuce annually, which is then distributed to Cleveland’s most distressed neighborhoods. The organization creates jobs in Cleveland while providing nutritious food to food deserts across the city, one of this Administration’s key goals.

Gray Harris, the director of the Sustainable Agriculture Programs at CEI, shared her organization’s story as a Community Development Financial Institution in rural Maine. As a CDFI, CEI invests in community based projects contributing to local economies.  CEI’s specific expertise is in strengthening the local food supply chain to increase healthy food access across New England.  CEI has invested in nearly 300 food system projects, and it maintains a current active $6.2 million loan portfolio for food system investments. These investments help farms in Maine to stay in production, despite recent stressors on farmers.

One last story that really exemplified President Obama’s commitment to increasing access was presented to the group by Todd Chessmoore, the Superintendent of the Cody-Kilgore School District in Cody, Nebraska. Cody is a town of just 150 people, and for over a decade its residents, many of whom are lower income or elderly, had to drive over 30 miles to buy groceries. In order to eliminate this food desert, the Cody-Kilgore School District opened its own student run and operated Circle C grocery store, the town’s only dedicated food retailer.

These stories were just a few we heard during this event, emphasizing the unique and innovative work being done across the country to enhance health and access to food for folks from all walks of life. The Obama Administration has made increasing healthy food access a priority. In partnership with the White House, the Department of Treasury, HHS, and USDA have been working collaboratively to support innovative strategies to increase healthy food access.

One such strategy is the Health Food Financing Initiative or HFFI.  The recently signed Farm Bill authorizes an HFFI program at USDA and the President’s most recent budget proposal includes a request of $13 million for this work.  The initiative will provide financial and technical assistance to eligible fresh, healthy food retailers for the purposes of market planning and promotion efforts as well as infrastructure and operational improvements designed to stimulate demand among low-income consumers for healthy foods and to increase the availability and accessibility of locally and regionally produced foods in underserved areas.

This program will help USDA to continue collaboration with other federal partners to ensure that communities in need have access to fresh, healthy, affordable food. It will expand healthy food access for families on SNAP – some 46.6 million individuals in 2012, the vast majority of whom are children, elderly or living in households where members were employed in low-wage jobs.

A particular focus for USDA will be the expansion of healthy food options in rural areas, which often lack grocery stores and other retail outlets. HFFI will allow USDA and our partners to support creative strategies to increase access to healthy foods in Rural America.

The USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative also coordinates work on local food investments, including distribution, which is a key element of increasing healthy food access.  The White House Rural Council is making healthy food access in rural communities a priority, as it impacts the future health and economics of rural America.