March 29, 2024

Five Illinois groups award Farm Aid grants

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Farm Aid distributed grants totaling $27,000 to five Illinois farm and food organizations as part of over $1 million in grants awarded nationally.

Illinois Farm Aid grant recipients were:

• Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Springfield: $7,000 grant from Farm Aid to win state legislative priorities in 2020 and expand capacity to engage members, develop leaders and build a more powerful organization for just and regenerative agriculture.

• The Land Connection, Champaign: $5,000 to support the Farmer Training Program, which provides farmers with the support, tools and network needed to begin farming and increase the longevity and success of their operations.

• Angelic Organics Learning Center, Caledonia: $5,000 to support holistic training for beginning farmers, provide opportunities for socially disadvantaged individuals and develop the next generation of consumers who create demand for sustainable agriculture.

• Food Works, Carbondale: $5,000 to increase the viability of beginning, sustainable family farms through value-added enterprises and farmer-to-farmer mentorship.

• Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water, Vermont: $5,000 to assist small farmers and rural residents fighting against the siting of factory farms in their communities, while organizing and galvanizing them to campaign for legislative reform.

“Farm Aid started right here in central Illinois at the height of the ‘80’s farm crisis. This year’s devastating losses from extreme weather, low commodity prices, and a trade war combined to create a new crisis for farmers and Illinois rural communities,” said Liz Moran Stelk, Illinois Stewardship Alliance executive director.

“Support from Farm Aid will help farmers and eaters educate policymakers on the urgent need to support local food, address the climate crisis, and make a just transition to regenerative agriculture.”

“The Land Connection’s Farmer Training Program provides farmers with the skills, tools, support and guidance to develop and maintain viable farm businesses,” said Cassidy Dellorto-Blackwell, The Land Connection Farmer Training Program manager.

“Thanks to Farm Aid we will be able to support more farmers, assisting them as they develop and implement strategies for managing all aspects of farm health, from growing techniques to marketing to managing soil health to planning for the future of the farm.”

Of the over $1 million in grants, $682,615 was given in competitive and strategic grants to 95 family farm, rural service and urban agriculture organizations in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Grants ranged from $3,000 to $30,000.

This year’s grant review came in the midst of a worsening farm crisis. The farm crisis was Farm Aid’s top grant-making priority this year, as was building resilient systems of agriculture to combat the impacts of natural disasters and climate change, and work that addresses systemic inequities, specifically for farmers of color.

Emergency grants totaling $32,000 were made to farm families to cover essential household expenses. These emergency grants are recommended on a case-by-case basis by Farm Aid’s hotline managers, who answer calls on the 1-800 FARM AID hotline and connect farmers with helpful services, resources and opportunities specific to their individual needs.

Disaster Response

In the spring, Farm Aid activated the Family Farm Disaster Fund to send immediate relief to farmers in the Midwest and Plains affected by historic flooding.

Farm Aid raised and distributed more than $200,000 to provide farmers in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Wisconsin and South Dakota with emergency funds and to help them navigate their options on the long road to disaster recovery. New flooding later in 2019 expanded Farm Aid’s disaster response to Texas.

In total, Farm Aid granted $224,100 to assist farm and ranch families affected by natural disasters. Farm Aid continues to work with partners in the region to assess the long-term needs of impacted farmers and ranchers.

Leadership Fund

Farm Aid’s Farmer Leadership Fund granted $46,386 to support farmers and farm advocates in developing leadership skills and to elevate farmer voices in a variety of circles in which their expertise, experience and best interests are essential to the conversation.

Scholarships

Through a scholarship fund set up in 1987 by the Younkers Department Store, Farm Aid awards scholarships annually to students studying agriculture at South Dakota State University, University of Nebraska and Iowa State University. In 2019, scholarships were awarded in the amount of $20,797.

Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food.

Farm Aid’s grant-making is focused on work that enhances the viability of family farm agriculture in the U.S. They issue grants to qualifying nonprofit organizations that serve family farmers in one of three funding areas: growing the good food movement, helping farmers thrive, and taking action to change the food and farm system.

“Our goal is to create real change in our farm and food system, from the ground up,” said Farm Aid President Willie Nelson.

“Farm Aid grantees strengthen family farmers, they build communities that can support each other in hard times, and they organize people to stand up and challenge corporate power in our food system. These are essential activities that benefit everyone — eaters and farmers.”

Since 1985, Farm Aid has raised $57 million to help family farmers thrive all over the country while inspiring millions of people to take part in the Good Food Movement.

For a complete listing of Farm Aid's 2019 grant recipients, visit www.farmaid.org/2019grants.