Farm Finance Digest | November 2024
(An excerpt from ‘Farm Finance Digest’: SCI’s Monthly Newsletter)
UPDATES
🍂 We hope your Thanksgiving is filled with joy and restful moments with your loved ones!
This month, I published a brief with Food Solutions New England titled From Extraction to Regeneration: A Just Transition Approach to Financing Climate Resilience in the Food System.
We’re curious to hear your thoughts and reactions to it and your experiences trying to access grants and finance. Specifically, we’re seeking stories of success from farmers who've benefited from EQIP or other USDA grant programs.
If you have a story to tell, or encountered any hurdles, do share with us. And if our newsletter or grant writing support has played a role in securing funding for you, we’d love to hear about it.
Your feedback is essential in helping us fine-tune our financial programs to serve you better.
- Julie Davenson, Farm Finance Specialist
INDUSTRY NEWS
Regen Ag Market Growth
The global regenerative agriculture practices market is projected to grow from $11.64 billion in 2023 to $42.49 billion by 2034, driven by increasing focus on sustainability and soil health.
Regenerative Agriculture Financing (RAF) Program
Farmers Business Network and Environmental Defense Fund have announced the expansion of their Regenerative Agriculture Financing (RAF) program.
The program will double its size to $50 million in operating lines for the upcoming season, with plans to originate up to $1 billion in climate-smart operating lines over the next five years.
Kiss the Ground Farmer Grants
Kiss the Ground awarding $500k in Regenerative Transition grants to farmers and ranchers for equipment and training. Don't delay, applications are funded on a rolling basis!
The Black Women Regenerative Farming Project
Seeking Farm Partners!
The Black Women Regenerative Farming Project is seeking up to two new farm partners for 2025! This is an incredible opportunity to grow and sustain your farming operation while being part of a network that centers Black women in agriculture.
Selected farms will receive:
🌿 $8,000–$15,000 annually in funding (renewable for up to 3 years)
🌿Education and training tailored to regenerative practices
🌿Support for soil testing and more resources to improve your land
- Ongoing community and expert guidance
Don’t miss your chance to take your farm to the next level! More information is in the email including eligibility. Yes, you must be already farming and be EQIP eligible.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Big Soil Health Event
December 9-11, 2024
Cedar Falls, Iowa
This farmer-first event from Soil Regen provides education, training, and networking assistance on soil health and sustainable agriculture.
🌿 The Mission: To provide FARMER FIRST education, training, and networking assistance to increase soil health and function, quality of life, and ROI. Through community support and producer empowerment, Soil Regen aims to improve generational family farming and ranching while regenerating the lands on which they operate.
Webinar Series | Local and Regional Foods Resources & Research Series
Local and Regional Foods Resources & Research webinar series is monthly webinar series highlighting local and regional foods research projects, resources, partnerships, and programs. The webinars will be held on the third Thursday of each month at 1pm ET.
🌿 Dec. 19, 2024
Visualizing Food Systems Data: Examples from Consumer Food Insights, Food and Agriculture Mapper and Explorer (FAME) and the Local Food Economics Data Visualization Challenge.
🌿 Jan. 16, 2025
The Promise of Urban Agriculture: Courses for Grower and Planners
UPCOMING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
December 2024
🌾 Sustainable Materials Management Grants provides funding to address municipal recycling markets and prevent food loss and waste. (Deadline: December 2, 2024)
🌾 Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program: Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (Deadline: December 7, 2024)
🌾 Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program – Organic Transitions (ORG): Organic Transitions (ORG) (Deadline: December 2024)
🌾 Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grants Program: Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grants Program (Deadline: December 2024)
January 2025
🌾 Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Full Applications: Specialty Crop Research Initiative (Deadline: January 2025)
🌾 Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program: Higher Education Challenge Grants Program (Deadline: January 2025)
🌾 Farm to School Grant Implementation Program: Farm to School Grants (Deadline: January 10, 2025)
🌾 People’s Garden Initiative: People’s Garden Initiative (Deadline: January 30, 2025)
🌾 Minnesota Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grants: Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grants (Deadline: January 3, 2025)
February 2025
🌾 Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program: Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program (Deadline: February 13, 2025)
🌾 Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants Program (TCEG): Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants Program (Deadline: February 2025)
🌾 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP): Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (Deadline: February 2025)