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CDFA Farm Equity Office Quarterly Newsletter - October 2024 |
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Sign Up: Subscribe to receive CDFA Updates including Farm Equity Updates in English and Spanish.
Para leer en español, haga clic aquí
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Welcome to the third edition of the CDFA Farm Equity office newsletter! Each quarter, the CDFA Farm Equity Office publishes a summary of quarterly events, grant information and other resources related to the implementation of AB 1348, the Farmer Equity Act. We hope you enjoy reading about the work that is happening across our agency! Please feel free to reach out if you have any thoughts or input or features you would like to see here. Farm_Equity@cdfa.ca.gov.
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15-Oct 15) CDFA's Office of Public Affairs interviewed Veronica Mazariegos-Anastassiou, co-owner of Brisa Ranch in Pescadero (San Mateo County) to discuss challenges and opportunities for small family farms.
Growing up with roots in Guatemala and Venezuela, Veronica’s journey into agriculture began during her time as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, where she developed a deep respect for subsistence farming.
Since 2018, Veronica and her business partners, Cole and Cristobal, have grown Brisa Ranch into a diversified fruit and vegetable operation. Located on California’s coast, the ranch benefits from a unique microclimate, allowing them to grow greens year-round and cultivate crops like tomatoes, peppers, and heirloom varieties of squash and corn. These crops not only reflect their cultural backgrounds but also meet the demands of local markets and communities. With Cristobal’s Oaxacan heritage and Cole’s Greek roots, Brisa Ranch has embraced diverse agricultural traditions.
Read the full story on CDFA's Planting Seeds Blog
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Urban Agriculture Grant Program
The 2023 CA Urban Agriculture Grant Program has recently released funds to 33 projects. The $12 million dollars will fill critical gaps in the development of hyper-local urban food systems across California. Based on the findings of the new Urban Agriculture Roadmap study released by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers titled California Urban Agriculture: Challenges, Pathways, & Equity for a Resilient Landscape the State’s urban agriculture practitioners identified three primary challenges:
- Land Access
- Cost of water and water systems
- Funding for resources and programming
Funding distributed by the CDFA Urban Agriculture Grant Program is addressing all identified challenges, funding projects that:
- Support land tenure
- Allow farms to improve water systems and infrastructure
- Cover operational costs for the implementation of improvements
- Allow farmers to purchase critical equipment to increase production
and efficiencies
- Provide paid workforce development opportunities for youth
- Connect growers statewide to community-based organizations ready to provide
assistance through the subawards and technical assistance
To learn more about CDFA's Urban Agriculture Grant recipients and their regional projects, please visit the website below.
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2024 California Farm to School Program Impact
As part of California’s groundbreaking Farm to School Incubator Grant Program, CDFA recently announced $52.8 million in funding for 195 projects across the state that will serve 1,650,985 students.
In total, these projects will serve 199 school districts and educational entities, 52 farms, eight food hubs and five California Native American tribes.
Other impact by the numbers include:
- 58 Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Rancher (SDFR's) applicants to the Farm to School Incubator Grant Program's Track 4, Producer/Food Hub.
- 57 of the 58 SDFR's applicants above received funding under Track 4.
- 5 out of 5 Tribal entities/organizations that applied received funding.
- The total funding awarded this cycle was $18,043,109.05
2024 CA Farm to School Incubator Grant Program Evaluation- Progress Report
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Farms to Community Food Hub Program
Earlier this year, funding was restored for CDFA’s Farm to Community Food Hubs Program, which will provide up to $14 million in grants for community food hubs. The grant program will fund planning and food aggregation and distribution infrastructure projects that increase purchasing of local, environmentally sustainable, climate smart, and equitably produced food by schools and other institutions, build a better food system economy, support the local farming economy, accelerate climate adaptation and resilience, and employ food system workers with fair wages and working conditions. The application is expected to open this Fall 2024. Join the newsletter to receive the latest updates: Click here and scroll down to "ISD / Farm to Fork (ISD_FTF)" to select "Farm to Community Food Hubs". For questions, contact cafoodhubs@cdfa.ca.gov.
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CDFA's Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Producer Advisory Committee advises Secretary Karen Ross and CDFA on the implementation of AB 1348, the Farm Equity Act, and programs and policies related to ensure socially disadvantaged producers have a voice in programs and policies at the Department. The Small-Scale Producer Advisory Committee (SSPAC) advises the Secretary on matters pertaining to small-scale and medium scale producers in California.
Each committee identified topics of importance for discussion during their last quarterly meetings in August.
To learn more about current topics of discussion for each committee, including sub-committees, please visit the websites below and attend their quarterly meetings. These meetings are open to the public, with an option to attend virtually, and provide an opportunity to listen in and provide comments on agenda items.
Committee Next Meeting
BIPOC Producer Advisory Committee December 4, 2024
Small-Scale Producer Advisory Committee December 5, 2024
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CDFA's Integrated Pest Management Workshop for Spanish speaking Farmers at ALBA
In July 2024, the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) and CDFA’s Biological Control Program organized an integrated pest management workshop in Salinas, CA for Spanish-speaking current and aspiring organic farmers. ALBA is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping limited-resource farmers gain affordable access to education, land, farming equipment and technical assistance. Professional subject-matter support for this workshop was provided by UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Farm Advisers based in the Central Coast and CDFA personnel.
The workshop included technical presentations on strawberry production by Mark Bolda, UCCE Santa Cruz County, irrigation technology & water management presented by Michael Cahn, UCCE Monterey County, current and emerging diseases in vegetable and strawberry production systems (Yu-Chen Wang, UCCE Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties), and biological control of diamondback moth, a major pest of specialty cole crops in California, presented by CDFA personnel. ALBA Director, Nathan Harkleroad and Sustainable Farming Advisory, Albert Fraide provided access to the venue and recruited participants from ALBA’s Farmer Education Course. This type of extension event aligns with the overall missions of CDFA, UCCE and ALBA to strengthen California agriculture and empower diverse stakeholder communities through dissemination of research-based knowledge on sustainable farming practices.
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Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Tribal Listening Sessions Report
CDFA is committed to building partnerships with California Native American Tribes and ensuring CDFA programs and policies are reflective of tribal priorities. In 2023, CDFA has partnered with the Intertribal Ag Council to conduct four tribal listening sessions statewide to understand priorities and barriers to accessing CDFA grant funds and technical assistance programs. Thea Rittenhouse, CDFA Tribal Liaison has also convened a CDFA Tribal outreach and engagement work group since 2021 to work on strategies to improve engagement statewide with tribes.
Click on the image above to access the full CDFA/ Intertribal Ag Council Listening Sessions Report and recommendations or visit the CDFA Farm Equity Homepage.
CA Strategic Growth Council- Agricultural Land Equity Task Force
LETF members from L-R: Thea Rittenhouse, Dorian Payan, Nathaniel Brown, Doria Robinson, Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, Nelson Hawkins, Emily Burgueno, James Nakahara, Lawrence Harlan, Liya Schwartzman, Irene de Barraicua. Not pictured: Darlene Franco and Qi Zhou
The California Strategic Growth Council's California Agricultural Land Equity Task Force was established in the Budget Act of 2022 and is made up of thirteen appointed members working together to identify and address barriers and opportunities to equitably increase agricultural land access and stable tenure for Native American tribes and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in California. The members will submit a report to the legislature and Governor by Jan. 1, 2026, that includes their recommendations on how to address the agricultural land equity crisis. The Task Force hosts quarterly meetings, and its subcommittees meet on an ongoing basis. All meetings are open to the public. You can find details and resources for each meeting online. You can sign up for quarterly updates about the Agricultural Land Equity Task Force here.
Ag Land Equity Task Force Initiative Info Sheet
OEFI- Equity in the Delivery of Technical Assistance Webinar
Are you passionate about supporting underserved and BIPOC farmers and ranchers? Join CDFA on October 23, 2024, for an important session on Equity in the Delivery of Technical Assistance, hosted by the CDFA Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation. Moderated by Farm Equity Advisor Thea Rittenhouse, this webinar will feature panelists who work directly with socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. We'll dive into their insights and explore challenges and best practices. Don't miss out—register today!
Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Time: 2:15 PM to 4:15 PM
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UZsEaKP_SvmKjJi5xTSzCQ
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CDFA Open Grant Programs
Upcoming Conferences
 USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center
The CDFA is a lead partner in the Southwest Regional Food Business Center (SWRFBC), a five-year project that seeks to strengthen resilient, diverse, and competitive local and regional food systems by improving opportunities for food and farm businesses across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.
2025 Business Builder Grant Program
The SWRFBC's Business Builder Grant Program will support the development of local and regional food supply chains by providing capital directly to businesses for post-harvest activities including:
- Value Added opportunities
- Diversification of on-farm activities
- Access and/or expand market outlets
Please subscribe to receive the SWRFBC's monthly bulletin to stay updated on the Business Builder Grant Program's timeline, resources, activities and other events.
SWRFBC Bulletin sign-up
SWRFBC Webinar October 16, 2024: Farm to School Partnerships: Expanding Market Opportunities for Farmers and Food Producers
Webinar Registration Link: Farm to School Partnerships Zoom Webinar
USDA Farm Service Agency Enhances Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) has introduced new rules to make it easier for farmers and ranchers to get and use farm loans. Key updates include a new low-interest program, flexible repayment options, and reduced requirements for loan security.
The new rules were developed with feedback from farmers. For more information:
USDA Farm Loan Program Enhancement
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