Midwest Farmer of Color Land Fund

Land access has been a primary issue identified by farmers since our first convening in 2020 and in many listening sessions, surveys, and conversations since. The vast majority of farmers in our network don't own the land they farm on, a reality that leaves most of us making expensive investments in soil we don't own and having to start over when the land is sold by its owners.

Land ownership and long-term land access are critical for reconnecting our communities to the land as stewards and protectors, for building farm infrastructure and land-use planning, healing damaged land & building investments in soil health, and the economic security that comes with land ownership. We continue to advocate for equity in land access resources in the Farm Bill and in other government policy AND we've decided to develop a fund to support our vision of food & agriculture.

Making Land Access Real

Our Farmer of Color-designed land fund, will combine grant funds with 0-low interest loan capital and will help build permanent and flexible financing for land acquisition, infrastructure, technical assistance and sustainable agriculture in our region. Together with our Land Fund Advisory Circle and our partners Potlikker Capital and Feed Black Futures, we've begun our design process and expect to launch the fund in the Spring of 2025.

Land Fund Advisory Circle:

Angela Dawson, Founder & CEO of 40 Acres Cooperative,

Janssen Hang, Executive Director of the Hmong American Farmers Association,

Rodrigo Cala, Owner of Cala Farms, Agriculture Trainer at the Latino Economic Development Center,

Moses Momanyi, owner of Dawn2Dusk Farm, Co-Founder of KilimoMN,

Mhonpaj Lee, Mhonpaj’s Garden, Emerging Farmer Trainer & Realtor,

Vong Thao, owner of Thoj Farm, Farmer, Program Officer,

Sophia Benrud, Co-founder, Midwest Farmer of Color Collective, Coordination Team member,

Friendly Vang-Johnson, Founder of Friendly Hmong Farms

Zoe Hollomon, Co-founder & Executive Director, Midwest Farmers of Color Collective

Also shown:

Sophi Wilmore, Co-Executive Director, Feed Black Futures,

Ali Anderson, Co-Executive Director, Feed Black Futures,

Mark Watson, Co-founder, President, Chief Investment Officer, Potlikker Capital

Xitlali Villa, Portfolio Manager, Potlikker Capital

Tori Wilson, Client Services Manager, Potlikker Capital,

Kat Gilje, Juniper Consulting,

Aaron Blythe, Agriculture Program Director, Latino Economic Development Center

Support:

This effort is supported by the Ceres Trust, Manzanita Capital, Liberating Investment for Food Ecosystems (LIFE), the No Regrets Initiative, the 11th Hour Project, the Regenerative Agriculture Foundation, and other donors and investors. Stay tuned for more updates and for more information, please contact Zoe@midwestfarmersofcolor.org