Land Access Funds

Land access has been a primary issue identified by our 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 farm and land-use planning, healing damaged land & building investments in soil health & other on-farm systems, 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 need to create and expand local models designed around our visions of food & agriculture.

One of our newest organizing initiatives is the development of two BIPOC Farmer-designed land access funds, a grant fund and a zero-low interest loan fund. These two funds will help build permanent and flexible financing for BIPOC farmland access and infrastructure in our region. With initial support from the Ceres Trust, Manzanita Capital, Liberating Investment for Food Ecosystems (LIFE), and other donors and investors, we will develop and launch the funds in 2024 and 2025. Stay tuned for more updates and for more information, please contact Zoe@midwestfarmersofcolor.org