Help Minnesota and Wisconsin Farmers Hurt by Floods

Last week floods washed away homes and farms of many in SE Minnesota. Sustainable farmers in the region lost their vegetables, grain and family income in the floodwaters. There is a way you can help these farmers. Twin Cities (and other Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin) natural food cooperatives have announced a joint effort to raise funds for these family farmers who have provided many of us with delicious locally produced foods. These natural food cooperatives are providing support to these farmers through the Sow the Seeds Fund - an Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy project to support local food systems. Participating cooperatives will accept donations, you can also purchase Peace Coffee's Sow the Seeds Coffee blend and $2 from every pound will donated (starting September 1st) toward the fund, or donate at the Sow the Seeds web site.

Just one concern of beginning farmers

We've talked with many young folks who desire to become farmers, and they often share this same concern.  It also comes up when rural communities examine challenges to their local food system.  And, from New Americans who want to own their own farm, rather than continue renting.  The concern:  the high price of farm land. 

This challenge is compounded by land purchases for tax purposes whereby people from outside the community, and often outside the state, purchase land at prices often times higher than young beginning and new farmers can afford, driving the land prices higher.  People also purchase land for hunting and recreation, in turn often causing land prices to escalate higher. Other factors too, keep land prices high.  How do we find workable solutions and opportunities for these young beginning farmers to purchase farmland?  Join us for that discussion with our young beginning farmers at the Rural Youth Summit in Ames, Iowa October 26-27.

For further reading:

Farmland value up in North Dakota

Young farmers shares new vision for Hmong farming