Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:September 2023 - August 2024 Highlights In August 2023 Athens Land Trust hired Nigel Pritchard as Director to manage the GA Farm Link project. Pritchard was set the following six objectives - each objective HAD to include specific and focused support for historically underserved (HU) communities. Increase awareness of GA Farm Link within the industry, specifically with potential and retiring farmers, Government agencies; federal, state and local. Double the yearly average number of farm matches Double the number of active Farm Seekers on the GAFarmLink.org Double the yearly number of properties listed on GAFarmLink.org Overhaul and update existing GAFarmLink.org website Increase HU farmer outreach, by working closely with organizations, both private and public, to raise awareness and provide assistance through GA Farm Link programs. Each objective was met, sadly no grant was forthcoming for 2025 from BFRDP for GA Farm Link's program, which will mean that the core outreach components of the above successes will need to be scaled back. Objective 1. Increase awareness of GA Farm Link within the industry, specifically with potential and retiring farmers, Government agencies; federal, state and local. Methodology: Re-designed outreach materials. Designed and assembled a mobile display unit. Trademarked the marketing phrase "Farming: Pass It On" and built a targeted marketing campaign around the slogan. Created an outreach calendar for tabling, speaking and sponsorship of events. Results: GA Farm Link attended more than 30 days of 'outreach' events across the state of Georgia, this included four organized GA Women in Ag events, sponsorship of the first Wild Wild West in Color Rodeo and AG Expo on Juneteenth and attending/tabling five events at Fort Valley HBU, the Heirs Property law Center. The industry focused advertising campaign "Farming: Pass it on" had a monthly newspaper and magazine reach of over 80,000 readers in the GA Market Bulletin and in the Quarterly GA Farm Bureau magazine. Website traffic to GAFarmLink.org rose from a few hundred a over 4.9 thousand between January and August 2004. Visibility among agricultural agencies rose considerably with NRCS, UGA, Fort Valley, and GACD, inviting GA Farm Link to attend and speak at events. Alongside industry leading organizations; GA Women In Ag, The Conservation Fund, American Farm Land Trust, GA Heirs Property Law Center, Global Growers, Team Agricultural Georgia and McIntosh Seeds. Insert the pics Objective 2. Double the yearly average number of farm matches Methodology: Increase awareness of GAFarmLink.org through advertising and marketing/events. Personal outreach to those selling farms and direct one-on-one mentoring and coaching of prospective buyers and sellers. Results: Initially launched in 2018 - GAFarmLink.org had managed 19 matches by August 2023. An average of three a year. By implementing the above plan GA Farm Link produced 10 confirmed matches, a three-fold increase in matches in just 12 months. Six of the matches included a historically underserved member of the farming community Objective three: Double the number of active Farm Seekers on the GAFarmLink.org Methodology: Increase awareness of GAFarmLink.org through advertising and marketing/events. Results: In the 12 months from September 2023 and the end of August 2024 more than 176 new potential farmer seekers year. Research showed that of the registered 676 seekers (since the launch of the site in 2018) only 80 were actively seeking properties. The bio metric data from the website showed that 71 per cent of the newly registered seekers were from HU communities. Objective Four: Double the yearly number of properties listed on GAFarmLink.org Methodology: Increase awareness of GAFarmLink.org through advertising and marketing/events. Personal outreach to those selling farms. Page specific advertising in the property section of GA Market Bulletin Newspaper. Results: Prior to September 2014, GA Farm Link had averaged 8 new properties a year, between September 2023 and August 31st 2024, there was a two-fold increase in properties available. Nine of the 17 properties listed in the 12 months to August 31st 2024 were from underserved communities. Objective Five: Overhaul and update existing GAFarmLink.org website Methodology: It was discovered immediately that the existing GAFarmLink.org needed more than just an update. Launched in 2018, the website was originally built in 2016 and after 2024 would no longer be viable as it had reached the end of its technological shelf life. Athens Land Trust requested from BFRDP permission to use some of the unspent budget on a new website which was approved. Results: A completely new website was researched, designed, built and launched in under seven months. 50% of the cost came from a match provided an agricultural consultant who helped project manage the research, build, design and launch. The new website specifically uses HU representation, has dedicated sections on Heirs Property, includes Fort Valley Extension in its list of agency providers, ensures that each resource section has HU organizations prominalty listed. The new website is easier to navigate through state-of-the-art navigation, provides significantly more resources and reflects and facilitates the expectations of digital users today and in the future. Objective six: Increase HU farmer outreach, by working closely with organizations, both private and public, to raise awareness and provide assistance through GA Farm Link programs. Methodology: Created an outreach program that specifically worked alongside organizations such as GA Women in Agriculture, Fort Valley HBU, GA Heirs' Property law Center Global Growers, Team Agricultural Georgia and McIntosh Seeds. Results: More than 50 per cent of the outreach program (18 Days) specifically targeted organizations and events that served HU communities, this then translated to one-on-one meetings (14) with farmers to help develop business and crop plans. Changes/Problems:Covid: The awarding and implementation of this grant coincided with the onset of Covid-19 which dramatically curtailed and disrupted not only the implementation of the outreach program but also the training and one-on-one support that GA Farm Link was able to provide. Partner organizations also suffered the same problems and cancelled events and training opportunities, which had a knock-on effect on us. Outreach was particularly difficult when targeting HU communities as its access to computers, internet functionality and educational materials are limited. In person training and travel for both safety and financial reasons were also a major factor with the first two years of this project being severely impacted. Staffing: During the first 24 months of this grant staffing was a major issue with significant staff changes across the organization, but particularly with GA Farm Link. There was only direct staffing for less than eight months during the initial 24 months. In the final 12 months a manager was appointed, however, the oversight Director moved away eight months before the end of the project. Budget Realignment: After two years of Covid-19 limitations a new manager for GA Farm Link was appointed in August 2023. This enabled a new Outreach plan to be developed, a completely new website and platform to be designed and built, a full advertising and marketing plan to be launched and teaching and on-site events planned and executed. This also meant that the budget needed to be realigned that so the full potential of this grant could be realized in the final 12 months. This was achieved with the help of the NIFA finance team who agreed to our request for realignment and enabled this project to succeed. ? What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?: Increase HU farmer outreach, by working closely with organizations, both private and public, to raise awareness and provide assistance through GA Farm Link programs. ?Methodology: Created an outreach program that specifically worked alongside organizations such as GA Women in Agriculture, Fort Valley HBU, GA Heirs' Property law Center Global Growers, Team Agricultural Georgia and McIntosh Seeds. Results: More than 50 per cent of the outreach program (18 Days) specifically targeted organizations and events that served HU communities, this then translated to one-on-one meetings (14) with farmers to help develop business and crop plans. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Advertising in publications such as GA Market Bulletin. Feature article on Athens Land Trust bi-yearly publications, prrof of performance page on the new GA FarmLink.org website. Speaking at events sponsored by USDA, American Farmland Trust, Land Trust Alliance. Increase awareness of GA Farm Link within the industry, specifically with potential and retiring farmers, Government agencies; federal, state and local. Methodology: Re-designed outreach materials. Designed and assembled a mobile display unit. Trademarked the marketing phrase "Farming: Pass It On" and built a targeted marketing campaign around the slogan. Created an outreach calendar for tabling, speaking and sponsorship of events. Results: GA Farm Link attended more than 30 days of 'outreach' events across the state of Georgia, this included four organized GA Women in Ag events, sponsorship of the first Wild Wild West in Color Rodeo and AG Expo on Juneteenth and attending/tabling five events at Fort Valley HBU, the Heirs Property law Center. The industry focused advertising campaign "Farming: Pass it on" had a monthly newspaper and magazine reach of over 80,000 readers in the GA Market Bulletin and in the Quarterly GA Farm Bureau magazine. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
It was discovered immediately that the existing GAFarmLink.org needed more than just an update. Launched in 2018, the website was originally built in 2016 and after 2024 would no longer be viable as it had reached the end of its technological shelf life. Athens Land Trust requested from BFRDP permission to use some of the unspent budget on a new website which was approved. Results: A completely new website was researched, designed, built and launched in under seven months. 50% of the cost came from a match provided an agricultural consultant who helped project manage the research, build, design and launch. The new website specifically uses HU representation, has dedicated sections on Heirs Property, includes Fort Valley Extension in its list of agency providers, ensures that each resource section has HU organizations prominalty listed. The new website is easier to navigate through state-of-the-art navigation, provides significantly more resources and reflects and facilitates the expectations of digital users today and in the future. Objective 1. Increase awareness of GA Farm Link within the industry, specifically with potential and retiring farmers, Government agencies; federal, state and local. Methodology: Re-designed outreach materials. Designed and assembled a mobile display unit. Trademarked the marketing phrase "Farming: Pass It On" and built a targeted marketing campaign around the slogan. Created an outreach calendar for tabling, speaking and sponsorship of events. Results: GA Farm Link attended more than 30 days of 'outreach' events across the state of Georgia, this included four organized GA Women in Ag events, sponsorship of the first Wild Wild West in Color Rodeo and AG Expo on Juneteenth and attending/tabling five events at Fort Valley HBU, the Heirs Property law Center. The industry focused advertising campaign "Farming: Pass it on" had a monthly newspaper and magazine reach of over 80,000 readers in the GA Market Bulletin and in the Quarterly GA Farm Bureau magazine.
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:1/2/2023 For this reporting period (year two) September 1st, 2022, through August 31st, 2023, the GA Farm Link platform generated a significant increase in awareness and engagement. The opening up of the community after Covid certainly increased website traffic as did the desire for healthier food and a desire to be less dependence on of the supply chain and the realization that farmers need to prepare for the future through transition planning. During this reporting period 243 Farm Seekers signed up along with 26 New landowners, this generated more than 311 on-going conversations among GAFarmLink.org, users. At least three properties entered the transitioning process through GA Farm Link, while seven others used it as part of their estate planning but did not directly transition using GA FarmLink. While person-to-person interaction in the community opened up, there was less willingness amongst agencies and organizations to hold in-person training and events, especially in the early part of the reporting period. Two events did, however, stand out during the early part of the reporting period. The National Heirs property Conference, December 1-3, 2022 (Atlanta), which drew significant attention to GA Farm Link and the GA Organics Conference (Perry GA) in February 16-17. These events, we believe, helped generate eight on-farm visits and subsequent outreach, conversations, additional follow-up, and educational support. Unfortunately, internal staff changes meant we were without full-time support during the spring and summer of 2023. However, In August 2023 a new manager for GA Farm Link was hired and has already put in place several measures to help grow awareness, engagement, and operations. These include a new website design and functionality that will come on stream in the summer of 2024. (the current platform and design have been in place since 2018 and will become un-supported technologically by the end of 2024). GA Farm Link will launch a Social Media campaign using various ALT and GA Farm Link assets. An advertising campaign utilizing statewide media including GA's Farmer and Consumers Market Bulletin and the GA Farm Bureau suit of publications. This will be combined with more in-person attendance and support for USDA and Extension events statewide and other agricultural focused Non-Profit organizations. ALT's on-going collaborations with non-profits in Southern Georgia whose mission focuses primarily on Historically Underserved farmers, will grow with the inclusion of the USDA/NRCS WREP program under ALTs guidance. Additionally, the Athens Land Trust is in the final stages of creating and launching the GA FarmLink Business Education program. This project will create a cohort of farmers with the training and support to establish successful farming enterprises within the GA FarmLink family. Changes/Problems:Covid continued to play a role from both a staffing perspective and more importantly a reluctance to host one-one events. Many of our target audience were not open to on-line training and discussion, however,as the year went on more in persdon events and interaction commenced. ALT staff changes also meant there were was a stop-start-stop situation where projects and goals were delayed. In August a new manager was hired and tasked with implementing long-term objectives. After a through review a series of projects have been put in place that include a statewide advertising campaign, social media outreach using new and existing ALT media, andevents callendar. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During this reporting period 243 Farm Seekers signed up along with 26 New landowners, this generated more than 311 on-going conversations among GAFarmLink.org, users. At least three properties entered the transitioning process through GA Farm Link, while seven others used it as part of their estate planning but did not directly transition using GA FarmLink. While person-to-person interaction in the community opened up, there was less willingness amongst agencies and organizations to hold in-person training and events, especially in the early part of the reporting period. Two events did, however, stand out during the early part of the reporting period. The National Heirs property Conference, December 1-3, 2022 (Atlanta), which drew significant attention to GA Farm Link and the GA Organics Conference (Perry GA) in February 16-17. These events, we believe, helped generate eight on-farm visits and subsequent outreach, conversations, additional follow-up, and educational support. From a personal proffesional development stand point GA Farm Link is part of a nationwide farm "Transitional" training delevopment scheme, which during the next few years will provided extensive training in this area of farm preservation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? These include a new website design and functionality that will come on stream in the summer of 2024. (the current platform and design have been in place since 2018 and will become un-supported technologically by the end of 2024). GA Farm Link will launch a Social Media campaign using various ALT and GA Farm Link assets. An advertising campaign utilizing statewide media including GA's Farmer and Consumers Market Bulletin and the GA Farm Bureau suit of publications. This will be combined with more in-person attendance and support for USDA and Extension events statewide and other agricultural focused Non-Profit organizations. ALT's on-going collaborations with non-profits in Southern Georgia whose mission focuses primarily on Historically Underserved farmers, will grow with the inclusion of the USDA/NRCS WREP program under ALTs guidance. Additionally, the Athens Land Trust is in the final stages of creating and launching the GA FarmLink Business Education program. This project will create a cohort of farmers with the training and support to establish successful farming enterprises within the GA FarmLink family.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Unfortunately, internal staff changes meant we were without full-time support during the spring and summer of 2023. However, In August 2023 a new manager for GA Farm Link was hired and has already put in place several measures to help grow awareness, engagement, and operations. However, during this reporting period 243 Farm Seekers signed up along with 26 New landowners, this generated more than 311 on-going conversations among GAFarmLink.org, users. At least three properties entered the transitioning process through GA Farm Link, while seven others used it as part of their estate planning but did not directly transition using GA FarmLink. While person-to-person interaction in the community opened up, there was less willingness amongst agencies and organizations to hold in-person training and events, especially in the early part of the reporting period. Two events did, however, stand out during the early part of the reporting period. The National Heirs property Conference, December 1-3, 2022 (Atlanta), which drew significant attention to GA Farm Link and the GA Organics Conference (Perry GA) in February 16-17. These events, we believe, helped generate eight on-farm visits and subsequent outreach, conversations, additional follow-up, and educational support. These include a new website design and functionality that will come on stream in the summer of 2024. (the current platform and design have been in place since 2018 and will become un-supported technologically by the end of 2024). Social media and Print/On-line advertising campaign which launches first quarter 2024.
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project has been and will continue to be new and beginning farmers who are seeking land as a means to increase their agriculture production. A secondary audience are elderly farmers who are seeking ways to protect and transition their land to ensure it continues to be used for agriculture. The project's goal is to increase our opportunities to connect these two groups and facitlitate farmland transition between them. Within these target audience, Athens Land Trust will continue to pay special focus to Historically Underserved producers who have been traditionally excluded from land and transition resources. Changes/Problems:There was significant difficulty attracting and retaining staff for the position in the first year of the project, which reduced the amount that we were able to accomplish in year one as compared to our proposal. However, the staffing issues have been overcome and we do not anticipate any further issues in years two or three. We also do not feel that the year one setbacks will impact the overall project goals or deliverables, as a significant amount of groundwork has been laid that will allow for increased program accomplishments over the remainder of the project timeline. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the reporting period, the project has focused on planning, preparationand 1:1 technical assistance to producers. Group training and professional development has been planned and scheduled for year 2 of the project, with the first of these opportunities already having been executed. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Initial dissemination of results and acitvities have been done through quarterly newsletters and social media posts. ALT's newsletter has reached 2,720 constituents. ALT is in the middle of an overhaul of our social media coordination, so current social dissemination tracking has been inconsistent. We anticpate a more coordinated effort across all social media platforms in year 2. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During year two of the project, we anticipate a dramatic increase in outreach and deliverables for the program. Year 1 was highlighted by difficulty in hiring for the GA Farmlink manager position as well as staff turnover. Starting in mid-2022 these inconsistencies have been fixed and the current manager has overhauled the project outreach plan and scheduled a significant number of activities for year 2. In addition to 1:1 consultations and ongoing outreach, there are five workshops organized for January and February 2023 that will focus on land tranisiton methods and recruitment for the project. ALT also has plans to expand the GA Farmlink social media presence. Additionally, ALT plans to return the farmer's market it operates to a full-time in-person market for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began. GA Farmlink is working on putting together an outreach plan to be present at each market as way to reach producers and work to make landowner/landseeker connections around the Athens-Clarke County area. ALT is also working on growing collaborations with non-profits in Southern Goergia whose mission focuses primarily on Historically Underserved farmers. We are excited about the opportunities to reach this constituency and grow our outreach footprint and partners within this region, which has the highest concentration of HU producers within the state.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In the reporting period, 148 new profiles were created on the GA Farmlink Platform. Of these, 5 were landowners looking to make connections for their land, while 67 were producers seeking farmland. The remainder are signups who didn't create either an owner or seeker profile. The disparity between owners and seekers has existed throughout the life of the platform, and ALT will continue to work to find landowners who are willing to transition their land to producers through sale or lease. ALT provided technical or business assistance to 20 prodcuers during the project period. Additionally, ALT offereced outreach and assistance to an additional 32 producers interested in ALT farm service programs including farmland access and transition. ALT has worked to make connections with partners to support the goals of GA Farmlink. In the first year of the program, ALT has met with 20 key partners to grow outreach and resources for GA Farmlink and increase the reach of our land transition activities.
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