Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The project reached a diverse target audience of thousands of people in southern Maine including farmers, students from preschool through college, socially disadvantaged and underrepresented people including, for example, Thirty (30) socially disadvantaged farmers who received training in small ruminant livestock raising. Two hundred fifty (250) socially disadvantaged farmers have access to new institutional markets through our education about USDA Local Food for Schools (LFS) and Local Food Purchase Agreements (LFPA). Diverse community members who want to deepen their understanding and take action to dismantle institutional racism in the food system. Worked with three school districts serving over 12,000 students speaking over 70 languages to increase meal participation with an emphasis on culturally important foods integrated into the menus. Co-convened a series of meetings involving over 125 people involving USDA, state and local officials, small-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers,diverse community leaders and agricultural service providers on topics of sustainable farming, land access and economic equity. Facilitated participation in 21- Day Racial Equity Challenge in our community involving 38 people. Delivered Racial Wealth Gap Learning Simulation with partner organizations serving 19 people. Sent 12 staff and board members to Soul Fire Farm's Uprooting Racism in the Food System workshop. Changes/Problems:We have experienced a challenge that has influenced our approach but has not resulted in major changes. The Liberation Farms goat program attempts to integrate the livestock raising traditions of Somali Bantu farmers while recognizing the agricultural practices and climate differences of the community's new home in Maine. The more progressive leadership of the organization, has designed a breeding program that includes neutering and culling male goats, as well as limiting breeding to about a month in the fall. Some of the elder Somali Bantu community members consider these practices "haram" or forbidden according to Muslim teachings. Traditionally, "halal" or permitted practice means male goats, unless harvested for food, are allowed to grow to maturity without being neutered and have free access to breed with females according to their natural drives. Most US farmers control breeding to sync with seasonal cycles and limit the length of the birthing season. Additionally, bucks are often brought in from other herds to prevent inbreeding. These divergent perspectives are creating some tensions in the community, including resulting in some Bantu elders choosing not to participate in the livestock program. On the plus side, the herd is healthy and thriving with the numbers growing in a controlled and manageable way. Our goal is to eventually access a separate parcel where the farmers who want to maintain traditional practices can run a goat program according to their cultural preferences. We will develop case studies to evaluate the different approaches to raising their animals. One additional success story references the last progress status report, in which CCFSC supported efforts to help schools and food banks/pantries purchase from socially disadvantaged farmers. We connected these farmers through the USDA purchasing subsidy programs Local Food Purchase Agreements (LFPA) and Local Food For Schools (LFS) with pantries and schools. Even only after two seasons, this resource is resulting in significant income security for many of the socially disadvantaged farmers we we work with. It also resulted in new institutional accounts for both farmers that had prior relationships and socially disadvantaged producers who had never accessed institutional markets in the past. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Cooperative extension meat cutting training (Lamb) was attended by two participants Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) for meat and poultry was attended by four project participants Hosted and promoted DEIB strategies, activities, workshops: Facilitated participation in 21- Day Racial Equity Challenge in our community involving 38 people. Delivered Racial Wealth Gap Learning Simulation with partner organizations serving 19 people. Sent 12 staff and board members to Soul Fire Farm's Uprooting Racism in the Food System workshop. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?CCFSC has presented at numerous conferences, events and meetings on this initiative Our research findings and program models have been shared through public forums and community meetings All our work is documented on our web site: ccfoodsecurity.org Findings have also been shared through social media posts What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to support the development of demonstration infrastructure at Liberation Farms. We will conduct another series (6) of seasonal animal husbandry and agricultural enterprise development trainings in partnership with Liberation Farms. We will continue to support access to nutritious, local, culturally important food for individuals and institutions serving limited resource families, with a particular focus on K-12 public schools We are a lead sponsor in Maine Black Community Development's upcoming Economic Equity Summit. We are on the steering committee of the Northeast Farm to Institution Summit We are planning to convene a Language Justice Training with experts from the Cultivamos network
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1) Increase low income consumer's access to locally produced, culturally appropriate proteins Continued development of animal husbandry, processing and training infrastructure at Liberation Farms in partnership with Somali Bantu community Association Conducted six small ruminant livestock trainings at Liberation Farms Increased strategies and opportunities for direct farm to consumer animal/meat purchasing. Four participants attended HACCP training. Supported ongoing efforts to develop USDA certified small scale and halal meat processing facilities. Assisted Commonwealth Poultry in becoming Halal certified by Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA). Goal 2) Connect farmers, local customers, institutions, and other stakeholders to develop mutually beneficial strategies toward food sovereignty. CCFSC is working with partners to identify and quantify how our network is usinglocal produceto create more food access and nutrition security in our communities. Local food supports nutritious diets, stimulates regional economies, sustains healthy environments and creates strong social connections. Supporting our local farmers, ranchers, and processors builds a strong food system, especially when we make that food available to people living with limited access to enough nourishing food. We are currently gathering information about local food system work to inspire the community to join us in our shared efforts to build food security and end hunger. This includes collecting and aggregating data from different initiatives intended to build nutrition security for an annual report. Our goal is to demonstrate our collective impact in reducing food insecurity by increasing access to locally sourced food, providing educational programs, and cultivating community green spaces. This effort aims to showcase and inspire ongoing initiatives and collaboration in our community. With support from this USDA resource, our Cumberland County Gleaning Initiative was able to glean over 30,000 pounds of fresh local produce from 32 farms. Almost 200 volunteer hours were mobilized to collect this nutritious food which was distributed at 28 sites serving people with limited resources. We identified and promoted production and processing of more culturally important foods. We also supported access to USDA Local Food for Schools (LFS) and Local Food Purchase Agreements (LFPA) funds by socially disadvantaged farmers We maintained the Halal School Meals Network to implement culturally important foods into school cafeterias. Goal 3) Develop a Food Justice Network led by community organizers of color. Building capacity of Maine Black Community Development -Achieved 501c3 status -Hosted and convened community events and initiatives -Developing plans to become CDC/CDFI CCFSC supported regular meetings of the Ummah Farm Food Hub advisory committee and offshoot group American African Coalition Trust
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The project reached a diverse target audience of thousands of people in southern Maine including farmers, students from preschool through college and underrepresented identities including, for example, Six (6) socially disadvantaged farmers interested in forminging a production and processing cooperative. Initiated Halal School Meals Network across three school districts serving over 12,000 students including hundreds of Muslim students Incorporate Maine Black Community Development as a 501c3 with nine (9) board members 150 BIPOC people attending State of Black Maine Symposium and Black Voices Advocacy Day Facilitated participation in 21- Day Racial Equity Challenge andRacial Wealth Gap Learning Simulation with partner organizations Changes/Problems:The NASS Census for Maine contained no data on Black farmers in its 2002 report. In 2007, 17 farmers were listed in this category. In 2012, the number rose to 68. In 2017, NASS counted 135 farmers in the categories Black or African American alone or in combination with other races. It is important to note, however, that NASS makes no distinction within this category between Black farmers born in the U.S. and recent refugees and immigrants. There are, however, significant differences between these groups, particularly when it comes to their ability to access the resources and funding needed to support agricultural initiatives. As one of our partners, Adilah Muhammad has said, "The Black community today in Maine comes from so many different places...There's no single cultural identity, so to speak, where we know how to relate to each other, where we have formed mutual trust and bonds that are articulated in a way that everybody understands." So even among people experiencing similar, but different, oppressions this can lead to a zero-sum view that says, "If you win, I lose. If you get ahead, I fall behind." Navigating these perspectives in an environment designed to make people compete for "scarce resources" can feel like a mine field. For people with more privilege, it must be done with generosity, empathy and patience and the intentional perspective that if you do well, I do well. We all can thrive. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Trainings included: Cooperative Development Food Policy Network Community of Learning Practice for Racial Equity Racial Wealth Gap Learning Simulation Smale scale mobile processing unit for poultry Food Policy Forum Farm to Institution New England Summit presentations Black Voices Advocacy Day Maine Food Convergence Muslim Community Focus Group on Access to Halal Food Organic and Sustainable Production workshop presented by Maine Organic Farmer and Gardeners Assocaition at Ummah Farm Halal slaughter and meat cutting training How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? CCFSC has presented at numerous conferences, events and meetings on this initiative including the Farm to Institution New England Summit, Food Policy Network Community of Learning and Practice on Racial Equity and Justice, our own Food Policy Forum and many others. Our research findings and program models havebeen shared through public forums and community meetings All our work is documented on our web site: ccfoodsecurity.org Findings have also been shared through social media posts The Maine Meat Initiative was also presented at various partner and network meetings What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will coninue to support the development of infrastructure at Ummah Farm Food Hub including completing the processing facility. We will conduct more animal husbandry and ag enterprise development traings at UFFH. We will continue to support access to nutrtitious, local, culturally important food for individuals and institutions serving limited resource families. We will continue to support the development of Maine Black Community Development, especially in their aspiration to become a CDC/CDFI.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1) Increase low income consumer access to locally produced, culturally preferred meat. Completed market research on production and processing Continued development of animal husbandry, processing and training infrastructure at Ummah Food Food Hub Conducted trainings at Ummah Farm Increased strategies and opportunities for direct farm to consumer animal/meat purchasing Supported ongoing efforts to develop USDA certified small scale and halal meat processing facilities Goal 2) Connect farmers, local customers, institutions, and other stakeholders to develop mutually beneficial strategies toward food sovereignty. Convened and organized regular meetings of the Ummah Farm Food Hub advisory committee. Convened work days for pilot project and infrastructure development at Ummah Farm Food Hub. Convened, with Cooperative Development Institute, a series of coop development meetings to learn about the process of establishing animal raising, processing and marketing cooperatives. Identified and promoted production and processing of more culturally important foods Supported Maine Department of Education's access to $765,000 in USDA Local Food for Schools funds Developed Halal School Meals Network Goal 3) Develop a Food Justice Network led by community organizers of color. Building capacity of Maine Black Community Development -Achieved 501c3 -Hosted and convened community events and initiatives -Developing plans to become CDC/CDFI Hosted and promoted DEIB strategies, activities, workshops
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:During this project year we engaged limited resource and socially disadvantaged farmers, convening them in efforts to develop a processing and marketing cooperative. We also engaged four specific audiences in our research to identify strategies for building the local and halal meat value chain: family scale livestock farmers/ranchers, small meat processors, community-based grocers/small markets and limited resource consumers. We engaged community members with the lived experience of hunger and poverty to participate in forming the food and land justice network. Changes/Problems:During the first year of this USDA award we have been fortunate to raise more than an additional $1 million from federal, state and foundation sources to support this initiative. This will be invested inassisting Afro indigenous, Black and other limited resource producers in owning and operating agricultural enterprises in Maine. CCFSC will support these producers in participating equitably in the full range of agricultural and related programs offered by USDA and other service providers. This project will also inspire formerly incarcerated persons and socially disadvantaged youths interest in agriculture and participating in the meat value chain. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training in cooperative development was provided to livestock farmers and meat processors Training in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion including presentation of the Racial Wealth Gap Learning Simulation and supporting participation in FSNE's 21 Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge. Hosted network meetings with training content including Access to Culturally Important Food, Closing the Hunger Gap with Local Food, and Transitioning from Food Security to Nutrtion Security How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Intern research has been shared through public forums and community meetings Findings have also been shared through social media posts The Maine Meat Initiative was also presented at various partner and network meetings What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to convene Maine Meat Initiative partners with an emphasis on those that received Maine Agriculture Infrastrucutre Investmest Program funds to build our local meat Value chain. We are strengthening our relationship with partnersworking with Maine Corrections system who are committed to leveraging food, and especially, meat, to nourish and heal those in confinement and provide opportunity to those transitioning from incarceration. We will continue to build our Maine Food and Land Justice Network with an emphasis on those with the lived experience of food insecurity and poverty.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1) Increase low income consumer access to locally produced, culturally preferred meat. Developed animal husbandry, processing and training infrastructure at Ummah Food Food Hub. Developed more strategies and opportunities for direct farm to consumer animal/meat purchasing at three farms. Supported ongoing efforts to develop USDA certified small scale and halal meat processing facilities Goal 2) Connect farmers, local customers, institutions, and other stakeholders to develop mutually beneficial strategies toward food sovereignty. Convened and organized regular meetings of the Ummah Farm Food Hub advisory committee. Convened work days for pilot project and infrastructure development at Ummah Farm Food Hub. Convened, with Cooperative Development Institute, a series of coop development meetings to learn about the process of establishing animal raising, processing and marketing cooperatives. Goal 3) Develop a Food Justice Network led by community organizers of color. Supported the organizing and organizational development of Maine Black Community Development Co-hosted four Community gatherings with the Third Place and Possibility Alliance at the Ummah Farm Food Hub including a Juneteenth Celebration Worked with our statewide food bank to organize around equity and impact including being one of two community-based groups in its successful application to receive funding from Feeding America's Food Security Equity Impact Fund
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Land Access for Indigenous & African American Farmers in Maine submitted to Maine's Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations
https://digitalmaine.com/pcritp_reports/4/
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