Recipient Organization
Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas
2220 Central Ave.
Kansas City,KS 66102
Performing Department
Workforce
Non Technical Summary
Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas (CCNEK) has requested funding to expand and improve New Roots for Refugees, an existing and successful training farm and farm business incubator in Kansas City, Kansas, by incorporating new educational activities that support both product and market diversification for refugee farmers. New Roots for Refugees helps develop farmers by building on existing agricultural experience and removing barriers to production, marketing and land ownership. The long term program goal is that refugees farm independently on land they own or lease at a scale that they desire and can manage, greatly increasing family income. Funds requested will be utilized for three new components aimed at improving success for beginning farmers: farm site expansion, program input with holistic and ongoing support for program graduates, product and market diversification into floriculture and fruit, all guided by our whole farm planning program. This grant would allow us to engage with two to seven more farmers each year at our new site, and allow us to more intensively shepherd far more graduates. 100% of Granted Funds will impact 77 socially disadvantaged beginning farmers. Among the outcomes include improved financial management, whole-farm planning and crop diversification. The project is designed to specifically meet the following Priority Topics:Priority Topic A, Basic livestock, forest management, and crop farming practicesPriority Topic C, Entrepreneurship and business trainingPriority Topic F, Natural resource management and planningPriority Topic G, Diversification and Marketing Strategies and Priority Topic H, Curriculum DevelopmentPriority Topic J, Resources and referralPriority Topic M, farm safety and awarenessPriority Topic N, Food safety and recordkeeping
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The long term program goal is that refugees will farm independently or cooperatively on land that they own or lease at a scale that they desire. To reach this goal, we have identified four supporting objectives.Objective 1: Removal of Barriers to MarketingLack of formal education, market knowledge, and English language skills can prevent refugees from accessing retail and wholesale markets and limit their ability to engage in effective customer interactions, therefore limiting their sales and income potential. Barriers to vehicle ownership and basic driving skills can make traveling to markets or delivering produce without assistance overwhelming. Additionally, as small-scale diversified vegetable farming becomes more popular, refugee farmers find themselves with the same product mix as other farmers, and unsure of how to set themselves apart in a Midwestern market. New Roots for Refugees is successful because it intensively helps farmers remove these barriers over time. This objective addresses Priority Topic G, Diversification and Marketing Strategies and Priority Topic H, Curriculum Development.Objective 2: Adapted and Improved Agricultural Skills Refugee farmers have significant experience farming in their countries of origin, but come from very different climates, terrains, and markets. They mostly unfamiliar with using mechanization and other technologies in production; tillers, tractors, mulch layers, and other implements, as well as growing in greenhouses and high tunnels are outside of their experience. Furthermore, because many are growing different crops in different climates, harvesting and storage techniques need to be addressed more directly to improve crop quality and shelf life. Studies clearly show that farmers who grow at a larger scale and use more mechanization increase their income potential; refugee farmers' heavy reliance on hand labor limits their production capacity and their success (Hendrickson, J., 2005). While the New Roots program has strived to keep educational content dynamic, we see a great opportunity to encourage cross-cultural learning between the New Roots farmers and the skilled farmers already in the Kansas City area. This objective addresses Priority Topic A, Basic livestock, forest management, and crop farming practices, Priority Topic F, Natural resource management and planning and Priority Topic M, farm safety and awareness.Objective 3: Farm & Financial ManagementMost refugee farmers join our program with only basic record-keeping skills, little understanding of how the sales and income tax systems work in the United States, and unsure of how to acquire land to farm. Structured financial management and business planning are likewise unfamiliar processes. Because of cultural differences, helping farmers learn the value of record-keeping and planning requires intensive, consistent, and creative education over time. Through non-traditional land lease agreements, savings requirements, financial management training and support, and assistance in the process of acquiring and developing land, farmers from the New Roots for Refugees program will develop the financial and production records that prepare them for taking out loans, acquiring land and achieving business independence. In 2019, our farmers sold more than $140,000 worth of fresh produce to customers across KC, with one farmer breaking $20,000 as a trainee! Because sales figures are increasing, there is a need for staff to provide more education on financial management especially income tax filing and incorporating. This objective addresses Priority Topic C, Entrepreneurship and business training, Priority Topic J, resources and referral, and Priority Topic N, Food safety and recordkeepingObjective 4: Graduate Support, Networking, & Business ExpansionThroughout their time in the New Roots program, participants engage with all the basics of farm operation - refrigeration, greenhouse production, tool and equipment use, thrifty use of city water, etc. All of our systems are modeled to be safe, affordable, and efficient. When farmers graduate onto their own land, they often purchase properties with no improvements and are faced with the challenge of developing a working farm from bare land. Many farmers have not learned a conscious process of whole farm planning and development, and as a result, most farmers are unaware of the construction, plumbing, and electrical skills that may be necessary in creating and maintaining their future farm. Sourcing, pricing, and purchasing materials have also proven to be challenging for our graduates. Additionally, with 32 program graduates as of 2020, the need for increased graduate support is greater than ever. By working with a Graduate Farmer Specialist, new and existing graduates will develop a whole farm plan and will begin implementation of the plan. The Graduate Farmer Specialist will teach farmers the skills needed to maintain and improve their sites, and create networking systems between graduates and within the greater Kansas City farming community that can provide ongoing support. This objective addresses Priority Topic C, Entrepreneurship and business training, Priority Topic J, Resources and referral, and Priority Topic N, Food safety and recordkeeping
Project Methods
OctoberFarmer Recruitment - 2-3 info sessions for interested farmers, individual interviews, selectionMeetings with farmers currently in program, focusing on end of seasonFarmers' markets begin to closeWorking with previous and upcoming graduates on site developmentEnglish curriculum updated & volunteer recruitment beginsMeet with graduate farmers for Grad class #1Advanced Farming Grad class: Organic Pest and Disease managementMeet with graduates to develop farm business logoNovember-DecemberSeed store closesAnnual season evaluations conducted with all farmers currently in theprogramData aggregated and program evaluated by staff, in partnership with outsideevaluatorPlanning and preparation for farm classesEnglish classes beginGraduate site development continuesPlan for farmers markets & on-site markets developedGrad class #2 and #3, meet with graduate farmersAdvanced Farming Grad Class: Enterprise budgetingOrganize Bulk purchase of potatoes and fertilizerPurchase tools and equipment for tool libraryOne income tax class scheduledSales taxes paidJanuary-FebruaryOne income tax class scheduled, one-on-one appointments scheduled with income tax professionalFarm classes begin; leases signedEnglish classes continueCSA recruitment beginsSeeds and supplies ordered, seed store opensProduction planning with each farmer, cultivation in greenhouse beginsFarmers' market registration meetings and marketing planning with farmersGraduates begin cultivation at new sitesGrad class 4, meet with graduate farmersTool library opensCultivate KC hosts Farmers & Friends conference with interpretation available and at least one class taught by a New Roots farmer or gradMarchFarm and English classes continueSoil preparation, planting beginsField walk meetings with farmers beginEquipment demonstrations & trainings with farmersMeet with graduate farmersRecruit farm volunteers, hold orientation for farmers and volunteerApril-AugustField walk meetings with farmers continue, cultivation and harvesting beginEquipment demonstrations and 1:1 equipment trainings with farmersFarmers' markets open, farmers attend 1 per week with support from staffCSA & wholesale distribution startsSeptemberNew farmers open bank accounts and learn bankingMeet with graduate farmersProvide interpretation to existing agricultural workshops in Kansas CityAdvanced Grad class: Season extension; Weed Management; online marketingOrganize bulk purchase of strawberry plugsStaff to provide interpretation at 2 Growing Growers workshops2 field trips are coordinated & Graduate farm bus tours coordinated