Governor’s May Revise Falls Short for California’s Farming Communities “The Governor’s proposal to reauthorize the Cap Trade program without critical reforms is shortsighted It leaves frontline communities – including family farmers already bearing the worst impacts of climate change – without the necessary resources to implement climate solutions or adapt to escalating disasters
Federal Funding for California Farms: Updates Advocacy USDA Regional Food Business Centers serve as hubs, coordinating efforts among federal, state, tribal, and local partners to tailor support for regional food systems ; They provide training and guidance to small- and mid-sized food and farm businesses, helping them grow, improve operations, and access new markets through funding like the Technical Assistance Direct Support Awards
Federal Funding Freeze Jeopardizes Small Farms, Prevents Local Food . . . Farms Together was developed by the California Association of Food Banks (CAFB), Fresh Approach (FA), and Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) with original support from the California Department of Social Services and the California Department of Food Agriculture via the U S Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program
What’s Next for Farms Together and Local Food for Hungry Families? March started off as a rollercoaster ride when news broke that Farms Together—our program delivering food sourced from local farmers to food insecure communities across California—had been paused indefinitely Seven days later, after many farmers raised alarm bells across California and the U S , the program was restored Despite the significant victory, the program’s future remains
Community Alliance with Family Farmers From the grassroots up, our organization is built by the community for the community, from farmers in the field to citizens fighting for a more just, regenerative food system Members comprise the foundation of our work; we are guided and empowered by people like you to continue our efforts supporting family farms throughout California
Family Farmer Emergency Fund - CAFF Over the past few years, CAFF’s California Family Farmer Emergency Fund has directed over half a million dollars worth of generous donations from people like you to hundreds of farmers in crisis, from those who lost crops, barns and homes in evermore destructive wildfires to those whose markets vanished overnight during COVID-19 lockdowns
Meet Our CAFF Community - Community Alliance with Family Farmers Michael O’Gorman began farming in 1970 In 1990 he got asked to manage the first certified organic farm in Salinas, California Over the next 20 years he helped build three of the country’s largest organic vegetable operations, converting 6,000 acres of prime farmland into organic production throughout California, Arizona and Mexico
Our Team - Community Alliance with Family Farmers Jamie works to advance policies rooted in farmer needs and engage farmers in developing those policies Jamie has committed nearly 10 years to sustainable food and agriculture systems ranging from on-farm technical assistance, soil health and agriculture policy, to on-farm research and data management
The Legacy of Black Farmers: Overcoming Challenges Cultivating . . . However, Jacque’s journey hasn’t been without struggles Theft and security issues have been ongoing concerns “We had a tractor stolen from us,” she explains, emphasizing the challenges of protecting farm resources