Access to Land: Finding and Financing Farmland

April 6, 2017Beginning Farmers

By Ariana Taylor-Stanley, Owner and Operator of Here We Are Farm Though my husband, Adrian, grew up on a little farm, he has since become a computer scientist and, if not for my agricultural inclinations, would probably live in a sparse, walkable studio apartment in some metropolis. Conversely, I grew up in a downtown duplex and … Read More

Access to Land: Buying Land as a First-Generation Producer

April 4, 2017Beginning Farmers

By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Many clothing retailers don’t own their storefront, and bakeries often don’t own their kitchens. So why would farmers need to own their farmland? In any business, cash is king. Owning a large commercial asset, like farmland, ties up capital that could otherwise be used to grow a nascent business. In some cases, … Read More

Access to Markets: SNAP Connects Farmers and Consumers

March 30, 2017Beginning Farmers

By Cathleen Anthony, Greater Rifle Improvement Team Assistant at AmeriCorps VISTA My winter diet cycles through a couple of staples: rice, pasta, canned beans, cereal, and potatoes. These are not my favorite foods. I eat them because they’re cheap, can be found in bulk, and stave off the feeling of hunger. When you’re on Supplemental Nutrition … Read More

Access to Markets: SNAP & the Next Farm Bill

March 28, 2017Beginning Farmers

By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern The United States farm bill, as one would expect, addresses agricultural issues such as trade, conservation, and crop insurance. Some would be surprised, however, to learn that food stamps and nutrition programs are also included in the bill. In fact, the 2014 Farm Bill allocated $756 billion in spending over 10 years … Read More

Access to Capital: The Meek Ranch Family & Business Planning

March 24, 2017Beginning Farmers

By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Traditionally, Lakotas don’t have a background in farming or ranching, but they do have a strong heritage of cowboying and rodeo, explains Elsie Meeks. Meeks, 62, ranches on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with her husband, Jim, 71. “The Lakotas were a horse nation. Horses were essential to … Read More

Access to Markets: Gleaning

March 21, 2017Beginning Farmers

By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern For the past several months, we have been talking about how you, as a farmer, can access markets through technology, value-added goods, institutions, and more. Today, we’re going to flip the tables and talk about how markets can access you. Farmers feed people, a fact at the core of who we are … Read More

Access to Land: Clark Ranch Family & Succession Planning

March 17, 2017Beginning Farmers

By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Middle of Nowhere might be the best way to describe the location of Pat and Barb Clark’s ranch, which is located on native rangeland 40 miles southeast of Lemmon and 30 miles east of Meadow. Homesteaded in 1915 by his grandfather, Avery Clark, and great-uncle, Harry, the Clarks, … Read More