CULTIVATING FARMERS:

Cultivating Farmers is a key programmatic facet of our ongoing work with local farmers and strengthening of our regional foodshed. The program’s goal is to provide technical assistance and support to underserved and beginning farmers and ranchers in Los Angeles and neighboring counties. Cultivating Farmers has a particular focus on serving farmers and ranchers who have been underrepresented and historically marginalized in agriculture, and who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and/or armed forces Veterans.

The program is rooted in findings of the 2023 report “Rooted Horizons: Growing Food for and by Angelenos” which was prepared by the L.A. Food Policy Council in partnership with the LARTA Institute, with support from the California Community Foundation. Key stakeholders in both the Urban Farmer and service provider community provided valuable insights about the most pressing issues facing farmers today, among them access to land and land tenure, producing at scale, maintaining business operations, and regulatory barriers.

Program Goals:

Cultivating Farmers offers farmers and ranchers the following services to mitigate the challenges they face in the Los Angeles region’s urban and rural agricultural landscapes:

Workshops: Year-round educational sessions for growers on topics pertinent to the business of farming and ranching. Topics include land tenure, farm to market readiness, federal resources, farm business planning, farm marketing, and more.
One-on-One Coaching: Personalized guidance with the program team to address specific needs of individual farmers.
Office Hours: Regular post-workshop opportunities for farmers to seek advice from subject matter experts in virtual group settings.
Online tutorials: Online resource library for regional farmers and ranchers.

Workshop and Office Hours facilitators come from our community of expert growers, small business leaders, and agriculture agencies. Additionally, thanks to the support of the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA), we will launch a grant initiative for farmers in early 2025.