Through the Grow a Farmer Assistance Fund, the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation recently awarded three organizations $10,000 respectively. The funding will go to support local food growers in SMIF’s region of 20 counties, whose businesses have been impacted by the pandemic.
With COVID-19 resulting in restrictions of face-to-face sales and a disruption in distribution channels, many food producers have been challenged to find other means of selling their products. The assistance fund will give farmers an opportunity to create new strategies to get products to the marketplace.
The award recipients are Cannon River Chapter of the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota, Driftless Grown and Renewing the Countryside. The recipients will work together to support at least 120 farmers in southern Minnesota by providing coaching and business training. Farmers interested in receiving assistance should contact these organizations directly.
“Local food producers are critical to the economic fabric of our region,” said Pam Bishop, vice president of economic development at SMIF. “We are proud to support these organizations which are well-situated to help farmers expand their business opportunities during this challenging time.”
SMIF also supports small-scale farmers through the Grow a Farmer Fund, offering low-interest loans of up to $15,000 to help improve operations and increase their bottom lines.
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For more information about SMIF's local foods efforts, contact Pam Bishop at pamb@smifoundation.org or 507-214-7013.
