The Farmstand is a blog written by the staff and guests of the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA, covering key issues relevant to the development of markets, policies, and communities that support thriving, socially just, and environmentally sound family farms.
Recent Posts
- Dec. 1, 6-8 p.m. Community Conversation: Virtual Racial Wealth Learning Gap Simulation (11/20/2020) - The Racial Wealth Gap Learning Simulation is an interactive tool that helps people understand the connections among racial equity, hunger, poverty, and wealth. All are welcome. ...>Read More
- Job Posting: Part-Time Bookkeeper (11/20/2020) - RAFI-USA seeks a part-time bookkeeper with previous experience working for a nonprofit organization. Duties include accounts payable and receivable, payroll, monthly reconciliations, and a host of customary bookkeeper duties. ...>Read More
- Job Posting: Operations Coordinator (11/19/2020) - RAFI-USA is looking to hire a full-time Operations Coordinator to assist with managing technology, office space and grounds, supplies and printed materials, HR, and other administrative tasks. ...>Read More
- Job Posting: Expanding Farmers Market Access Program Coordination – Farmers Market Nutrition Incentive Programs (11/12/2020) - RAFI-USA seeks a talented individual to significantly increase the ability of NC farmers markets to serve low-wealth communities and evaluate the challenges and opportunities of providing SNAP and WIC nutrition incentives. ...>Read More
- RAFI-USA November E-Newsletter (10/30/2020) - Here's a link to our November E-Newsletter! Please take a look and if you enjoy it, we encourage you to sign up for the email list. ...>Read More
- SAAFON & RAFI-USA Partner in Supporting NC BIPOC Farmers (10/30/2020) - Southeastern African American Organic Network (SAAFON) and the Rural Advancement Foundation International’s (RAFI-USA) Farmers of Color Network (FOCN) are working together this fall to facilitate farmer brigades/workdays to support infrastructure needs on BIPOC farms in North Carolina. ...>Read More
- Clergy Healing Money Wounds and Addressing Fiscal Trauma (10/28/2020) - In late September, RAFI-USA and the Come to the Table program hosted a Community Conversations event centering on the recognition, addressing, and healing of fiscal trauma, or money-based emotional wounds. ...>Read More
- Are You Surviving Well? Wells in the Wilderness (10/28/2020) - In early October, RAFI-USA and the Come to the Table program, alongside Campbell University, hosted a Community Conversations event centering on the spiritual and emotional unrest that clergy are experiencing during this time of social unrest. ...>Read More
- Job Posting: Expanding Farmers Market Access Program Coordinator – Alternative Local Food Markets (10/27/2020) - RAFI-USA seeks a talented individual to provide high-level technical assistance and program coordination for North Carolina farmers markets and participating farmer vendors. ...>Read More
- Nov. 12, 7-8 p.m. Under Contract and Craig Watts: How Contract Agriculture Impacts Lives (10/26/2020) - In partnership with Farm Church in Durham, North Carolina, please join Come to the Table for a discussion of the film "Under Contract" with RAFI-USA staff member and former contract poultry grower Craig Watts. ...>Read More
- Announcing the School for Food Justice, Faith, and Storytelling (10/21/2020) - RAFI-USA is pleased to announce a new fellowship program. This fellowship will bring together faith leaders from across North Carolina to learn about the root causes of hunger, uncover and challenge the dominant narrative around why people are hungry, and learn how story-based strategies can transform the conversation on hunger in communities. ...>Read More
- CTTT Technical Assistance Spotlight: Norman UMC and Richmond Fresh (10/13/2020) - RAFI’s Come to the Table program has been providing mini-grants to rural United Methodist Churches throughout North Carolina. We had a conversation with one grantee, Dave Clark of Norman UMC and God’s Garden and Davon Goodwin of the Sandhills AgInnovation Center to discuss their food ministry and the impact of the grant. ...>Read More
- Grant Opportunities for Farms (10/6/2020) - In this post, we share information about three grant opportunities for farms: USDA's second round of CFAP funding, NCDA's reimbursement for organic certification, and FACT's Fund-a-Farmer grants for livestock and poultry farmers. ...>Read More
- Political Violence, Community Safety, and Faith Leadership (10/6/2020) - With the 2020 election nearing, the U.S. is in danger of experiencing political violence, which is sadly nothing new for our country. In this blog, we discuss how faith leaders and communities can work together to take concrete, proactive steps to both prevent and if necessary respond, to political violence. ...>Read More
- Oct. 5-8, 7-8 p.m. Community Conversation: “What Can Rural Communities and People of Faith Do to Prevent Suicide?” (10/1/2020) - Join RAFI-USA, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - North Carolina, Partners in Health and Wholeness, and North Carolina Agromedicine Institute for this series of events focused on the intersection of mental health, faith communities, and rural communities. ...>Read More
- Oct. 9, 10-11:30 a.m. Community Conversation: “Are You Surviving Well? Wells in the Wilderness” (9/30/2020) - While clergy are often tasked with replenishing the minds and spirits of their parishioners, they themselves are often left without nourishment. ...>Read More
- Returning Economic Vitality to Livestock and Poultry (9/29/2020) - On the eve of our first presidential debate of 2020, we want to highlight a letter RAFI-USA and others sent to both presidential candidates on the issue of fair competition in the livestock sector for family farmers and ranchers. ...>Read More
- When Diversity Isn’t Enough: Experiences of Board Members of Color at Agricultural and Environmental Nonprofits (9/28/2020) - We are proud to share this new report in which Dr. Fatimah Salleh, interviewer and lead author, lifts up the words of eleven people of color who serve on the boards of predominantly white agricultural and environmental nonprofits, highlighting the dynamics, rewards, and challenges that they have experienced in that role. It also offers recommendations, based on those interviews, for boards that are trying to become more diverse and includes a list of relevant resources. ...>Read More
- RAFI-USA co-hosts NC state candidate forum (9/28/2020) - On September 9, we joined with several other organizations to present an NC State Candidates Forum on the topics of farming, food, and hunger. We invited candidates from both sides of the aisle to join us running for the offices of Labor Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Lieutenant Governor. ...>Read More
- RAFI-USA Helps Lead NC Workers Week of Action (9/28/2020) - Over the past two weeks, RAFI-USA joined more than 120 labor, farm, faith, and civil rights organizations to call on North Carolina government officials to take strong action to protect food workers. Our social media hashtag, #ProtectNCWorkers, reached tens-of-thousands of people. ...>Read More