Farming on Sunshine

Winter 2024

Farming on Sunshine

From the Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the third issue of Living Roots, our magazine for farmers and those who advocate for farmers. We have been heartened by all of your responses to our reader survey. Thank you for taking the time to let us know what you like about the magazine and for your suggestions on other topics of interest to you.

We’ve been on our toes all year preparing and waiting for Farm Bill action, and as of print time we anticipate that the 2023 Farm Bill will be passed sometime in 2024.

We have spent countless hours talking with many small- to mid-scale farmers about their needs, determining what kind of legislation will improve things, and even helping to draft some of it. Bills we’ve been paying particular attention to are focused on fair credit for farmers, stronger meat economies, and fair competition.

Enjoy the holiday season and best wishes for a prosperous and healthy 2024!

Warm regards,

Edna Rodriguez

Executive Director

Plowing Through Paperwork

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Navigating the USDA’s diversity of programs, resources, and services can feel overwhelming. RAFI's Resources for Resilient Farms program provides plain-language education and training and attentive, one-on-one technical assistance to help farmers access funds.
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Building Power

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RAFI' Climate and Equity Policy Project aims to build policy advocacy capacity among historically marginalized farmers and ranchers, and the BIPOC-led grassroots organizations that support them.
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Stories from the Soil

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Though often seen as a summer pursuit, many farmers produce food year-round using high tunnels, row cover, storage crops, and careful planning. Two farmers from Virginia and North Carolina show how strategy and innovation make fall and winter farming possible.
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Farming on Sunshine

by Mary Saunders Bulan
Agrivoltaics is the dual production of solar energy and agricultural goods on the same farmland. Harnessing the sun for energy alongside crops or livestock can be a path to financial opportunities and clean energy independence.
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Q & A

Aggregate, Collaborate, Profit

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Farming collaboratives can help beginning farmers gain a foothold in the market and help develop reliable markets for members' products. Berry Hines Sr., founder of the Eastern North Carolina Farmer Collaborative, talks lessons learned from small farm aggregation.
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Field and Feast