FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — In the spring of 2020 when the pandemic began, The Good Acre (TGA), a nonprofit food hub in Falcon Heights, saw market opportunities for farmers disappear overnight. TGA and partnering organizations quickly came together, pooling funds and resources, to create the Local Emergency Assistance Farmer Fund (LEAFF), a program that buys fresh produce from local BIPOC farmers and donates it to hunger relief partners in the Twin Cities.
So far in 2021, more than 60 BIPOC farms have applied for the LEAFF program. Only 40 farmers have been accepted and TGA is actively fundraising to be able to accept additional farmers. Each accepted farm is currently able to sell up to $4,500 worth of produce into the program. As of August 19th, just over $127,000 has been spent with farmers translating to nearly 80,000 lbs of produce donated to hunger relief partners in the metro area. Farm Program Director at TGA, David Van Eeckhout says “Farmers markets have not yet recovered to pre-Covid levels, and in the midst of a devastating drought, farmers are unable to find markets for the limited amount of produce they have. Helping farmers through these challenges is what LEAFF was created for.”
LEAFF produce is distributed with support from The Food Group to nearly a dozen sites in the metro area. Because of the program’s focus on BIPOC growers, those receiving produce can choose from many crops that are culturally significant to Hmong, Latino, and East African communities. One of the largest recipients of LEAFF produce is the Community School of Excellence (CSE), a Hmong language and culture charter school located in St. Paul. Through their free food Friday events, CSE has distributed nearly 20,000 pounds of local produce since LEAFF’s inception. “The fresh produce that the LEAFF program provides us to distribute helps our families significantly. They are making great healthy meals that wouldn’t have been possible without this partnership” says Plang Vang, the Community School Partnership Manager with the Hmong American Partnership, which works with the CSE to offer out-of-school time youth programs.
In addition to providing a market for farmers, LEAFF is helping to reduce on-farm food waste. In a post-season survey last year, 88% of participating farmers reported having very little or no food waste as a result of their involvement with the program. LEAFF has also created an opportunity for TGA to build relationships with farmers interested in growing for wholesale markets and receiving technical assistance through the organization’s grower support program. This growing season, TGA was able to contract with over 30 farms through their wholesale efforts, with total combined sales projected to surpass $300,000.
Xiong Thao, TGA’s Farm Program Specialist who oversees receiving and distribution for the program says “Farmers love making large sales to us and everyone I talk to wants to see an increase in LEAFF purchases.”
Additional funding would allow TGA to accept more farmers into LEAFF and increase the purchase guarantee to $5,000 per farmer through the end of the growing season. By acting as a conduit between local growers and partners working to address hunger within their local communities, the hope is that the program can continue to be an example of how a community-based food system can be a catalyst for resilience and connection. To learn more and to support the growth of the fund to reach more farmers, visit thegoodacre.org/donate-leaff/.
— The Local Emergency Assistance Farmer Fund and The Good Acre
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