Davids Announces Over $524,000 in Funding for Farm Training and Business Development in Kansas City
Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded $524,980 to Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas and Cultivate KC's New Roots for Refugees program. The funds will be used to provide farmer training and market support at the Juniper Gardens Training Farm, which Davids visited in September, to help families from the refugee community develop and maintain small businesses.
"Programs that jump start small businesses through educational services, business development trainings, and investments in our workforce have benefits far beyond the individual business owner. New Roots for Refugees is a great example, resulting in more sustainable food systems, a stronger economy, and a more welcoming community," said Davids. "I've seen first-hand how this program provides community members with the tools and support needed to both take care of their loved ones and contribute positively to our economy. I am positive the funds will be put to good use."
"Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas and Cultivate Kansas City are thrilled to be recipients of the 2021 BFRDP grant from the USDA to support the expansion of the New Roots for Refugees program. With this funding, they will be able to fund positions and supplies that enhance in the program in variety of areas, including marketing trainings and digital literacy, expanded wholesale, improved business management and tax filing support, and field trips to promote integration into the KC agricultural community. We are grateful for the continued engagement of Rep. Davids and her team and the effort they extend on behalf of small businesses," said Meredith Walrafen, Program Manager, CCNEK and Semra Fetahovic, Program Manager, Cultivate KC.
Davids visits Juniper Gardens Training Farm in Kansas City, Kansas
"Strengthening and growing the pipeline of the next generation of farmers and ranchers is vital to the continued success of American agriculture," said Dr. Carrie Castille, NIFA Director. "We recognize that beginning farmers and ranchers have unique needs for education, training, and technical assistance. Their success, especially in the first 10 years, often hinges on access to reliable, science-based information and the latest educational resources so they can improve their operations' profitability and sustainability long-term."
New Roots for Refugees is designed to remove the initial barriers to start a small business including economic mobility, language, networking, and access to education and support. As a member of the House Small Business Committee, Davids has fought hard to give all small business owners in Kansas' Third District the tools they need to succeed. She serves as Chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access, where she has worked to improve access to credit for minority- and veteran-owned businesses and held a hearing to examine support for women entrepreneurs.
Davids walks the grounds of the New Roots for Refugees program
Background:
Founded in 2008, New Roots for Refugees is a year-round program that seeks to empower families from the refugee community to start farm businesses. Farmers are given a quarter-acre plot at the Juniper Gardens Training Farm in Kansas City, Kansas to grow vegetables such as tomatoes, beets, spinach, green onions, lettuce, eggplants, and more. In the winter, the farmers take lessons in English and attend weekly farming workshops on growing in the Midwest and developing a small business.
Over four years, farmers learn crop planning, farm troubleshooting, farming equipment, business finance, record-keeping, markets applications, and customer recruitment. Upon graduation, they will have taken on the totality of the business expenses and have practice maintaining their customer base. Since 2008, New Roots has had over 30 farmers graduate from the program, 21 of whom still operate a farm business today.
USDA's NIFA advances agricultural research and education across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. Program recipients must be a collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionally based network or partnership of public or private entities. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice.
Thanks to enhanced funding from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, which Davids voted to support, the total award investment for this program was $50,026,684, over $30,000 greater than the year prior. 85 newly funded grants and 55 continuation projects that teach and train beginning farmers and ranchers will benefit from the increased funding.