Oct 22, 2019
Today's guests on the show are Cara Fraver and Caitlin Arnold from the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC). We talk about the different services and resources that they offer young farmers, including policy work, business resources, a national network of local chapters and how you can benefit from those. We also dive into some of the big challenges that young farmers face today, like land access, mental health, climate change, access to credit, finding labor, etc and how being part of a supportive network of farmers can help navigate those challenges. If you haven't checked them out already, I would highly recommend you navigate over to www.youngfarmers.org and take a look around their site at different things they offer and possibly sign up for a membership. I know I heavily use our membership for the resources as well as the discounts they provide for different companies so definitely check that out.
You'll also hear:
>> How NYFC provides education around federal programs and
policy
>> How their chapters run and how they're the backbone of
NYFC
>> Access to land, labor, credit, racial injustice, climate
change, health insurance, loan debt are some of the biggest
challenges facing young and beginning farmers
>> Why young farmers tend to end up with marginal farmland
and how rural isolation can contribute to mental health
challenges
>> A frank discussion about farmer suicide and available
resources and support (such as National Suicide Hotline at (800)
273-TALK (8255) and 1-800-FARM-AID)
>> How being clear on how your farm business fits into your
overall life goals can help keep perspective and reduce stress
About the Guests:
Before joining the Young Farmers team, Cara Fraver owned and
managed a diversified vegetable farm with her husband in upstate
New York. Through work with Cornell Cooperative Extension, Just
Food in NYC, and the New York State Berry Growers Association,
she’s connected farmers with resources and education to improve
their businesses for more than 15 years.
Caitlin Arnold supports all of Young Farmers grassroots chapters
nationwide. Before joining Young Farmers, Caitlin spent ten years
working on small-scale vegetable farms, and most recently ran her
own farm business with a team of draft horses. She is from
Washington state, where she organized with the Washington Young
Farmers Coalition. She holds a Master of Science in Sustainable
Food Systems through Green Mountain College in Vermont.