Protecting the Great Lakes Through a Farm Navigator Network

Project Overview

ENC24-238
Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 2024: $119,462.00
Projected End Date: 09/30/2026
Grant Recipient: American Farmland Trust
Region: North Central
State: Ohio
Project Coordinator:
Erica Goodman
American Farmland Trust

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Education and Training: decision support system, demonstration, farmer to farmer, mentoring, networking, participatory research, technical assistance, workshop
  • Farm Business Management: agricultural finance, business planning, financial management, land access
  • Natural Resources/Environment: drift/runoff buffers, soil stabilization
  • Sustainable Communities: community development, community services

    Proposal abstract:

    The two-year project Protecting the Great Lakes Through a
    Farm Navigator Network
    will deliver a train-the-trainer
    program and connect 12 service providers in Wisconsin, Michigan,
    and Ohio to support farmland transfer and access while advancing
    adoption of conservation practices, protecting ecological health
    while sustaining a viable farm economy.  These service
    providers will advance knowledge and develop core skills to be
    able to coach and support farmers and landowners as a Navigator.
    Not only will the activities focus on training, but they will
    also seek to catalyze the Navigators to grow and sustain their
    organizational investment by expanding connections and building a
    peer-learning community.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    Products to be developed

    The routine products that will be developed through this project
    include a total of four in-person meetings, a series of 10
    virtual trainings and networking sessions, and supplementary
    state-based virtual meetings. Training content adapted or created
    for these trainings along with supplemental materials will be
    available to the Navigators through a password protected
    community platform. Where relevant, AFT will also update and add
    complementary material to the existing curricula used for this
    project and available publicly on the Farmland Information
    Center, a free clearinghouse of information on research and
    materials supporting agricultural land conservation, access,
    transfer and practices.

     

    Priority Participants: Great Lakes Farm Navigators

    Ultimately, the training components of this project will
    establish a strong foundation for continued network development
    and scale up beyond the life of the grant. By working closely
    with Navigators during in-person annual trainings and periodic
    virtual trainings, we will help them to clarify their personnel
    and organizational goals. We will also solidify the comprehensive
    skillsets needed by Navigators to empower them to advance their
    continued investment and encourage them to rcruit of future
    Navigators and build the capacity of partner organizations.
    In-person trainings will feature group break-out sessions based
    on regional locations to not only address specific regional
    concerns and challenges but also encourage networking amongst
    peers who will be future leaders and trainers in their state’s
    Navigator networks.

     

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.