Project Overview
Commodities
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.