SUSTAINABLE FARMING ASSOCIATION OF MINNESOTA
4924 UPTON AVENUE SOUTH, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55410 www.sfa-mn.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING SYSTEMS THROUGH FARMER-TO-FARMER NETWORKING, INNOVATION, DEMONSTRATION, AND EDUCATION.

NETWORKING FOR SOIL HEALTH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SILVOPASTURE - SFA IS ADVANCING SOIL HEALTH AS A KEY COMPONENT FOR ADDRESSING ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES ON THE AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE. THESE SOLUTIONS ARE GROUNDED IN THE FACT THAT SOIL BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY IS LARGELY INFLUENCED BY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PRACTICES SUCH AS TILLAGE, USE OF FERTILIZERS, CHEMICALS AND HERBICIDES AND TILING. PRODUCTIVE, REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE IS BASED ON A HEALTHY SOIL RESOURCE, SOMETHING THAT SFA'S PROGRAM PRIORITIZES. HEALTHY SOILS FUNCTION WELL. SOIL FUNCTION IS THE ABILITY OF SOIL TO CAPTURE AND STORE WATER AND CYCLE NUTRIENTS. SOIL MICROBIAL POPULATIONS MEDIATE 85-90% OF SOIL FUNCTION. SFA'S SOIL HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM IS FOUNDED ON 5 KEY PRINCIPLES, 4 OF WHICH ARE ADOPTED BY THE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE 1) MINIMIZE SOIL DISTURBANCES; 2) KEEP HEALTH ROOTS IN THE SOIL;3) INCREASE CROPLAND AND PASTURELAND PLANT DIVERSITY; 4)KEEP THE SOIL COVERED; 5) INTEGRATE LIVESTOCK. SFA'S PROGRAM FEATURES A PREMIER WORKSHOP IN THE REGION, THE MIDWEST SOIL HEALTH SUMMIT, ATTENDED THIS YEAR BY 191 PRODUCERS, AG PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE, RESEARCHERS AND EDUCATORS; THE "DIRT RICH" FIELD DAYS WHICH WERE 2 ONE DAY WORKSHOPS FEATURING CUTTING EDGE ON-SITE FIELD DEMONSTRATIONS, ATTENDED BY 28 AND 27 RESPECTIVELY; ON-FARM CONSULTATIONS AND FARM MENTORING (28 OVER THE YEAR); PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS EMPHASIZING LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT, CROP ROTATIONS, NUTRIENT CYCLING AND FARMLAND PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY FROM A SOIL HEALTH-BASED PRODUCTION MODEL (19). ADDITIONALLY, SFA CONTINUED ITS SERIES OF "CAF CHATS" TO PROVIDE INTRODUCTORY SOIL HEALTH INFORMATION TO FARMERS, IN COOPERATION WITH LOCAL SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS (3 TOTAL, REACHING 21 PEOPLE). FARMING OPERATIONS THAT HAVE EMPLOYED SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES ROUTINELY DISCOVER NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT BRING PRODUCERS INTO RURAL COMMUNITIES. IN THE LAST YEAR, 581 PRODUCERS TOOK PART IN ONE OR MORE OF SFA'S PROGRAMS. SEVERAL MEDIA STORIES WERE ALSO GENERATED BY THIS PROJECT. SFA'S SOIL HEALTH WORK ALSO INCLUDED RESEARCH WITH ANOTHER 9 COOPERATING FARMERS RESULTING IN THE GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF SOIL HEALTH CASE STUDIES. THESE WERE WIDELY USED AT THE SUMMIT, CAF CHATS AND SUMMER EVENTS. SFA ALSO PROVIDED MENTORING TO THE MN SOIL HEALTH COALITION AND PARTNERS WITH THEM ON VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. SFA CONTINUED ITS RESEARCH PROJECT WITH THE MN OFFICE OF SOIL HEALTH, WHICH HAS INCLUDED OUTREACH AND FIELD EDUCATION AMONG THIS CO-HORT. IN ITS 6TH YEAR, THE SFA SOIL HEALTH NETWORK HAS EXPANDED BOTH THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (1,271), AND CONTENT. IT INCLUDES AN INFORMATION-RICH WEB-BASED PORTAL WITH STUDIES, VIDEOS, HOW-TO'S, AN EVENTS CALENDAR AND SIGN UP FOR CONSULTATIONS. THIS SERVICE IS USED BY BOTH SUSTAINABLE AG PRODUCERS, CONVENTIONAL FARMERS, RESEARCHERS AND EDUCATORS AS A "GO TO" FOR SOIL HEALTH INFORMATION. SFA PARTNERS WITH THE MINNESOTA INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, MN FARMERS UNION, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION, NRCS AND SWCD, THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, LAND STEWARDSHIP PROJECT AND A HOST OF OTHER GROUPS TO ENSURE DIVERSE PARTICIPATION IN, AND GREATER REACH OF SOIL HEALTH EDUCATION WORK. SFA'S SOIL HEALTH PROGRAM NOW INCLUDES A NEW "SILVOPASTURE" PROGRAM WHICH BEGAN IN JULY, 2019, TO EDUCATE FARMERS, AG PROFESSIONALS, FORESTERS, LAND OWNERS AND LAND MANAGERS ON HOW TO USE MANAGED GRAZING IN FORESTED AREAS, HOW TO FOSTER FOREAGE PRODUCTION AND USE THIS HISTORIC PRACTICE TO EXPAND REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE. THIS NOW ALSO INCLUDES "PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (PDP)" WHICH RECRUITS, TRAINS AND SUPPORTS AGRICULTURAL PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE AND SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT PERSONNEL, FARMERS AND RANCHERS, AG BUSINESS PEOPLE AND EDUCATORS AND RESEARCHERS TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN FARMERS ON HOW TO ENGAGE IN SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES. SFA WRAPPED UP ITS 4TH YEAR OF AN EARLIER SOIL HEALTH PDP PROGRAM THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR AND BEGAN A NEW SILVPOASTURE PDP PROGRAM. THE PROJECT FEATURED SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE TRAINEES TO ATTEND SFA'S ANNUAL "MIDWEST SOIL HEALTH SUMMIT AND ITS POPULAR "DIRT RICH" SOIL HEALTH FIELD DAY. IN FOLLOW UP, THE TRAINEES EACH CONVENE THEIR OWN WORKSHOP, MEETING, WEBINAR OR FIELD DAY IN THEIR LOCAL AREA TO ENGAGE AND EDUCATE MORE FARMERS ON SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES. SFA ALSO PROVIDED ADVERTISING, ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND EARNED AND PAID MEDIA SERVICES AS WELL AS REGISTRATION AND ORGANIZING SERVICES TO THE TRAINEES AS THEY HOLD THEIR FOLLOW UP EVENTS. SFA HAS TRAINED 103 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM EARLIER SOIL HEALTH PDP PROGRAM THAT ENDED 9.30.19, AND HAS TRAINED 41 PROFESSIONALS UNDER THE PROGRAM.WITH THE ONSET OF THE COVID19 PANDEMIC, SFA SWITCHED ITS SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER PROGRAMMING ONLINE, AND HELD ITS PDP AND SILVOPASTURE WORKSHOPS VIA WEBINAR, REACHING A GREATER NUMBER OF PEOPLE, BUT RESULTING IN LESS RIGOROUS PERSONAL NETWORKING THAT IS PROVIDED BY FACE TO FACE EXPERIENCES. SFA ALSO BEGAN A NEW PODCAST SERIES "DIRT RICH" WHICH FEATURES A WIDE RANGE OF SOIL HEALTH, SILOVPASTURE AND REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN WELL REVIEWED.

FARMER AND RANCHER OUTREACH/CHAPTER AND NETWORK DEVELOPMENT - THIS PROGRAM BUILDS SFA'S FARMER TO FARMER NETWORK, SERVES AS THE UMBRELLA FOR SFA CHAPTER ACTIVITY, AND HOUSES SFA'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND HARVEST FESTIVALS. SFA'S POPULAR ANNUAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD ON FEB. 8, 2020 AND PROVIDED A VARIETY OF MEMBER-DRIVEN SESSIONS ON A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING HUMANE ANIMAL HANDLING, LIVESTOCK FENCING, MARKETING, FARM TRANSITIONS, AG PROCESSING AND DEEP WINTER GREENHOUSE CREATION AND MANAGEMENT. IT WAS ATTENDED BY NEARLY 300 FOOD PRODUCERS, ENTREPENEURS AND EDUCATORS. SFA PARTNERS WITH MISA, THE REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP, THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND SEVERAL OTHER GROUPS WORKING TO PUT FARMERS AND RANCHERS ON THE LAND. SFA CHAPTER ACTIVITIES FEATURED ROUGHLY 25WORKSHOPS, FIELD DAYS, DEMONSTRATIONS. AND GATHERINGS OF FARMERS, EDUCATORS, FOOD ADVOCATES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE FARMING AND REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, AND ACHIEVE RURAL COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. COVID 19 BROUGHT A GOOD DEAL OF THE FACE TO FACE NETWORKING TO A HALT, AND ALSO CANCELLED KEY CHAPTER EVENTS THAT BRING PRODUCERS AND EATERS TOGETHER INCLUDE THE GARLIC FESTIVAL (HUTCHINSON, MN), THE HARVEST FESTIVAL (DULUTH), A FARM2FAMILIES EVENT (AITKIN) AND A SALSA FEST (LONG PRAIRIE). THE GARLIC FESTIVAL TRANSITIONED TO AN ONLINE MARKETING PLATFORM THAT BUILDS CAPACITY AND SALES OPTIONS FOR GROWERS WHO ARE SERVED BY SFA THROUGH THE MIDWEST GARLIC GROWERS, A NETWORKING GROUP OF SFA.THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR, SFA BEGAN THE RURAL ORGANIZING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (ROLD), DEDICATED TO BUILDING SFA CAPACITY, MEMBERSHIP AND CHAPTERS IN SOUTH WEST MINNESOTA, AND TO REDUCE POVERTY AMONG FARMERS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES. A NEW STAFF PERSON WAS HIRED, OUTREACH INTERVIEWS, SURVEYS AND A NEEDS ASSESSMENT WAS CONDUCTED, A NEW CHAPTER ORGANIZING COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED. ONE ASPECT OF THIS PROJECT IS THE CREATION OF A HOST OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAININGS FOR SFA'S CHAPTERS AND THOSE IN THE NEW ORGANIZING AREA. THIS PAST YEAR, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS INCLUDED HOW TO APPLY FOR A RANGE OF COVID RELIEF PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS CHAPTER BUILDING TRAINING. COVID19 HAS ALSO RESULTED IN AN EXPANSION OF SFA'S WORK WITH LOCAL GROWERS ON MARKETING AND FOOD SAFETY. SFA ALSO HAS CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE OUTREACH IN MANY RURAL COMMUNITIES TO LINK PRODUCERS WITH CONSUMERS, HIGHLIGHTING THE BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION WITH LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE, AND TO ADVOCATE SUPPORT OF PRODUCERS TO SUCCEED AS INCOME GENERATORS AND RESIDENTS OF THESE COMMUNITIES. THE BRANDING PROGRAM OF THE CANNON RIVER CHAPTER, CALLED "CANNON VALLEY GROWN" WAS CONTINUED.SFA ALSO HOSTED 1 MEET AND GREET WITH FARMERS AND URBAN CONSUMERS IN THE TWIN CITIES, ATTENDED BY 21 PEOPLE AT 1 VENUE. COVID LIMITED OTHER OUTREACH. FOUR NETWORKING GROUPS, ORGANIZED AROUND ISSUES OF COMMON CONCERN (MIDWEST GARLIC GROWERS, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES LIVESTOCK, CROW WING RIVER BASIN FORAGE COUNCIL) EACH HELD AN ANNUAL GATHERING OF MEMBERS, PLUS PERIODIC FIELD DAYS. A FIFTH NETWORKING GROUP, THE URBAN GROWERS NETWORK, BASED IN THE GREATER METROPOLITAN AREA, HELD SEVERAL FACE TO FACE EVENTS INVOLVING EMERGING FARMERS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO GROW FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES OR FOR SALE, BEGAN ITS SECOND YEAR, AND TRANSITIONED ITS PROGRAMMING TO ONLINE AFTER COVID19, STILL GETTING GREAT ATTENDANCE. SFA BOARD MEMBERS ALSO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF MISA, AND ITS STAFF AND CONSULTANTS PROVIDE LEADERSHIP ON A HOST OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE GROUPS. AGAIN THIS YEAR, SFA ALSO PARTNERED WITH MN GROWN, THOUGH MN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TO PROMOTE SIGN UPS AND DISTRIBUTE DIRECTORIES OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS AND MAKERS. SFA PARTNERS WITH THE RENEWING THE COUNTRYSIDE ON ITS FARMLAND ACCESS HUB, TO HELP NEW FARMERS NAVIGATE THE CIRCUITOUS JOURNEY OF FARM OWNERSHIP.

SFA SPECIALTY CROP, GROWING AND MARKETING PREMIUM MN GARLIC AND MN ASPARAGUS - THIS AREA INCLUDES TWO PROGRAMS, ONE THAT TEACHES FARMERS HOW TO BEGIN GROWING GARLIC, OR HOW TO EXPAND THEIR GARLIC GROWING IN A WAY THAT MAXIMIZES PRODUCTION, ENSURES SOUND SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES, AND ENABLES PROFITABLE MARKETING. THE PROJECT HAS 140 ENROLLEES, OF WHOM 20 OR MORE ARE THOSE FROM USDA-DEFINED SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. IN ITS THIRD AND FINAL YEAR, THE PROJECT HELD 11 WORKSHOPS OR PRESENTATIONS ATTENDED BY NEARLY 320 PEOPLE, AND INCLUDED TABLING AND OUTREACH AT THE MN ORGANIC CONFERENCE, THE CROW RIVER CHAPTER'S GARLIC FESTIVAL AND VARIOUS SFA CHAPTER ANNUAL EVENTS. THE PROJECT PARTNERS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION'S REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP (RSDP) TO AID IN BUILDING SUPPLY CHAINS AND GREATER MARKET DEMAND. A SECOND PHASE OF THE PROJECT BEGAN MAY, 2020 AND INCLUDES ADVANCED GROWING AND MARKETING TECHNIQUES AS WELL AS ANOTHER RESEARCH COMPONENT. LIKE THE GARLIC PROJECT, THE PREMIUM MINNESOTA ASPARAGUS PROJECT TEACHES FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS HOW TO GROW ASPARAGUS, CULTIVATE IT AND MARKET IT. ASPARAGUS IS A PERENNIAL AND LENDS ITSELF TO SOIL HEALTH, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING AN EARLY SEASON, HIGH VALUE CROP FOR SALE. SFA WORKS WITH THE RSDP ON TIS PROJECT AS WELL, AND ALSO PARTNERS WITH THE MINNESOTA FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS.

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