BFRDP Projects

PFC's Growing Tomorrow's Farmers project addressed intractable issues of fresh food access, farmland access, and access to agricultural and small business education for low resource individuals in the Western New York region. With farming and business mentorship and hands-on training and technical assistance, beginning and aspiring farmers acquired skills and competencies essential for sustainable crop production and small farm business management to ensure their success. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected throughout the 3-years of this project through surveys and interviews (presented in each participant's native language) assessing participants' skills acquisition; quality of life improvements such as improved access to culturally relevant foods and improved mental health and well-being; farmer's vegetable yields from years 1 through 3; farmer's sales and earnings records from years 1 through 3. Through the provision of free farmland and farming education to low-resource populations, PFC is building a more inclusive and equitable food system in Western New York. This project is helped otherwise land-less farmers gain a foothold in the local food system, develop farm businesses for supplemental income, increase culturally relevant fresh food access for their communities and ultimately, experience an improved quality of life for themselves and their families.