National Young Farmers Coalition

– Kate Greenburg

Founded in 2010 by three young farmers, the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) represents, mobilizes, and engages young farmers to ensure their success. With three farmer-driven chapters in Colorado and over 24 nation-wide, NYFC is building a movement through which young farmers can find land and capital, share knowledge and make their voices heard.

Our grassroots network – now over 50,000 farmers, ranchers and supportive consumers and growing everyday – directly influences our work at the federal level. We successfully developed an FSA micro-loan program for beginning farmers; advocated for beginning farmer education and land conservation funding in the 2014 Farm Bill; sparked 70 letter-writing parties to generate over 1000 comments on the FDA’s proposed Food Safety rules; and are rallying to add farmers to the Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program. Here in the West, we are also tackling the complex issue of water, drought and resilience by building farmer-to-farmer networks and promoting stewardship practices at farm, agency and policy levels. We recently released a short film in partnership with the Lexicon of Sustainability titled “RESILIENT: Soil, Water and the New Stewards of the American West.”

NYFC envisions a country where young people who are willing to work, get trained and take a little risk can support themselves and their families in farming. We support practices and policies that will sustain young, independent and prosperous farmers now and in the future. The movement is growing. We need you to help us build a better, sustainable future for agriculture. Join us today at youngfarmers.org or email kate@youngfarmers.org for more information.