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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
https://www.nal.usda.gov/programs/afsic
10301 Baltimore Avenue, Room 132, Beltsville, MD 20705
301-504-6559 (fax) 301-504-5181
Contact: afsic@ars.usda.gov
AFSIC specializes in identifying resources about sustainable food systems and practices in support of the USDA’s effort to ensure a sustainable future for agriculture and farmers worldwide. AFSIC is a program of the USDA National Agricultural Library.
American Farmland Trust
http://www.farmland.org/
1150 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036
202-331-7300 (fax) 202-659-8339
Contact: info@farmland.org
Farmers and conservationists concerned about the rapid loss of the nation’s farmland to development, American Farmland Trust (AFT) is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting our nation’s agricultural resources. They have a legislative agenda and programs to help deter and/or stop the development of farmland.
ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
www.attra.ncat.org
PO Box 3838 Butte, MT 59702
800-346-9140 (fax) 479-442-9842
Contact: askanag@ncat.org
ATTRA, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, provides efficient access to science based- technical information for decision making about sustainable farming and marketing practices. ATTRA offers free publications for beginning farmers on organic and sustainable production methods, crops, marketing, and farm internships. The program is managed by the nonprofit National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT).
Beginning Farmers LLC
www.beginningfarmers.org
1201 Hickory Street, Lansing, MI 48912
517-449-2525
Contact: beginningfarmers@gmail.com
Beginningfarmers.org provides extensive resources for beginning and aspiring farmers about loans and grants, finding land, jobs, business planning, farm succession, production, marketing, and more.
Beyond Pesticides
www.beyondpesticides.org
701 E Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
202-543-5450 (fax) 202-543-4791
Contact: info@beyondpesticides.org
Beyond Pesticides assists individuals and community-based organizations in stimulating discussion on the hazards of toxic pesticides, while providing information on safer alternatives. They produce a quarterly magazine, bulletins, and reports.
Black Church Food Security Network
https://blackchurchfoodsecurity.net/
The Black Church Food Security Network utilizes an asset-based approach in organizing and linking the vast resources of historically African American congregations in rural and urban communities to advance food and land sovereignty.
Center for Food Safety
www.centerforfoodsafety.org
660 Pennsylvania Ave SE Suite 302, Washington, DC 20003
202-547-9359 (fax) 202-547-9429
Contact: office@centerforfoodsafety.org
A national nonprofit working to curb the proliferation of harmful food production technologies and promote sustainable alternatives. CFS uses legal actions, scientific and policy reports, books and educational materials, market pressure, and grass roots campaigns to represent small farmers.
Center for Heirs Property Preservation
1535 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., Suite D Charleston, SC 29407
(843) 745-7055
Contact: info@heirsproperty.org
A non profit that offers legal education and direct legal services to help families reach agreement, clear title to family land and probate estates. Clients can receive the legal services necessary to resolve heirs’ property issues including title searches, preparing documents, scheduling land surveys, requesting hearings, and providing full representation in court.
Center for Rural Affairs (CfRA)
www.cfra.org
PO Box 136, Lyons, NE 68038
402.687.2100
The CfRA is a nationally recognized policy analysis and advocacy organization. Among its several programs, the Center offers a Sustainable Options Hotline, run by Traci Bruckner, that provides information to organic and sustainable farmers and ranchers, including those beginners looking to get started in farming or ranching, and on how they can use farm bill programs for their operations.
Cornucopia Institute
www.cornucopia.org
PO Box 126, Cornucopia, WI 54827
606-625-2042 (fax) 866-861-2214
Contact: cultivate@cornucopia.org
Dedicated to the fight for economic justice for the family-scale farming community. Through research, advocacy, and economic development, the Cornucopia Institute’s goal is to empower farmers both politically and through marketplace initiatives.
Farm Aid
www.farmaid.org
501 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02141
617-354-2922 (fax) 617-354-6992
Contact: farmhelp@farmaid.org
Farm Aid is a nonprofit organization with a mission to keep family farmers on their land. Farm Aid has raised more than $45 million from music concerts towards promoting a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture. Through the Farm Aid Hotlines (1-800-Farm-AID) and the Farm Aid Resource Network, Farm Aid staff refer farmers to a network of more than 500 family farm organizations across the country. Farm Aid makes grants to farm and rural service organizations to create this network of resources.
Farmer’s Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG)
www.flaginc.org
360 Robert Street N Suite 500, St. Paul, MN 55101 651-223-5400
Contact: lawyers@flaginc.org
FLAG is a nonprofit law center dedicated to providing legal information, referrals, and advocacy to family farmers and farm organizations. FLAG has written materials on disaster assistance, GMOs, wind energy, contracts, farmers markets, and legal appeals.
Farmers Market Coalition
www.farmersmarketcoalition.org
PO Box 499, Kimberton, PA 19442
610-935-6967
Contact: info@farmersmarketcoalition.org The FMC is devoted to strengthening farmers markets for the benefit of farmers, consumers, and communities, serving as an information center for farmers markets, and a voice for farmers market advocacy. The FMC hosts a searchable library of resources for farmers, market managers, and sponsors of farmers markets, hosts regular webinars and a national listserv, and publishes a quarterly e-newsletter highlighting best practices.
Farmer-Veteran Coalition (FVC)
www.farmvetco.org
508 2nd Street, Suite 206, Davis, CA 95616
530-756-1395
Contact: info@farmvetco.org
FVC works with military veterans and active-duty military personnel who are interested in pursuing careers in farming or ranching. The FVC works to match those who want to farm with mentors, helping veterans looking for farm employment or apprenticeship opportunities.
Federation for Southern Cooperatives
https://www.federation.coop/
2769 Church St, Atlanta, GA 30344
(404) 765-0991
Greenhorns
https://greenhorns.org/
A non-traditional grassroots non-profit organization made up of young farmers and a diversity of collaborators. Greenhorns recruits, promotes, and supports the new generation of young farmers through producing programming, video, audio, web content, publications, events and projects.
See their Guidebook for Beginning Farmers: https://greenhorns.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Greenhorns_Guidebook_Beginning_Farmers_Zine.pdf
Holistic Management International
www.holisticmanagement.org
5941 Jefferson Street NE, Suite B, Albuquerque, NM 87109
505-842-5252 (fax) 505-843-7900
Contact: hmi@holisticmanagement.org
HMI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate people to manage the land for a sustainable future. Among the many programs, it includes a Beginning Farmers & Ranchers Program focused on women farmers, funded through the USDA NIFA BFRD grant program.
International Farm Transition Network
www.farmtransition.org
605 4th St. Box 2, Minburn, IA 50167
800-447-1985
The goal of the International Farm Transition Network is to support programs that foster the next generation of farmers and ranchers. IFTN has established a land-link program in at least twenty states.
Jewish Farmer Network
https://www.jewishfarmernetwork.org/
We are Jewish farmers looking to grow food as ourselves, as people from an agricultural tradition that reaches back thousands of years.
Land For Good
http://landforgood.org/resources/toolbox/leasing/
25 Roxbury Street #114, Keene, NH 03431
Mailing address: P.O. Box 625 Keene, NH 03431 603.357.1600 Contact: info@landforgood.org
A tool box for leasing farm land containing materials most relevant to farming and farms in New England. It includes practical articles about what’s in a lease, types of leases, what to look for in a lease and how to negotiate a good lease.
Land Stewardship Project (LSP)
www.landstewardshipproject.org
821 East 35th Street, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55406
612-722-6377
Contact: info@landstewardshipproject.org
LSP is a grassroots membership organization made up of farmers and rural and urban residents working together for positive change through organizing for progressive farm policies; building community based food systems, and farmer-to-farmer education. Among other things, LSP offers a Farm Beginnings course that provides opportunities for beginning and transitioning farmers to learn firsthand about whole farm planning, business plan development, and low-cost, sustainable farming methods.
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
www.leopold.iastate.edu
209 Curtiss Hall - Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
515-294-3711
Contact: leocenter@iastate.edu
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture is a research and education center on the campus of Iowa State University created to identify and reduce negative environmental impacts of farming and developing new ways to farm profitably while conserving natural resources. The Center focuses on ecological systems research, marketing and food systems research, policy research, and cross-cutting research. It has earned a national reputation for its work on riparian buffers, hoop barns, food systems and food miles, rotational and winter grazing, low-external-input systems, as well as development of the late-spring soil test and equipment to more accurately apply nitrogen fertilizer.
LocalHarvest
www.localharvest.org
PO Box 1292, Santa Cruz, CA 95061
831-515-5602 (fax) 831-515-5602
Contact: webmaster@localharvest.org
A nationwide directory of small farms, farmers markets, and other local food sources, helping consumers get fresh farm produce right near where they live.
National Black Farmer Association
https://www.blackfarmers.org/
The National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) is a non-profit organization representing African American farmers and their families in the United States.
National Family Farm Coalition
www.nffc.net
110 Maryland Avenue NE Suite 307, Washington, DC 20002
202-543-5675
The National Family Farm Coalition serves as a national link for grassroots organizations working on family farm issues. NFFC brings together farmers and others to organize national projects focused on preserving and strengthening family farms.
National Good Food Network (NGFN)
http://www.ngfn.org/
A program of the Wallace Center providing networking, tools, resources, and training for professionals in the food system. Hosts biannual conference focused on food hubs. See below re: Wallace Center.
National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Trade Association (NLFRTA)
https://www.nlfrta.org/
Our mission is to organize, engage and empower Latino farm and ranching advocacy groups, farmworkers transitioning into farm ownership, and, generally, small producers, throughout the United States and beyond. Furthermore, we are committed to promote sustainable farm and ranching policy for the improvement of farming operations.
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
http://sustainableagriculture.net/
110 Maryland Ave NE 3209, Washington, DC 20002
202-547-5754 (fax) 202-547-1837
Contact: info@sustainableagriculture.net
A national alliance of grassroots family farm, rural, and conservation organizations that together advocate for federal policies and programs supporting the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. NSAC member groups advance common positions to support small and mid-size family farms in federal agriculture policy.
National Young Farmers Coalition
www.youngfarmers.org
PO Box 292 Tivoli, New York 12583
917-318-1488
Contact: info@youngfarmers.org
NYFC works in coalition with farmers, consumers, organizations and government to tackle the many challenges that young, independent and sustainable farmers face in their first years operating a farm business. NYFC uses social media to develop open-source and appropriate farm technology, build community across great distances and reform policy to support local, independent and sustainable agriculture.
National Young Farmer Educational Association
www.nyfea.org
Box 20326, Montgomery, AL 36120
334-546-9951
Contact: nyfea-main@nyfea.org
NYFEA educates agricultural leaders, providing seminars and resources to train individuals in agricultural leadership and business management. Through internet training materials and convention programs, the association will provide valuable information to its members.
Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance
(Includes Indigenous Seed Keepers Network)
https://nativefoodalliance.org/
The Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance (NAFSA) is a 501 c3 non-profit organization that was officially incorporated in 2014 following two years of efforts to develop an organization and mission with input from hundreds of Native food producers and organizations.
https://nativefoodalliance.org/our-programs-2/indigenous-seedkeepers-network/
New England Small Farm Institute
www.smallfarm.org
275 Jackson St., Belchertown, MA 01007
413-323-4531 (fax) 413-323-9594
Contact: info@smallfarm.org
NESFI is a land-based non-profit organization with a mission to promote small farm development by providing information and training for aspiring, beginning and transitioning farmers. The institute maintains an extensive resource collection, produces publications, develops and offers farmer-guided programs, and advocates for policies that encourage sustainable small scale agriculture. It’s Growing New Farmers section helps connect new and potential farmers with programs and services, and provides resources for service providers who wish to facilitate their development.
On Farm Food Safety
http://onfarmfoodsafety.org/
The On-Farm Food Safety Project (OFFS) helps you learn about food safety, create a personalized on-farm food safety plan, and become food safety certified.
Organic Seed Alliance
www.seedalliance.org
PO Box 772, Port Townsend, WA 98368
404-493-6965
Contact: Kristina Hubbard, kristina@seedalliance.org
Organic Seed Alliance advances the ethical development and stewardship of the genetic resources of agricultural seed through collaborative education, research, and advocacy programs with farmers and other seed professionals.
Rodale Institute
www.rodaleinstitute.org
611 Siegfriedale Rd, Kutztown, PA 19530
610-683-1400 (fax) 610-683-8548
Contact: info@rodaleinstitute.org
Rodale Institute is an organization dedicated to researching the best practices of organic agriculture and sharing their findings with farmers and scientists throughout the world, advocating for policies that support farmers, and educating consumers about how going organic is the healthiest option for people and the planet. New Farm (from the Rodale Institute) provides tons of useful educational, production, and policy information on organic farming and organic transition. They also feature stories about individual farmers that are often quite instructive and interesting.
SAAFON
https://saafon.org/
350 Adams St, Decatur, GA 30030
(920) 372-2366
A network of Black farmers in the Southeastern United States who are committed to culturally relevant, ancestrally guided, and ecologically sustainable agricultural-based living.
Specialty Crop Growers Association
http://scspecialtycrop.com/resources/
Mailing Address: PO Box 11280 Columbia, SC 29211
SC Department of Agriculture (803) 734-2210
The mission of the SC Specialty Crop Growers Association is to support promotional, research, and educational efforts for improving the marketing and quality of production of fresh fruit, vegetable, and specialty crops grown in South Carolina.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE Outreach)
www.sare.org
1122 Patapsco Building, College Park, MD 20742
614-306-6422 (fax) 301-405-7711
Contact: outreach@sare.org
The national outreach arm of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE). SARE Outreach publishes a variety of farmer-ready handbooks, free bulletins, reports highlighting SARE projects, and resource guides.
Traditional Native American Farmers Association
http://www.tnafa.org/
TNAFA’s mission is to revitalize traditional agriculture for spiritual and human need, by creating awareness and support for Native environmental issues.
Queer Farmer Collective
https://www.facebook.com/queerfarmercollective/
To remove barriers that keep the queer community from engaging in agriculture as a means of personal sustenance and empowerment
Queer Farmer Convergence
https://humblehandsharvest.com/queer-farmer-convergence/
The Queer Farmer Convergence was conceived as a gathering to build community among queer farmers and to reflect on and interrupt racist, capitalist, and heteropatriarchal legacies in U.S. agriculture. It also works to build community among queer farmers as an antidote to the isolation that many of us experience in our daily lives.
Wallace Center/Winrock International
www.wallacecenter.org
2121 Crystal Drive Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22202
703-879-6556 (fax) 703-525-1744
Contact: wallacecenter@winrock.org
The Wallace Center supports entrepreneurs and communities as they build a new, 21st century food system that is healthier for people, the environment, and economy. They foster linkages, knowledge and resources through the National Good Food Network and by informing public policy.
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, USA (WWOOF-USA)
https://wwoofusa.org/en/
654 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
415-621-3276
Contact: info@wwoofusa.org
WWOOF-USA is a project of the Ecological Farming Association dedicated to connecting farms and volunteers. Members have access to an extensive international list of organic farms that welcome volunteer help in exchange for room and board. WWOOF farms offer a variety of educational opportunities, including growing vegetables, keeping bees, building straw bale houses, working with animals, making wine, and much more.
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