Farm Credit Supports Farms Large And Small

Attendees at outdoor session of 2019 CA Small Farm Conference

While many people think that large, expansive farming operations are the norm in California, the opposite is actually true. The federal Census of Agriculture found that one third of the 75,000-plus farms in the Golden State are less than 9 acres – and that two-thirds of the state’s farms are less than 50 acres.

And that’s why Farm Credit strongly supports the California Small Farm Conference, which this year will be held February 27-29 in Paso Robles. This year marks the 32nd conference, organized since 2018 by Community Alliance with Family Farmers, which works to promote sustainable and resilient family farms, communities and ecosystems.

Evan Wiig, the group’s director of membership and communications, said the event focuses primarily on farms that sell their products through farmers’ markets and directly to local grocery stores and restaurants.

“The conference is an opportunity for folks to come together and ask questions,” he said. “We are rooted in the real-world need of working farmers and provide practical resources that help farmers succeed as small businesses, local food providers and land stewards.

“Most of our attendees are in the 1- to 30-acre range, but we have some larger and some even smaller.”

About 300 attendees are expected, most from California.

Byron Enix, President and CEO of American AgCredit, said smaller family farms are important to the future of California agriculture.

“Farm Credit is proud to provide financial services to farmers and ranchers large and small, and we are equally proud to sponsor conferences like this one that provide important and up-to-date information to small farmers, who provide such important benefits to our communities and the environment,” Enix said.

Wiig said sponsorships such as Farm Credit’s are the only way events such as the California Small Farm Conference can be held.

“Our primary constituents don’t have a lot of extra spending power. We have to keep the event affordable, and we couldn’t do that on ticket sales alone,” he noted. “Farm Credit’s support has allowed us to grow and offer services to more people.”

The conference, which is held in different parts of the state each year, will be held this year at the Cuesta College North County Campus in Paso Robles. To learn more and to register, visit https://www.caff.org/ca-small-farm-conference/.

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About Farm Credit:

American AgCredit, CoBank, Farm Credit West, Fresno Madera Farm Credit and Golden State Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com.

About CAFF:

Founded in 1978, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) is a California-based nonprofit that builds sustainable food and farming systems through policy advocacy and on-the-ground programs that create more resilient family farms, communities and ecosystems.