Farmer Climate Relief Fund

A community-sustained emergency relief fund established to help emerging and immigrant farmers recover from climate disasters and extreme weather events. 100% of donations go directly to affected farmers to offset economic losses from climate-related crop failures and damages.

Geographic Scope

• Dakota and Rice Counties, Minnesota
• Serves 200+ immigrant, BIPOC, & LGBTQ+ farmers and gardeners

Eligibility

• Immigrant farmers
• BIPOC farmers
• LGBTQ+ farmers
• Emerging farmers

Focus Areas

Provides financial relief for:

• Crop failures from climate disasters
• Lost revenue from market sales
• Lost agricultural inputs
• Impacts from drought
• Impacts from historic flooding
• Other climate-related economic losses

Recent Crisis Context

• June 2024: Dakota County received 17 inches of rain (wettest spring on record)
• Historic flooding in southern Minnesota
• Reported farmer impacts: $3,500-$40,000 per farmer in losses
• Losses include crop failures, lost inputs, lost revenue, and labor costs
• Crop insurance inaccessible to most participating farmers

Program Details

• Addresses inequitable governmental crop insurance policies
• Recognizes increasing frequency and severity of climate disasters
• Builds culture of commoning and shared economy
• Creates community-sustained safety net for local growers
• Donations from foundations, community members, consumers, and families
• No repayment required

What's Needed

• Direct support to farmers facing insurmountable losses
• Sustained safety net for future climate events
• Community commitment to supporting immigrant and emerging farmers

Contact Information

• Address: 4905 315th St. W, Northfield, MN 55057
• Farm Phone: (507) 323-5587
• Office Phone: (507) 323-5588

Organization Background

• 501(c)3 non-profit
• Community-supported organization
• Mission to support immigrant, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ farmers
• Committed to food sovereignty and farm viability

Application/Relief Process

Application details for farmers seeking relief are not provided in the available website content. Based on the fund description, farmers likely contact Sharing Our Roots directly to request relief assistance.

Contact for Relief Requests

• Email: info@sharing-our-roots.org
• Phone (Farm): (507) 323-5587
• Phone (Office): (507) 323-5588
• Address: 4905 315th St. W, Northfield, MN 55057
• Farmer Cohort Facilitator: Lucia Possehl (lucia@sharing-our-roots.org)

Donation Process (for Community Support)

To support the fund:

• Donate online through the Sharing Our Roots website
• Select "Farmer Climate Relief Fund" or "Farmer Climate Relief" option
• Donations of all amounts accepted
• Single-time or recurring donations available
• 100% of donations go directly to farmers

Additional Notes

• Specific application forms not detailed in provided content
• Fund appears to operate on need-based distribution rather than formal application
• Contact organization directly for individual relief requests
• Fund targets farmers with documented climate-related economic impacts