Northwest Agriculture Business Center receives grants to provide technical assistance to cooperatives and socially disadvantaged groups
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. -- Socially disadvantaged farmers and U.S. Veterans in several Western Washington counties will soon see new opportunities, thanks to the Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC). Located in Mount Vernon, NABC was awarded three U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grants beginning in October 2020, totaling $775,000. NABC will provide customized support, break down language barriers, and provide access to capital, new markets, and business management services for veterans and people of color from the Latino, Hmong and African immigrant farming communities.
“We are committed to supporting diversity and inclusion within the agricultural industry,” said NABC Executive Director David Bauermeister. “We’re confident we have the capacity to actively promote inclusive programs, with equitable treatment and access. We’re honored to have this opportunity to make a positive impact.”
The first grant is the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers administered by the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE). The $400,000 grant funds three years of implementing programs, which will help these farmers and ranchers gain access to federal grant and lending programs. NABC will work in partnership with the USDA to provide hands-on technical assistance and interpreting services to provide these farmers with access to business planning, new markets, and the financial resources necessary to support the success of their farm businesses. NABC will begin offering workshop, to provide business development tools in the areas of planning, marketing, market access, farming and food safety.
The second grant project funds one year at $175,000 from USDA Socially Disadvantaged Group Grant (SDGG). It focuses on supporting two socially disadvantaged groups, African immigrants and Hmong Americans. NABC will work with the members of Wakulima USA, a food and farming cooperative that advances small business development and food sovereignty for African immigrants and people of color in the Puget Sound area. NABC’s assistance will allow them to expand their food and farming activities.
NABC’s work within this grant also includes technical assistance for Hmong American farmers. This is an under-represented minority group from Laos, who came to the U.S. as refugees after the Vietnam war ended in the late 1970s. NABC will help a group of 80 farm families form a cooperative association to support and expand their farming and marketing activities.
Additionally, this project centers on cooperative and business development for the Latino farming community. NABC’s bi-lingual staff will provide technical assistance for market access, particularly for participation in existing food hub and other cooperatives. NABC’s staff will also work with three community colleges, in order to provide workshops in Spanish to help increase computer skills for Latino farmers and small businesses.
NABC also received a $200,000 award through the USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG), for one year to support existing cooperatives and cooperative start-ups. NABC supported the start-ups of three new farmer-owned cooperatives within the Puget Sound region this past year, and is now providing assistance to nine marketing, distribution, and processing cooperatives, owned my more than 200 farmer and worker-owners.
Since 2006, NABC improves the economic viability of the agriculture industry and provides business resources and hands-on guidance to new or existing businesses who offer value-added or innovative agricultural products or services. NABC works within 11 Western Washington counties: Grays Harbor, Island, King, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom. To learn more visit AgBizCenter.org
