Whatcom Farm Incubator Project
Why a WFIP?
As Whatcom County faces the growing economic and environmental challenges of the future, the need to maintain a safe, sustainable and economically viable agricultural foundation has become increasingly clear. It is time for our community to make more strategic investments in strengthening and diversifying the agricultural economy and the farm community.
Through reviewing the surveys of current and past participants in Sustainable Connections Food to Bank On (FTBO) program and in speaking directly with those farmers and others with interests in agriculture, it is clear that the most common barriers to success for beginning farmers are: 1) Access to affordable and available organic farmland, 2) Access to affordable infrastructure like tractors, greenhouses, irrigation equipment, etc. 3) Opportunity to spend more time in proximity with peers to share ideas and learn production, marketing and other best practices from one another.
A Whatcom Farm Incubator Project (WFIP) has great potential to expand opportunities and markets for local farmers while raising awareness for protection of agricultural lands. This project will strengthen community among farmers and work to raise awareness for food justice and food shed issues.
What is a Farm Incubator?
Farm Incubators are land-based educational, training and support programs for beginning farmers who wish to start their own agricultural enterprises but may lack the initial capital outlay and/or experience to farm on their own. Components of an Incubator often include: access to land and farm infrastructure at a reasonable rate; mentorships with experienced farmers; educational opportunities; financial planning support including loan counseling and grant application assistance; individualized business consulting; and marketing and distribution cooperatives. Incubators also serve to educate the public about the importance of agricultural preservation and local food production and consumption. ALBA in California and the Intervale Center in VT are examples of well-established and successful farm incubators. Click here for a list of links to other incubator projects happening across the country and related resources.
Who, Where and When?
In October 2007, Sustainable Connections and Kulshan Community Land Trust (KulshanCLT) prepared a Phase 1 Report on the feasibility of creating a Farm Incubator in Whatcom County. Sustainable Connections’ experience working with beginning farmers through the Food To Bank On program and KulshanCLT’s expertise in acquiring property, along with their commitment to preserving agricultural land, makes these two organizations uniquely suited to implement a Farm Incubator in Whatcom County. In Jan/Feb 2008, an advisory committee was formed and in September 2008 Sustainable Connections hired an Americorps VISTA to work just over half time on developing the WFIP. To date we have been in contact with other incubator projects to gather information on their models, leasing options, programs and budgets.
The major work to be done for the WFIP to move forward is finding the project a home. Ideally, the WFIP would sit on a minimum of 100 acres with a current water right and would have farm buildings that could work for a variety of uses. The possibility of on-site housing and an administrative office is also a consideration. The site should also be easily accessible and relatively close to either Bellingham or Ferndale. Extensive site research and visits have already taken place and we are always looking for new leads.
A generous donor has recently established a dedicated fund at the Whatcom Community Foundation for the WFIP. Click here for a detailed press release about the new Fund and our partnership with the Whatcom Community Foundation. Those who wish to donate to the Whatcom Farm Incubator Fund may do so by mailing a contribution to the Foundation at 119 Grand Avenue, Suite A, Bellingham, WA 98225, or on the Whatcom Community Foundation website (whatcomcf.org)
More details regarding what we’re looking for, and the WFIP in general, can be found in the Phase 1 Report.
We welcome your feedback! We are seeking input, ideas, tips and referrals (particularly towards available farmland) from the community. If you have something you would like to share please contact Eva Agudelo or Derek Long at Sustainable Connections (eva@sconnect.org, or derek@sconnect.org, 360-647-7093) or Ann Russell at KulshanCLT (annrussell@kclt.org, 360-671-5600).
