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Robert Alexander is a credentialed Senior Correspondent recognized by the United States Press Agency (USPA) and German Daily News.
KSHB 41 anchor/reporter JuYeon Kim covers agricultural issues and the fentanyl crisis. Share your story idea with JuYeon.
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Harvest is abundant this year at KC Farm School in Kansas City, Kansas.
But the baskets are only full because of hard work and grit. It was not easy filling their produce buckets this year.
After nearly eight months, KSHB 41 followed up with KC Farm School for an update on the U.S. Department of Agriculture funding freezes from March.
At the time, KC Farm School staff did not know if their five grants through the USDA, totaling over $500,000, would be honored. The staff was working at 75%, time and pay, for six weeks.
“A lot has happened since March,” said Farm Director Lydia Nebel. “When we all share what we have, then we all have what we need, and we made it through that.”
Thankfully, the funding was restored.
But when times were tough, Nebel says people helping people was the key to their survival. People like Sarah Franz, executive director of Healing Soils Foundation, who loaned them $60,000 for a new delivery van.
“We felt like they were a great option to fund in this moment because they were able to touch so many different farmers, and to aggregate, and provide the kind of the supply chain piece that was missing,” said Franz. “Through this recoupable grant program, we’ve done over $550,000 to 16 farms across the Midwest. And we’re looking at about 75% recoupable rate, which means we can get that money right back out the door to more farms.”
During the initial USDA funding freezes in the spring, Healing Soils Foundation shifted their operations to meet the demands of farmers. It created the Regenerative Farmer Assurance Fund, a recoupable loan that assists the immediate needs of organizations and farms.
Round three of the Regenerative Farmer Assurance Fund is already underway and farmers seeking assistance in the Midwest are welcome to apply on the Healing Soils Foundation website.
“It’s something that was born out of this unique situation that we saw with USDA,” said Franz. “We are now shifting yet again, trying to fill some of these gaps that are being created by the government shutdown. So it’s been a very tumultuous year for farmers in general.”
KC Farm School was able to pay the foundation back when they finally got their USDA grants through reimbursements.
Nebel says the electric delivery van they were able to purchase has already saved them hours of labor and miles of driving.
The staff is now channeling that gratitude by continuing their mission to feed the community through partnerships.
“Them coming to us is a huge benefit,” said Andrea Violeta, program coordinator at The Hub Argentine. “A lot of them tell us that we’re their only, we’re their only like, resource that they have for fresh produce or fresh healthy meals, so they really depend on us.”
With the government shutdown still going and no end in sight, Nebel is optimistic that should another storm blow through, they can hold onto each other.
So far, their biggest concern is not being able to serve clients who use SNAP to purchase their fruits and vegetables. Nebel also says another impact of the government shutdown is a temporary pause in funding distribution. Federal workers are out of offices where grants and loans are processed.
“I don’t want it to continue happening, but I know that farmers will always, always meet those problems and that we are stronger when the farmers are working together,” said Nebel.
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