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Focus AreaCurrent landscape
Where are we now?		Desired Landscape
Where do we want to be?		Recommendations
How do we get there?		Implementation
Who is responsible?		Draft Recommendations / StrategiesNotes
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1Modifiying/Updating DoAg grant programs/land access programs and opportunities to support the direct access of land for BIPOC See Resources and Capital Group notesDedicated funding for BIPOCMake grant program information more accessible - easy-to-navigate, in multiple languages, clear parameters;
Set-aside for BIPOC (state should at minumum match the federal 10%- at least 10% of applicants or funding);
New grant programs just for BIPOC, including for direct access of landVermont just passed a land access opportunity act that creates a board at VHCB that looks at the constitutionality of setting aside grants and down payment assistance for BIPOC... bill awaiting signature from Governor Scott but can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sYrVe11vPlsPfR6daU6bUA626ZI86hCv9hj4iBxZr98/edit?usp=sharing		DoAg
CT Legislature		ex. VT BIPOC led land and home opp. fund;

From Resources and Capital Sub-group: Revisions to existing DoAg grant programs Matching -Deterrent, particularly the cash match Changing the reimbursement ratio (Mirror it to USDA’s 90% reimbursement) Improve reimbursement calendar so at least 50% funds are available up front to start projects (similar to NRCS EQIP for farmers that are categorized as ‘socially disadvantaged’) Dislike that beginning farmers are only eligible for a small award amount - should be in line with other categories?. Conversely microgrants are important and needed. Set aside for BIPOC farmers or % of awards strive to target (also write in what happens if there is money in this pool that is not awarded). More outreach to BIPOC farmers in coordination with other programs that may offer complementary funding assistance (FSA microloan to cover cost of project before reimbursement), working with local non profit farms that serve as conduit/gateway for BIPOC urban farmers
Create a version of the Farmland Restoration program which is specifically targeted to BIPOC producers such as taking a piece of land that is vacant, small, non prime soils etc. to take them into production and possibly prepare and provide training/demonstration/education uses as well. Soil amendments, access road, fencing, water access, mulch/compost, removing invasives, steps to get them ready for production. Can also be used for shared community garden space/community farms.\
How to ensure that good quality land and infrastructure access is available to BIPOC farmers not just remnants and cast-offs - incubators/publicly owned land that is leased via RFP process? (see #3)
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2Supporting alternative land ownership and tenure models -options now are really own land or depend on leased landutilize state owned land with low rental rates as a place for beginning and BIPOC producers to built their business and get connected into resources and technical assistance, collaborative farming communities/shared use space, etc

how to navigate if existing/surrounding housing is attached to farmland and is not included in low rental rates		Pilot / Demonstation model - work with law school clinics (Yale, UCONN) 1. First step is to do a survey or study of what models would be the best fits (from existing models) that would specifically work in CT in conjunction with partners. 2. Second step would be to demo this on actual land. Maybe in conjuction with DECD and DEEP?DoAg, UConn Extension, Land Trusts, Municipalities, Non-profits1) DoAg to commission a report on cooperative land trusts and other models of cooperative owenership/incubators models (just knowing the frameworks that exist). Producer interest/needs included in this. What is the asset and wealth building component of this for producers? Support needed- financial and research (agrigan trust, federation of southern cooperatives, Dudley Street Neighbor Initiative etc. other groups that have created shared community owened land trust) NEFOC is a group that has been looking into creating an improved version of what agrian trust is doing. Agrian land trust has a community of land trust board- issues with this model. Another example is equity trust. Reching out to other groups to see what models have worked well. NE SARE may be a good resources. https://newrootscooperativefarm.com/ and https://www.veggifarmcoop.com/recipes-2/ https://www.rootednw.org/ and https://sectclt.org/ https://www.bflt.org/. What funding exists already for this? (Farmland Preservation/Community Farms program, new funding under restoration program. Look to PA 490 to create tax breaks for community land trustsHow do we allow for the PDR program to support Community Land Trust models? Incubator - UCONN Extension training - Experienced farmer mentoring program - "learn from the best"
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3Urban and peri urban working lands-towns create their own zoning laws and many don't have a clear urban ag land usage, difficult to navigate; PA 490 can be used in urban communities but state assessors have their own discretion to implement or offer PA 490 benefits1 towns/cities have urban agriculture master plans 2.Farm training progrms at farms funded by state/cityag commissions in urban environments that are representative of the community. increase diverse representation on exisiting ag commissions

Amend PA 490 to have higher tax breaks for urban producers

municipal departments focused on food/ag policy

Tie-in with PILOT? How are 490 tax revenues "reimbursed" to towns now? 		CT State Legislature 1) Reccomendation for municiaplities with populations above a certain level to create an urban agriculture master plan. Funding to support this form the state/federal level. Could look different for each municipality. 2)Create statewide PA 490 guidelines so it is applied and available to all regardless of municipality. Pursue a more universal application of PA 490 with a clear emphasis of how it can be used in urban settings. ex. CA urban ag incentive zone act - inclusion of indoor agriculture - access to other sources of funding via Economic Development, brownfields cleanup, enterprise/opportunity zones, etc.1.Creating relationships with businesses that may have space for a rooftop Garden arangement and/or contract. 2.Farming Books about access to land held at each farm for temp use like a library. 3. Using beautifiation grants to go towards a urban garden replacing a known eye sore..
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4Making information more accessible

(on how to purchase and/or protect land in rural, peri-urban, and urban areas)		-lack of mechanisms to broadly inform the public, especially those who are not already engaged in farming and those in urban areasclear, transparent processes with resources and toolkits available in multiple languages and formats (e.g. intergenerational considerations) DoAg, UConn Extension, Farmlink
1) Reccomendation for Extension centers, how information is presented and disseminated. 2)Collaborate with existing organizations who are doing this work to strgenth (such as Southern NE Farmers of Color) Land Tenure Workshop series 3)Make a more concerted effort to connect to realators and town planners to get more listings on Farmlink of available farmland 4)Learning more about Vacant Lot Activation such as what Keney Park Sustainability Project is leading in Hartford and how it can be expanded and replicated. 5)Department should come up with creative ways to confuct outreach, beyond what already occurs. Build partnerships with community organizations with exisiting networks- build new partnerships. Part of accountability is that the group which will continue to provide feedback on methods.
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5Ensuring Sustainabilty & Accountability around DoAg DEI Priorities-The DEI group should be in state statute and have a dedicated funding source to be responsible for implementing and holding the agency accountable to these recommendations. separate entity (board/commission) that oversees the implementation of the work to ensure follow-through and alignment with intentions/goals/outcomes. Continued engagementSuggestion for the Main Working Group to define/detail
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6Access to forclosed in via State, FSA & USDA

Access to assets that are publicly-/privately-owned		Not much visibility on what's available and whereFirst rights/access to land that has been forclosed on or is not being worked onAgencies prioritize land for POCState, USDA agencie rep for state1)Explore pathways for how foreclosed public properties (schools and malls for example) could be perhaps transferred to a land bank and then funding could be accessed to remidate that land or shared infrastucture and utilized for outdoor or indoor ag production/processingMain working group topic; this can be achieved **Need a database of all farmland owned by state agencies, municipalities and land trusts **Need GIS analyst for this
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