LEAFF PROGRAM

Local Emergency Assistance Farmer Fund

If you’re a small-scale emerging farmer within 200 miles of the Twin Cities and are looking to expand into wholesale markets, the LEAFF program may be able to offer you assistance.

LEAFF is not a grant, but a guarantee to buy a specific dollar amount of produce from each accepted farm during the farm season, dependent on funding.

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Program focus

What LEAFF Does for Others

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Market Access

LEAFF was created to help small-scale emerging farmers survive the loss of their typical markets due to the pandemic. Now, LEAFF serves as a model farm to food shelf program, and is a proven on-ramp to wholesale market access. LEAFF is not a grant, but a guarantee to buy a set dollar amount of produce from each farm accepted into the program. Farms complete a brief application to participate which is reviewed by program partners. 

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Hunger Relief Support

The food purchased is donated to food shelves and other hunger relief organizations striving to offer fresh and culturally relevant produce to their communities. Efforts will focus on areas where healthy foods have been inaccessible and neighborhoods with a higher density of BIPOC residents because rates of food insecurity disproportionately affect these populations.

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LEAFF APPLICATION

Get the Help You Need to Succeed

Did you know?

Since LEAFF began in 2020, we have purchased $1,072,000 in produce from 120 emerging farmers. This translates to over 592,000 pounds of fresh produce donated to our hunger relief partners. 

LEAFF PROGRAM

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the purpose of LEAFF?

The Good Acre’s LEAFF program serves as a vital resource for emerging farmers, promoting sustainability, market access, community engagement, and food security while addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by farmers of color. If you’d like to be a part of the program next growing season, please click the button below.

SIGN UP FOR NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE 2024 SEASON

How can individuals offer support?

Make a donation today! You can also help spread the word about the program to your network, or call your legislative representatives and ask them to support funding for LEAFF.

Can someone translate this page for me?

Yes! To have this page translated to Somali, Hmong or other Southeast Asian languages, contact Xiong Thao. For Spanish, contact Aaron Blyth.

Is this program open to any farmer?

The application is currently open to any farmers who fall into the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s definition of an emerging farmer (PDF). Applications to the LEAFF program are open to all emerging farmers, selections are made by the Farmer Evaluation subcommittee based on farmer need and funding availability.

How much produce will you buy from me?

If accepted into the LEAFF program, the amount of produce we will purchase from you depends on program funding. For the 2023 season the guaranteed amount is $5,000 per farm in the program.

When will I find out if I’m accepted into the program?

Farmers who applied for LEAFF received notification of acceptance into the program in May 2023. Applications for LEAFF for this year are now closed, to be notified when applications open up next year, please fill out this form.

If I’m accepted, when can I start selling produce to the program?

We will let you know at the same time we let you know if you’ve been accepted into the program.

What produce can I sell to the program?

LEAFF will buy whatever produce you wish to sell each week, provided it is on the LEAFF Accepted Produce List.

How must produce be packaged?

Produce must be packaged according to the LEAFF Accepted Produce List. All produce is priced by the full box. Smaller quantities and mixed boxes cannot be accepted at this time.

Where and when do I deliver produce?

Produce is delivered to The Good Acre, 1790 Larpenteur Ave. W. Receiving days and times for 2023 are 8am – 3pm on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Not seeing your question answered here?

BY THE NUMBERS

LEAFF Status Dashboard

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program contacts

We’re Here to Help

Anna LEAFF
For questions about the LEAFF program or application, contact:
Anna Richardson
Xiong LEAFF
To have this website translated to Somali, Hmong or other Southeast Asian languages, contact:
Xiong Thao
Nikki
For LEAFF program advocacy, contact:
Nikki Warner

PROGRAM GOAL

Equity in the Food System

LEAFF partners recognize that our food system was built through the systemic oppression of BIPOC communities, farmers, and consumers and that it continues to be inequitable. Our goal is to provide resources and support to BIPOC farmers to eliminate barriers to success and provide connections to new wholesale markets. We are committed to providing produce purchased through the LEAFF program to organizations supporting those facing hunger and food insecurity in Minnesota.
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Thanks to Our Program Partners

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