Farmer Climate Relief Fund
Directly support emerging growers recover from unprecedented floods.
Emerging farmers at Sharing Our Roots are facing
significant crop failures after weeks of nonstop rain.
Sharing Our Roots supports 200+ immigrant, BIPOC, & LGBTQ+ farmers & gardeners across Dakota & Rice Counties with land access and shared infrastructure. In June 2024, Dakota County received 17 inches of rain, making it the wettest spring on record and bringing historic floods to southern Minnesota. Currently, many of our farmers’ fields have standing water, making it impossible to replant what has been lost.
Unfortunately, crop insurance is inaccessible to most farmers at Sharing Our Roots, which means these small-scale growers are responsible for all crop failure and market sale losses. Our farmers have reported financial impacts of $3,500 to $40,000 in lost crops, inputs and revenue, even without factoring in the cost of labor.
The emergence of our Farmer Climate Relief Fund is an effort to bring together foundations, community members, eaters, and family members alike who are committed to building a future where immigrant and emerging farmers have the opportunity to grow food for our communities.
Help create a sustained safety net for local
immigrant, BIPOC, & LGBTQ+ farmers.
Our organization has been able to offer $500 in Emergency Disaster Relief to each affected farm operation at the Sharing Our Roots Farm. However, this is not sufficient to meet the level of financial relief needed.
With no government or state funding yet available and no insurance payments possible for farmers, we are turning to you – our community – for support. We are raising $10,000 this year to provide relief to farmers and with your help, hope to surpass this goal to build a resilient safety net fund for future farming seasons.
With inequitable governmental crop insurance policies and increasing severe climate disasters, we know that we must continue to build a culture of commoning and a shared economy that works to directly support our farmers into the future. In the last two seasons alone, our farm has experienced intense drought and unprecedented rainfall. We know that these extreme weather events will become more common and severe in coming years - join us now in creating a community-sustained safety net for local growers.
100% of all donations received through our Farmer Climate Relief Fund will go directly to immigrant and emerging farmers who have suffered economic impact from extreme flooding. On behalf of our farmers, we are grateful for your contributions, large or small.
Hear From Affected Farmers:
“I won't be able to fulfill my contracts, launch my new product, or meet any of my financial needs through the farm this year. I’ve already invested 600+ hours of labor this season. I've lost many of my established perennials, nearly all of my annuals, and am unable to plant any of the new perennials I purchased this year.”
- 3rd year SOR farmer
The damage from floods has not only destroyed 80% of my crop, but it has also damaged my relationship with my customers. I now have to refund preorders that I received for difficult-to-find African produce, like chinsaga. It’s hard to quantify this loss; gaining trust is not an easy thing to get back once destroyed.
— 1st year SOR farmer
“Right now, we are worried about where to get vegetables for our family. This means we have to stretch out our limit in terms of our food budget.” “I've lost much of what I've planted: corn, chili peppers, watermelon, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, and epazote.”
— 1st year SOR farmers
Sharing Our Roots prioritizes land access for farmers from communities who have been historically excluded from farmland access, including immigrant, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ farmers.