Local and regional farmers once relied on independent grocery stores to market their products. But as massive corporate grocery chains tighten their stranglehold on the market, how can these local stores — and the farmers they source from — stay afloat?

M. Dominique Villanueva runs Fountain Heights Farm in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband Christopher Gooden. The farm has blossomed from their front yard garden to five city lots, producing thousands of pounds of food annually.

What would it look like for faith communities to be in sustainable, mutually beneficial, and practical relationships with farmers? RAFI's Farm and Faith Partnerships Project pairs churches with local farmers of color to create community supported agriculture programs aimed at strengthening local food systems.

Sarah Vogel’s The Farmers Lawyer: The North Dakota Nine and the Fight to Save the Family Farm is essential reading for farmers and farm advocates. This true story of a young attorney and her lawsuit on behalf of farm families is many things: a compelling memoir; an important history lesson; a crash course in law; an epic David vs. Goliath struggle; and a warning for us all about the challenges farmers continue to face that threaten their very existence.