FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Beth Hauptle, Director of Communications
beth@rafi.gameflow.design, 919.903.2525
[Pittsboro, NC, January 13, 2025] — RAFI recently announced the recipients of its Farmer Infrastructure Grants for 2024. The grant program provides stipends of up to $10,000 for historically underserved farmers and ranchers who have been farming for at least three years. The fund has awarded $121,000 to 15 grantees across nine states. Learn about the grantees on RAFI’s website.
RAFI’s Infrastructure Grants support the success of established farmers by helping install impactful infrastructure to spur the growth of their operations. Funds will be used for projects that will increase farm viability, support community food sovereignty efforts, preserve traditional and cultural farming practices, and assist local food economies. Of the 15 awardees, 25% raise livestock, 85% grow vegetables, and 20% raise laying hens. This year’s grantees are from Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
RAFI Land Access Director Kavita Koppa said, “The RAFI Infrastructure Grant program empowers farmers to elevate their operations to the next level. These infrastructure investments not only enable farms to expand their current production but also inspire
innovation, with many farmers adopting environmentally sustainable and community-focused approaches. We are thrilled to see this year’s cohort become a source of inspiration and leadership for the broader farming community.” Farm projects supported by the 2024 RAFI Infrastructure Grants include shared on-farm cold storage, portable irrigation, and seed-cleaning equipment for regional grain production. Two grantee projects are outlined below. Information on RAFI’s 2025 Farmer Grants will be available early this year.
Seyed-Ali Mousavi of Mousavi Farms in North Carolina offers their growing customer base an expanding variety of seasonal vegetables and fruits, fresh and dried herbs, local honey (as liquid, creamed, with comb), eggs, halal meats (sheep, chicken) and assorted plants. They maintain a thriving beekeeping operation and educate the public about the importance of honeybees and how to be successful beekeepers. In order to continue to grow and offer quality produce in the face of increased climate uncertainty, they will install rainwater harvesting systems on four existing outbuildings with wide shed roofs. This system will ensure an abundant water supply (up to 5200 gallons) for watering gardens and orchards without compromising the well in the face of frequent drought in the area.
Derrick Muhammad of the South Carolina Black Farmers Coalition gathers Black farmers, agricultural professionals, advocates, and enthusiasts dedicated to advancing the interests of Black farmers across the Palmetto State. Their 250+ members cultivate a wide array of vegetables, grains, and other agricultural products, reflecting the rich diversity of South Carolina’s farming heritage. Their grant will support the construction of two cold storage units for their farmer collective. These facilities will provide essential storage for produce during transportation from the field to customers or retail locations, ensuring freshness and reducing post-harvest losses.
RAFI challenges the root causes of unjust food systems, supporting and advocating for economically, racially, and ecologically just farm communities. We envision a thriving, sustainable, and equitable food system: where farmers and farmworkers have dignity and agency; where they are supported by just agricultural policies; where corporations and institutions are accountable to their community. RAFI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Pittsboro, North Carolina, and incorporated in 1990.