Got an animal-based operation?  The Food Animal Concerns Trust is once again calling for applications for its Fund-A-Farmer small grant program to qualifying livestock and poultry farmers who wish to improve their farm animal welfare.  Grants of up to $1,500 for projects are allocated for projects designed to:

• Help farms transition to pasture-based systems, or
• More generally enrich the conditions in which the farm animals are raised, or
• Improve the marketing of their humane products

A list of eligibility rules and previously funded projects is available at www.fundafarmer.org.  A few examples of potentially qualifying projects are: for projects focusing on improving access to pasture could include building portal housing, revamping fencing, or bettering pasture nutrition; for general improvements to welfare it could be providing the ability to sate natural instinct, such as with foraging areas or cow scratcher; and in terms of better marketing it could be improving websites, value-added lines, and training.

Check out the FACT grant program website for more information.  Applications are due by May 1.  While NYFC has no role in this program, we are sharing it with you because we see it as a fantastic opportunity for beginning farmers who have animal operations.

More About the Food Animal Concerns Trust

Founded in 1982, FACT is a national nonprofit organization based in Chicago that promotes humane and healthy farms through science-based advocacy, consumer education, and support for humane farmers.  FACT believes that all farm animals should be granted adequate space, access to the outdoors, clean water and air, the opportunity to express their natural behaviors, and safe feed.

Years ago, FACT pioneered successful projects working with farmers to create markets for humanely raised veal and eggs produced by uncaged hens.  The Fund-A-Farmer Project builds on those past successes and FACT’s belief that one of the best ways to improve farm animal welfare is to work directly with farmers.

FACT’s Fund-A-Farmer Project is designed to empower farmers to positively impact farm animal welfare. Farmers often want to make on-farm changes to give their animals a better life, but sometimes need financial assistance to make it happen.  We recognize that farmers have the needed technical expertise to make farms more humane, and can effectively use small grants to make these changes.