By: David Lynch, Land-Link Director
In early 2009, Guidestone began exploration of the idea of launching a Land-Link Initiative here in the Upper Arkansas River Valley (see Introducing Guidestone's Land Link Intitiative). Since that time, the Chaffee County Land-Link Initiative has been gaining considerable momentum. The Chaffee County Board of Commissioners recently embraced the program committing $5,000 in matching funds toward the USDA grant proposal that is currently being prepared by the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. Seven area nonprofit organizations and agencies have lent their support to this initiative by providing endorsements and several have stepped up and made pledges in matching funds toward the project. In addition, the program has received considerable attention state-wide from other organizations and leaders thanks to a recent article featuring the Land Link Initiative in the Denver Post.
At the recent annual convention of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union (RMFU), policy was adopted by the delegates from a three-state area, to support a region-wide land link effort. RMFU’s Cooperative Development Center under the hand of director Ben Rainbolt is eyeing the Chaffee County Land-Link Initiative as the pilot for a statewide undertaking. Additionally, RMFU covered all expenses for David Lynch, Guidestone’s Land-Link Director, to attend a western region farm-link conference held in California. Considerable information and resources were provided at this event and David returns with increased enthusiasm for developing a Central Colorado region land-link program.
The USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant that is in progress, will provide the initial funding to get the Initiative off the ground. The grant proposal will be submitted in February, and if approved, will be awarded this next summer. Expectations are high and the land-link steering committee will continue laying the foundation in the coming months. Stay tuned for additional updates!
We would like to thank all of the organizations who have expressed their support of this program:
Central Colorado Foodshed Alliance
Chaffee County Board of Commissioners
Chaffee County Heritage Area
Chaffee County Planning Commission
GARNA
Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas
NRCS
Sonoran Institute
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3 comments:
Senator Schwartz has also written a letter of support for the Land Link Program.
Great work David! Thank you on behalf of all of us young farmer-hope-to-be's, who don't yet have anywhere to start farming.
I'm a beginning farmer looking for land in Colorado. I still haven't found any. I've tried contacting every agency under the sun. Guidestone talks the talk but I don't see any way to become a farmer or meet a retiring farmer through their site...
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