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Building Resilience on the Farm: The Farm Family Assistance Program

At Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Herkimer County, we understand that farmers face unique challenges that extend far beyond the fields. The Farm Family Assistance Program was born from a small mental health grant through CCE Herkimer County and Herkimer County Mental Health. It has since grown into a broader initiative addressing key areas of risk for farm families, including stress, social isolation, and access to essential resources like healthcare and nutritious food.

Local Foods Maps fanned out on top of each other

Rooted in the agricultural community’s needs, the program focuses on promoting economic resilience, mental health awareness, and fostering a connected network of support. The Farm Family Assistance Program focuses on strategic outreach to connect our agricultural community to much needed resources tailored to our farmers’ unique needs.

Central to the Farm Family Assistance Program is the Local Foods Map. This resource provides the foundation of CCE Herkimer County’s connection with local food producers. Each year, our team reaches out to individual producers to add or update existing farm profiles, facilitating market and social networks. CCE Herkimer County prints 5,000 Local Foods Maps each year, connecting our local foods to tables across the region.

Keeping pace with the digital era, the Local Foods Map provides the foundation for CultivateHerkimer.org, a website platform that was designed by the Herkimer County Agricultural Council, chaired by Garet Livermore, Executive Director of CCE Herkimer County. The site is designed to be a hub of connectivity between farmers and the community. By facilitating meaningful relationships among CCE staff, government officials, healthcare providers, and other farmers, the platform has built a robust network of support that farmers and the community can rely on. The Cultivator Blog on the website gives a platform to the voices of farm families, helping the community to understand what they need to thrive. Among the publications that were released in 2024 is a series produced in collaboration with the Central New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team that focused on key areas of risk for farmers, providing strategies to address difficult topics. These articles together reached 7,100 residents of Herkimer County with overwhelmingly positive feedback.

Open flag with signs for market

The Farm Family Assistance Program ensures farmers are not alone in navigating the complexities of agricultural life. Our team is providing boots on the ground by facilitating Farm to School Workshops, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program outreach, community partner presentations, one-on-one farm consultations, and connecting the community at our annual local foods summit held during the agricultural off-season towards the end of winter.

The Farm Family Assistance Program is more than just a support initiative—it is a call to action to prioritize farmers’ well-being and, in doing so, securing our local food systems. Thriving farmers are the backbone of thriving communities, and by fostering dialogue, building resilience, and breaking down stigma, we aim to remove obstacles for the agricultural community to flourish together.

To learn more about the Farm Family Assistance Program, Cultivate Herkimer, and to see what events CCE Herkimer County has coming up, sign up for our newsletter.  Let’s work together to ensure the health and vitality of our farm families and the food systems they sustain.

Cameron Burke is part of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Herkimer County team. She’s an advocate for nutrition security and sustainable food systems, believing in the power of human connections, education, and grit to build resilient food systems. Cameron has committed herself to fostering bonds between communities and their food, promoting local farmers, artisans, and producers for their invaluable contributions. Her passion for food and community drives positive change and meaningful connections in the local food movement. 

Article published February 3, 2025.