| Slow Money Minnesota just opened a new loan program to provide low-interest loans (up to $15,000) to help small-scale sustainable farmers improve their operations and increase their bottom lines. The Grow a Farmer Fund builds on years of work by many businesses and organizations (including natural food co-ops, farm-to-table restaurants, nonprofit organizations, and farmers) to help farmers who cannot access traditional financing because they lack collateral, have farms that are too small, or are trying something new. Initially funded by donations, the fund will act as a pilot project and serve as a proof of concept for broader initiatives for “good food citizens” to invest in sustainable farming. The fund will be managed by the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, and will initially target farmers in their 20-county service area. |
