Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology

Michigan Agriculture Advancement

Great Lakes Farm Navigator Spotlight

Name, Pronouns: Julie Doll, she/her
Organization: Michigan Agriculture Advancement
Title: CEO

1. Where in the Great Lakes region do you work?

My work with Michigan Agriculture Advancement (MiAA) covers the state of Michigan.

2. What brought you to this work? What is your connection to agriculture or to the watershed?

Agriculture is in my blood, and after spending time as a Peace Corps volunteer working with farmers in Paraguay I knew it would always be a part of my life. Now I’m blessed to live on a small patch of land in southwest Michigan growing food for my family and think bigger picture about agriculture with my work leading MiAA.

3. What is your area of expertise? In what ways do you typically work with farmers and farmland owners?

I’m trained as an “agro-ecologist” to think about the whole picture of agriculture, from the agronomic issues to humans working the land to the natural resources agriculture relies on. Most of my work now is in partnership with others to support farmers adopting conservation agriculture practices. We bring farmers together to learn from each other, host roundtable discussions on improving ag in our state, develop training resources around regenerative agriculture, and work with partners to bring forth better programs for conservation ag.

4. How are you hoping to grow from your experience as a Great Lakes Farm Navigator?

I’m thrilled that MiAA was chosen as one of the Navigator Organizations. We already work a great deal in the space of water and soil health. Now, I’m excited to take a deep dive into issues related to farm access and transition and farmland preservation. I’m excited to network with others across Michigan and the Great Lakes region to better support farmers in these areas.

5. What is one piece of advice you have for farmers who are looking to transfer their farm to a new generation? Or do you have advice for farmers entering agriculture and seeking access to land?

Start having conversations now! It is never too early to get started on the process of farm transfer.

Michigan Food and Farming Systems

Great Lakes Farm Navigator Spotlight

Name, Pronouns: Lakwiita, she/her 
Organization: Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) 
Title: Communications & Outreach Coordinator 

1. Where in the Great Lakes region do you work? 

I work across the state of Michigan. 

2. What brought you to this work? What is your connection to agriculture or to the watershed? 

I am the first person to farm in my family in two generations. However, all my great grandparents were farmers from a diverse array of traditional agricultural communities. I have followed my own passion for agriculture from a very young age and over the years, I have worked in a wide variety of agricultural settings, everywhere from dairy farms to school gardens. Agriculture and farming has always been my primary interest and passion in life. 

3. What is your area of expertise? In what ways do you typically work with farmers and farmland owners? 

My specialty, focus area is sustainable, regenerative, climate resilient agriculture which is rooted in my Indigenous world view and heritage. I work primarily with historically underrepresented and marginalized farmers to empower and support them in providing nourishing, culturally appropriate foods in sustainable, healing, and empowering ways to their communities; as well as helping them find sustainable, cost-effective solutions to common agricultural challenges, and accessing government agricultural programs such as those available through the USDA and NRCS. 

4. How are you hoping to grow from your experience as a Great Lakes Farm Navigator? 

I am hoping to learn how to better support the people I work with in both accessing farmland for production and creating solid, legal transition plans that allow the next generation of farmers to access land for production. 

5. What is one piece of advice you have for farmers who are looking to transfer their farm to a new generation? Or do you have advice for farmers entering agriculture and seeking access to land? 

My advice to both parties is the same, if you are truly passionate and committed to this work don’t give up because our country needs you! Despite the myriad challenges facing farmers, both new and retiring, there is always a creative way to solve the challenges of land access and land transition. Reach out to organizations like AFT or MIFFS and keep pushing until you get to someone who can help you. 

Michigan State University

Great Lakes Farm Navigator Spotlight

Name, Pronouns: Katie Brandt, she/her
Organization: MSU Organic Farmer Training Program
Title: Educational Programs Manager

1. Where in the Great Lakes region do you work?

I work in Michigan with programs based in East Lansing and Detroit. Many of the participants travel from throughout Michigan’s southern lower peninsula to participate in the MSU Organic Farmer Training Program that I teach.

2. What brought you to this work? What is your connection to agriculture or to the watershed?

I was a farmworker and farm manager for about 5 seasons before co-founding an organic vegetable farm with a fellow farmworker in 2006. I farmed there until 2016 and then transitioned to my current role as a farm educator. I also had experience working as a groundwater educator through Americorps.

3. What is your area of expertise? In what ways do you typically work with farmers and farmland owners?

I enjoy working with beginning and aspiring farmers to make a plan for farms that meet their values, goals, land and community needs. I am often able to connect new farmers with resources or people who can help make their farm dreams a reality.

4. How are you hoping to grow from your experience as a Great Lakes Farm Navigator?

In my first year as a Great Lakes Farm Navigator, I joined the advisory group for a Detroit farmer making her site plan for an educational farm in Detroit with the Detroit Collaborative Design Center through University of Detroit Mercy. It was a great learning experience and has contributed to how I teach site planning. I hope that in my 2^nd year as a Navigator, that I will be able to accept similar opportunities and share out what I learn with more farmers.

5. What is one piece of advice you have for farmers who are looking to transfer their farm to a new generation? Or do you have advice for farmers entering agriculture and seeking access to land?

I encourage intergenerational farmers to use my class as a reason to begin conversations with their family about the long-term plan for their farm and for succession. Often, they will work with their parents or siblings on their “Values & Goals” assignment, site plan, marketing plan or other sections of their Farm Business Plan. A few years ago, after attending a succession workshop, I added a line for “Farm Succession Plans” to the table I made for thinking through short and long-term farm goals.

For farmers without family members interested in passing on their land, I encourage people to start conversations with farmworkers and local beginning farmers, to list their land through my monthly Jobs & Opportunities emails or to post their land through MI FarmLink. 

West Michigan Farmers of Color Land Fund

Great Lakes Farm Navigator Spotlight

Name, Pronouns: Payge Solidago, they/she
Organization: West Mich Chapter of the National Young Farmers Coalition
Title: Treasurer

1. Where in the Great Lakes region do you work?

West Michigan, lower Michigan

2. What brought you to this work? What is your connection to agriculture or to the watershed?

I was brought to this work through my own deep connection to lands across Michigan as a farm worker/manager. As I expanded my farming community across the Midwest, the gaps in access to this field based on identity became clearer. In order to foster a food system that supports our health, we need all groups to be able to farm securely, through land ownership. By supporting other farmers to access resources they deserve, especially farmers of color, we are fostering the ecosystems necessary to preserve healthy communities admist climate change.

3. What is your area of expertise? In what ways do you typically work with farmers and farmland owners?

I am a young queer farmer myself, and I want to support other farmers who have limited opportunities to farm, specifically people of color and queer/trans young people. This group does not have the same access to generational land and farming knowledge, so I hope to be able to connect these folks with opportunities to build their skills and access land. Through the West Michigan Farmers of Color Land Fund, I am supporting fundraising work and farmer-network building so beginning farmers of color can access seed money to secure land ownership. This has looked like conversations with young farmers about lease agreements, navigating conflicts with landowners, as well as discussions with land owners and financial supporters about the best way they can support farmers.

4. How are you hoping to grow from your experience as a Great Lakes Farm Navigator?

I am hoping to expand my network of both landowners, financial supporters for farmers, and people interested in farming themselves, to help facilitate supportive relationships between these groups. Connecting with the other navigators and staff from the AFT has supported my knowledge around legal topics around farmland, making me better equipped to support farmers in accessing those resources.