BISNet Highlights

Arkansas Star Programs

TOPIC:	Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation
LOCATION:	Fargo, Arkansas
CONTACT:	Henry Golatt: (870) 543-8030 Golatt_H@vx4500.uapb.edu
OUTCOME:	Rural Economic Development

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Founded in 1980, the Board of Directors and staff of the Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation (ALFDC) have dedicated themselves to the challenges facing the rural citizens of Arkansas. Having as their mission to improve the quality of life of rural communities through land retention, family farm development, and land based economic development, ALFDC has been instrumental in their efforts to build the capacity of limited resource farmers and develop programs that strengthen the socially disadvantaged.

ALFDC is a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt organization with over 1,000 members consisting of individuals and other community-based organizations. With a service area which includes 42 counties located in the Eastern and Southern regions of Arkansas, ALFDC is divided into four service regions with board representation in each of the four regions.

Programs and services of the ALFDC target the adult as well as the youth populations. Programs and services of ALFDC include:

Outreach - Help farmers diversify their operations, change to alternate crops, and establish sustainable farming systems that protect the environment.

Training and Technical Assistance - Help farmers qualify for financing, improve production and increase farm profits. Conduct workshops and conferences on land loss prevention, farm credit, and alternate farm enterprises.

Demonstration - Operate a 266-acre demonstration farm and woodlands site. Help establish community demonstration sites on private farms. Demonstration farm includes a pasture-based swine project, fruit orchard & a shiitake mushroom production demonstration.

Access - Help farmers locate land for alternate crop production.

Marketing - Link farmers with marketing cooperatives. Establish new marketing and distribution systems.

Career Development in Agriculture - Help new entry farmers get started. Provide youth programs in agriculture and leadership.

Community Development - Help other organizations create programs and gain resources. Create spin-off organizations to address rural issues. Use the Fargo site as a training and conference center.
Advocacy - Through education, influence state and federal policy for rural development. Provide legal referral to farmers and landowners.

International Agriculture - Conduct technical and cultural exchange programs with African farmers. Establish joint ventures in agri-business.
Housing - Housing for the homeless and inadequately housed. Housing Development.

ALFDC ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Provided counseling and legal referral to more than 700 farmers facing land loss credit problems.
Assisted more than 400 limited resources farm families through outreach and farm development services.
Helped maintain local ownership of some 15,000 acres of land with a current value of approximately 7.5 million.
Influenced state and federal legislation to modify property tax laws and create support services for limited resource farmers.
Reclaimed the Fargo site, established woodland , livestock and vegetable demonstration farms. Created the ALFDC Small Farm Conference Center.
1993 recipient of the President's Voluntary Action Award for community development and volunteer participation.
1990 Partnership Award from the USDA Office of Advocacy and Enterprise - the first time the award was given to a non-government organization.
Recognized as one of the "50 Model Community Organizations" by the United Nations.
Implemented a youth entrepreneurship training program which provided training for approximately 200 youth. Thirty youths enrolled in the program received youth loans for small business start-up from USDA's Farm Service Agency.
Provided technical support assistance to establish a small town resource center for eleven cooperating small towns and municipalities.
Provided technical support assistance in capital formation and planning for the expansion of a brown rice processing mill. Total capital formation of $410,000 was secured.
Through Intermediary Relending Loan Program and capital formation, ALFDC provided a capital infusion of over $1.5 million for new business development and expansion resulting in job retention and new job creation.
Raised over 1.1 million for a 24 unit multi-family housing development in Crawfordsville, Arkansas
Reclaimed the former Moro Grade School and established a Multi-purpose Satellite Training Center.
Successfully conducted planning for two Rural Enterprise Communities resulting in $5.8 million for implementing rural economic development strategies in five Arkansas counties. ALFDC serves as the administrative agency for the East Arkansas Enterprise Community. The implementation strategy focuses on business development, youth, human resource capacity building (future work force), health service, alternative financing, drainage and infrastructure development and senior care.

ALFDC is a partner with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Through this partnership arrangement, ALFDC works closely with both the Schools of Agriculture and Business to carry out agricultural and economic development initiatives. The Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation serves as a co-grantee with the University's Economic Research and Development Center under the 1890/RBS initiative sponsored by the Rural Business and Cooperative Services of the United States Department of Agriculture.

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Last modified: May 14, 1998