PHOENIX — As federal funding for programs supporting small family farms faces abrupt cuts, Arizona growers and advocates warn of a ripple effect that could shrink access to fresh, local food and threaten the viability of innovative agricultural operations.
Rodney Machokoto, owner of Machokoto Family Farms in Phoenix, has spent years transforming ways to grow fresh varieties of veggies at their small, thriving farm, experimenting with crops like Armenian cucumbers that thrive in Arizona’s harsh climate with little water.
“We are the Silicon Valley of farming,” Machokoto said, describing how small farms introduce new crops and ideas to the region. “It’s a risky proposal, but we’ve got less to lose than the big farms.”
For years, programs funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have provided critical resources to small producers, including grants for equipment, refrigerated trucks, and commercial kitchens.
These resources have enabled farmers to deliver fresh produce to food banks, schools, and even tribal communities.
“A lot of these products, these programs, were allowing us to bring in more healthier, more fresh produce,” Machokoto said. “We’re almost harvesting the day before, and we’re delivering it to the food bank.”
But with the sudden freeze and cancellation of multi-year grants, farmers like Machokoto are being forced to scale back.
“Instead of growing four times, we’re going to have to shrink down to maybe 10% or even less,” he said, noting the impact on food banks and low-income families.
Patty Emmert, director of Resilient Food Systems for Local First Arizona, emphasized the importance of the USDA regional business centers that aggregated resources and provided technical assistance to small producers.
The centers now close shop in September.
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“These centers were extremely important,” Emmert said. “They helped increase capacity for producers, increase access to markets, and provide access to funding.”
While Arizona’s state-funded Friends of the Farm program offers some relief, its budget is a fraction of what federal support provided.
“The whole effort across Arizona may be shrinking from something close to $10 million to half a million dollars,” Emmert said.
Both Machokoto and Emmert urge the public to support local producers by using directories like the Good Food Finder, reaching out to representatives, and volunteering.
“It’s not just about producers,” Emmert said. “It’s about impacting our communities and our access to local healthy food.”
To support local farmers in your neighborhood, check out Good Food Finder and the Arizona Community Farmers Markets.
