It's Academic
(and Agrarian): An Innovative Pilot
Cultivating an Equitable and Resilient Food System
WRITTEN BY: Annette Nielsen
When national supply chains faltered during the pandemic, it revealed our dependence on distant suppliers—and underscored the vital role of local farmers and producers in sustaining food access. Today, rising costs and cuts to federal support for agriculture and food assistance continue to strain families, communities, and small businesses. To strengthen the region’s food system, American University’s Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities (HSHC) Lab launched the Agriculture, Infrastructure, and Equipment (AIE) Grant Program, providing DMV farmers and producers with the tools and resources needed to expand capacity and ensure long-term resilience.
From distributing food to under- resourced communities to convening the first DMV-focused Resilient Food System Summit in 2024, which brought together over 50 regional organizations on campus, the lab’s work addresses both the strengths and challenges of the local food system. The AIE grants directly respond to recommendations from the summit and field-based conversations with producers. Says HSHC Professor Dr. Stacey Snelling, “In the second year of this work, we have funded partners across production, distribution, and consumption, while currently focusing on equipment and infrastructure investments for 12 local farmers.”
Impact for Local Farms
Award amounts range from $2,500 to $4,999 and go to farms with at least three years of operation and a commitment to increasing food access in Wards 7 and 8.
Gale Livingstone at Deep Roots Farm in Upper Marlboro received a grant for a potato planter and harvester. Previously, harvesting potatoes—two crops per season—took a day and a half, all by hand. “The harvester cuts our time down to a half-day,” she says, noting the labor savings allow her to focus on other aspects of her 50-acre farm, where she also raises chickens and grows produce for market.
In Virginia, the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture used grant-funded equipment to support no- and low-till practices and improve soil structure in high tunnels. Executive Director Pam Hess notes, “A farm equipment grant is exceedingly rare and extremely valuable—it can supercharge a small operation.”
Maryland native VaSean (Sean) Matthews of Sean’s Veggie Garden used a grant to acquire a paper pot transplanter for his leased plot at Hennessy Creek Farm. The equipment allows him and partner Monica Newman to plant hundreds of feet of crops in minutes, including produce for market and sorghum for craft beer. In September, they shared their knowledge at a mini Ag Summit, teaching others about sustainability, bookkeeping, and culturally appropriate crops.
Feeding the Region and Creating Community
The Franciscan Monastery’s two-acre urban farm has donated 95% of its roughly 8,000 pounds of annual harvest to local nonprofits since 2014. Board member Peter Quinn highlights the impact of grants: “They made it possible to acquire items like heat mats for early seed germination and elevated beds that improve accessibility for older volunteers.” Volunteer J. Andrew Russell adds, “This work helps feed people who don’t have enough— it’s the definition of lay ministry.”
Connecting the Dots Through Collaboration and Learning
Future Harvest, a nonprofit led by Grace Leatherman, focuses on farmer-to-farmer education to cultivate the next generation of growers. With the average age of Maryland farmers at 58, programs like these are critical for passing skills and knowledge forward. Over 150 people participated in grant-funded training, gaining expertise that strengthens local production and expands food access.
By equipping farmers, facilitating collaboration, and investing in infrastructure, these initiatives demonstrate how targeted support can build a more resilient and equitable food system—one that keeps communities fed, sustains local economies, and nurtures the next generation of producers.
At Arcadia Farm, the Veteran Farmer Program is led by farm manager Akio Lloyd (red shirt) with Michael Maman (Coast Guard veteran in white shirt) and Sarah Hallford (wife of a service member in gray shirt with “V” for Veteran Farmer) as they consult during their training sessions this year, using detailed maps and data to identify places where and how they might mitigate excess water in the field for the next growing season.