Farm Foundation focuses on future farmers

By PHYLLIS COULTER
FarmWeek

Helping young and beginning farmers get rolling in agriculture is one of the top priorities for Farm Foundation, the first U.S. agriculture and food think tank established 92 years ago in Illinois.

It launched its newest program, FarmPath, in partnership with two other foundations in October. The three-year program for beginning farmers includes training and workshops, one-on-one mentorships, start-up grants, support for accessing financing and regional connections to markets, service providers and buyers.

“It’s like a prize package for young people who complete the program,” Farm Foundation’s Vice President of Programs and Strategic Impact Tim Brennan told FarmWeek.

Farm Foundation partnered with The Mosaic Company Foundation for Sustainable Food Systems and the PepsiCo Foundation to create FarmPath, catering to those in their first to 10th year of farming who are ready to launch or grow an enterprise. The program, with structured guidance, practical tools and a supportive network, opens for applications in early 2026.

Farm Foundation unveiled the new program at its Innovation and Education Campus on a centennial farm in Libertyville Oct. 13. The 17-acre property in Lake County also hosts programs including Ag 101 Boot Camps, popular with young leaders with limited ag experience. The bootcamp includes lessons in farm accounting, innovation and what the future of farming looks like, Brennan said.

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Overall, Farm Foundation has nine next-gen programs that help beginning to mid-career farmers, scholars and agrifood leaders. As mentors and speakers, everyone from ag economists to former ag secretaries shares their expertise with the next generation of leaders.

Farm Foundation started in 1933 as a “think tank” and is now more of a “do tank,” said Brennan. The Foundation’s mission is to nurture emerging food and agricultural leaders, foster strong and beneficial relationships and encourage open and objective sharing of diverse perspectives among new and seasoned food and agriculture professionals.

Formerly based in a Chicago high-rise, the foundation relocated to a rural location, still only 25 minutes from O’Hare International Airport. The facilities include a historic farmhouse and barn, as well as a new high-tech center with classrooms, an immersive media room and productive farm fields. Short-stature corn, six other kinds of corn, peanuts, Kernza (a wheatgrass crop first developed in Illinois) and perennial oats are among the crops grown on the campus.

The Foundation also fosters the intersection of food companies and farmers, as food processors continue to demonstrate a growing interest in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

“We can help build bridges between farmers and food companies.”

Aside from his role as vice president in the organization, Brennan is rooted in agriculture, with a 5-acre hobby farm in Crete. He bought the property because the style of the historic homes and farms in that part of Illinois reminded him of the part of Ohio where he grew up.

“I try to grow things that I can talk about when I meet with people,” Brennan said. He grows hazelnuts, pawpaw, honeyberries, indigo and exotic vegetables on his farm to inspire others to look for diversity. He shares jelly, apples and honey from his farm in support of sustainable farming with urban and international guests.

This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.