Causes: Food

Mission: To promote sustainable development systems and foster economic development to facilitate trade-nationally and internationally. Enters into partnerships authorized under the federal crop insurance act to research labor issues in small family owned farms.

Programs: The organization enters into partnerships, authorized under section 52(d)(3)(d) of the federal crop insurance act, with the united states department of agriculture's federal crop insurance corporation, to research labor issues present in small family farms in selected southern states. The goal of this program is to establish agricultural labor cooperatives. The organization enters into follow-up partnerships to provide outreach and training to the farmers. Outreach and traning are provided in the assessment and mitigation of risks-from production elements and operational risks to marketing, financial and legal risks. The organization also partners with community-based cooperatives to provide technical assistance in the development of feasibility studies, and marketing and business plans. The organization's general goal is to develop, provide and promote programs to sustain community development and to improve the quality of life in rural communities.