National Young Farmers Coalition

We believe we have one generation to transform agriculture in service to our communities and the land.

We are that generation

We are farmers and ranchers who steward the struggle to transform agriculture. We are an intersectional coalition that works for justice and collective liberation of our food and farm systems. We champion policies that resource connections to the land and foster our health in the face of climate crisis. We advocate for policies that recognize farming as a public service. We work in partnership with social justice movements for a future in which people, land, and relationships are respected. We aspire to stand in ever greater solidarity with global movements that advance human rights – especially the right to food and place.

THEORY OF CHANGE
Young farmers, when resourced and trained to share their stories with lawmakers, can remake the food system to be more equitable, just, and in service to our communities and the land.

Mission
We shift power and change policy to equitably resource our new generation of working farmers.

Vision
We envision a just future where farming is free of racial violence, accessible to communities, oriented towards environmental well-being, and concerned with health over profit.I identify as a Navajo woman – my maternal clan is Towering House. Currently located near the base of the sacred Mount Taylor, in the Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico. I am a landless farmer with chickens, honeybees, and a native plants and foods nursery. My current work includes building a food forest demonstration garden using Indigenous permaculture and traditional knowledge. I am also an Indigenous consultant who provides guidance on working with tribal partners, and guidance for tribes in native nation building strategies. I completed my graduate education from Northern Arizona University, with my studies focused around Indigenous food ways and integrating that into Indigenous environmental management. I am grateful for my mentors in the Applied Indigenous Studies department, School of Forestry and those working directly in Indigenous communities to strengthen Indigenous food sovereignty and food security.

2024 Roundtable Facilitator

Advocacy, Storytelling and Allyship

2023 Plenary

Southwest Agroforestry from an Indigenous Perspective

This presentation will provide examples of ancestral and current Indigenous farming practices that have sustained communities and cultures in the Southwest for thousands of years. These agricultural practices can revitalize a local landscape into an edible landscape that is reflective of our bioregion and our diets.

Joe and Jenn Wheeling are the owners of James Ranch Beef and The Gardens at James Ranch in Durango, Colorado. As part of the James Ranch team, they have worked to create the brand of James Ranch since their return to the ranch in 1995. They are eager community collaborators in conservation, bio-controls, soil development, water management systems and regenerative practices. As practitioners of the Delegated Meeting Process, Joe and Jenn have helped to create organizational systems with in the family and facilitate family management processes and succession planning.

Married for 38 years, they have two daughters who were raised on the ranch and have gone on to professional careers in law and accounting. Both Joe and Jenn graduated from Colorado State University, Joe got his MBA in Finance and Strategic Planning from The Wharton School of Business while Jenn got her advanced degree from the University of Life.

To learn more about how the James family is running multiple businesses effectively, read their recent blog post with HMI.

2024 Roundtable Facilitators

Agricultural Management & Asset Transfer Opportunities & Challenges

2023 Plenary

Adapting and Innovating through the Lumps and Bumps of a Complex Family Business

We will share the adaptations and innovations we have employed on the James Ranch to allow several generations to live and work together on the same piece of land while sharing the common goal of responsible stewardship. We will talk about how we updated our 30 year old Holistic goal to reflect the second and third generation’s involvement in the ranch as well as our creation of a governing body for the ranch. In the midst of all of this, we will be highlighting the importance of family meetings and the Delegated Meeting Process which is designed to achieve a maximally effective meeting while empowering the participant’s individual growth and confidence.