2021 wasn't what anyone anticipated, wouldn't you say? I think most of us thought the pandemic would be behind us, and life would have resumed to normal. While an improvement from 2020, there was still plenty of change and restriction to keep things uncertain.
We anticipated something different for us too. When I started Facts from Farmers, I had no idea what sort of shape it would take. It was a personal passion project. Last year, we established a Board of Directors and began steps to file as a 501(c)6 non-profit association. With that, we had to evaluate where we exerted our energy under limited resources, so we stepped away from our media outlets for awhile. But that doesn't mean we haven't been active!
You have to set a strong foundation before you can build a house, and that's what we've been doing.
- We started creating our media library
- We helped facilitate partnerships in the Santa Maria Valley among farmers and the California Farmworker Foundation
- We began nurturing relationships with other associations, organizations, and influentials such as Grower-Shipper of San Luis and Santa Barbara Counties, California Farm Bureau, Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau, San Luis Obispo Farm Bureau, and SEEAG - the fantastic group behind Santa Barbara County Farm Day
- We also began working with the City of Santa Maria and Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on urban encroachments concerns
As a new association, we are still finding our identity and figuring out how we can best serve our agricultural community. We appreciate your patience and continued support as we navigate establishment.