MORE for Agriculture Grant Awarded
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Nora Nolden, Communications Consultant
[email protected] or (651) 245-6804
Compeer Financial Awards MORE for Agriculture Grant to Sustainable Farming Association
The $50K grant will fund grazing management research with virtual fencing
Mankato, Minn., (October 21, 2022) – Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America has awarded $50,000 to the Sustainable Farming Association (SFA), through their MORE for Agriculture Grant.
This grant, now in its fourth year, supports innovative programs that encompass four qualities:
Mission: Aligns with the mission of Compeer Financial, enriches agriculture and rural communities
Opportunity: Provides a new opportunity for clients or future clients, fills a known void in agricultural and rural markets, is a new and innovative project
Replication: Can be replicated by others to serve different geographic areas, with the ability for future collaboration
Evolution: Evolves over time to create a better future for agriculture and rural America
Virtual fencing allows farmers to frequently change grazing paddocks without having to install (or re-install) physical fencing, which is costly and labor-intensive. SFA will be conducting research in the field to learn more about the efficacy of deploying virtual livestock management technology.
“We are extremely pleased that Compeer chose to support this very innovative project through it’s MORE for Agriculture grant program, said SFA Executive Director Lucinda Winter. “This is a pilot that will test two very new virtual fencing technologies on cattle over the course of two years. We’ll share what we learn with farmers and ranchers so they make better informed decisions about whether it would bring value to their individual operations.”
SFA will capture grazing activity, weather patterns, soil and forage conditions, cattle location, activity and paddocking data through their research. The findings will then be shared with their members to shorten the learning curve for adopting this technology.
The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America Trustees asked Compeer team members to identify programs and projects they believe create MORE for agriculture. In all, over $800,000 has been awarded to 18 organizations since 2019.
“It is an honor to partner with these organizations who are truly making a difference in their communities with these pioneering projects,” said Karen Schieler senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer. “The MORE for Agriculture grant recipients are leaders and innovators in the world of agriculture. We hope these projects and programs inspire others to create MORE for Agriculture.”
For more information, visit compeer.com/giving-back.
About the Fund for Rural America
The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America is the corporate giving program of Compeer Financial, structured to support Compeer Financial’s mission to enrich agriculture and rural America. Compeer Financial’s Board of Directors has dedicated one percent of annual net earnings to support the Fund’s focus areas of education, youth engagement, rural development and community enrichment, agricultural advocacy and development, and cooperative initiatives. The Fund is managed by a Board of Trustees, made up of team members from Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin and members of the Compeer Financial Board of Directors. More information about opportunities available through the Fund can be found at Compeer.com/giving-back.
About Compeer Financial
Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $27.3 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry.
Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial.
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