WEALTH WATCHERS INC.
C.R.O.P. | Comprehensive Rural Opportunity Program
About C.R.O.P.
Supporting our Rural and Urban Communities
Wealth Watchers Inc. is a HUD certified Housing Counseling and community development organization based in Northeast Florida. Wealth Watchers provides small business development, training, lending and real estate development services available throughout Florida and Georgia. Comprehensive Rural Opportunity Program (C.R.O.P.) is an initiative of Wealth Watchers Inc. designed to enhance the coordination of outreach, technical assistance and education efforts to reach veterans, farmers and ranchers in the rural and urban areas with an emphasis on those that are socially disadvantaged. The organization assists them with successfully acquiring, owning, operating and retaining farms and ranches and increasing participation in the full range of USDA programs and services.
- Outreach & Education
- Agriculture Training
- Business Development
- Micro Lending
- Construction
- Urban Agriculture
- Youth Agriculture
Volunteer Opportunity
Residents, clubs, schools and community groups are invited to learn about and help maintain the New Town Success Zone Urban Farmacy.
Farm-City Week
November 15-22
Holiday Partnerships & Service
Farm-City Week was Nov. 15 – 22. It was a time to celebrate and recognize the beneficial partnerships between rural and urban communities that make our food supply safe and plentiful. Wealth Watchers Inc. is proud to work with farmers to bring fresh produce from their farms to the city.
We gave fresh greens from Dollison Farms to participants in our Grateful Giveaway. As part of the annual event, in partnership with Dr. Adrian Gentry, we fed 100 families in Jacksonville. The goal was to ensure families cook together for Thanksgiving. Each family received a bag with all the fixings and a gift card for a turkey or ham.
USDA Extends Deadline for Discrimination Financial Assistance Program
Wealth Watchers Assisting Farmers with Application Process
Jacksonville, Fla. Oct. 4
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program. Farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in the farm lending program now have until Jan. 13, 2024 to apply.
Wealth Watchers Inc., through its Comprehensive Rural Opportunity Program (C.R.O.P.), is providing support and education to those who have been impacted. Members of the nonprofit will host town hall meetings and help farmers, ranchers and landowners with the free application process.
According to the USDA, the deadline extension is in response to feedback from potential applicants, nongovernmental program administrators and community-based organizations working closely with USDA to inform and assist eligible individuals. The new deadline will give organizations like Wealth Watchers more time to reach and help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners through direct, no-cost technical assistance and training sessions.
Congress has provided $2.2 billion in assistance for those who faced discrimination. To qualify for the USDA financial assistance program, individuals:
- must have experienced discrimination, prior to Jan. 1, 2021, by the USDA in its farm lending programs, which are currently administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA)
or
- are currently debtors with assigned or assumed USDA farm lending debt that was the subject of USDA discrimination that occurred prior to Jan. 1, 2021.
Members of the C.R.O.P. team will provide assistance to those who qualify. For more information, please visit ww-crop.org.
FEATURED FARMER
Seed Time Harvest Farms: Small Farmer Creating Opportunities
Wealth Watchers is continuing its partnership with small farmers and ranchers through its Comprehensive Rural Opportunities Program (C.R.O.P.). Seed Time Harvest Farms, one of those partners, is seeing more growth in the new year.
Cetta Barnhart, founder of the community supported agriculture (CSA) service, provides fresh produce with delivery from farmers in the north Florida and south Georgia region. She came up with this idea after selling extra fruits and vegetables from her father-in-law’s farm. A thriving business began in 2012.
Barnhart believes in giving back. She donated more than 100 bags of collard greens to Adrian Gentry and Wealth Watchers’ “The Grateful Giveaway” last year. This event ensured families in Jacksonville enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday together. Barnhart also worked with the Wealth Watchers team on product development and distribution practices for juices she now sells.
Ed Gaston, Wealth Watchers COO, helped her develop a budget and language for the distribution and placement of tonics such as Genie in a Bottle. (Barnhart’s creation is a health tonic made with natural ingredients that include ginger and turmeric based in coconut water.)
Barnhart has been able to expand Seed Time Harvest Farms’ services to include moving large quantity of crops from local farmers. Some of the crops are greens (collards, mustards and turnips), lettuce and cabbage. It has been a good year so far. But Barnhart believes collaboration with other farmers is what continues to makes Seed Time Harvest successful and unique. She worked with 11 farmers/growers in 2022 and plans to work with more in 2023. She is looking for organic and traditional growers in Maddison, Gadsden, Jefferson and Leon Counties. She would like to work with farmers who have less than 50 acres. “This will give small businesses opportunities.”
Barnhart also collects seasonal produce from local farmers that is harvested at the peak of ripeness. Those fruits and vegetables are tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, greens, okra, kale, onions, peppers, butternut squash and more. They all have high nutritional value because they are delivered within 24 hours of harvesting. According to Barnhart, this is a major benefit of using Seed Time Harvest Farms and its collaboration with organic and traditional growers. This shows farm to table is really the best way to eat fruits and vegetables.
C.R.O.P. is brought to you by Wealth Watchers Inc. in partnership with:
