GLENNVILLE, GA - G&R Farms continues to foster future growers as Growing America’s Farmers (GAF) widens its network, bringing in partners like RPE, Bushman’s, and Virginia Produce, and adding potatoes and sweet corn, along with sweet onions to the expanding cause marketing campaign.

“Buyers were starting to ask, how do we make the program bigger and create more impact, and the best way to do that is to get more vendors involved and more commodities represented,” said Walt Dasher, G&R Farms’ Vice President and a strong advocate of Future Farmers of America (FFA). “I’m grateful to Bushman’s, RPE, and Virginia Produce for understanding my mission.”

Founded by Dasher, GAF enters its sixth year and has helped raise over $250,000 for FFA member scholarships thanks to past retail partnerships.

With these allies joining the fold, each supplier represents multi-generation vertically integrated farming operations that understand the need to cultivate the next generation of farmers.

“It takes more than sales and data to fill shelves with fresh produce, it takes a farmer who understands the land, who plants a crop, nurtures it, and harvests it so we can bring it to market,” Rachel Atkinson-Leach, Director of Category and Brand Management for RPE, remarked. “It is not lost on us at RPE that we do not have enough farmers, and we are excited to support our buyers and the GAF program so we can be part of the solution.”

For more on how this program works in action, and to hear from representatives of Bushman's and Virginia Produce, please click here.

According to the release, Growing America’s Farms, along with the National FFA Foundation, aims to play a role in raising awareness of the role of the American farmer, while also providing training and recruitment options along with grants and scholarships for students pursuing careers in production agriculture.

Keep an eye on ANUK as we continue to spread the word on ag awareness.

G&R Farms Bushman’s RPE Virginia Produce