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Access to Land, Capital & Markets Help Southeast Farms Thrive
Georgia has long been a driver of agricultural production in the Southeast. Yet despite the state’s rich farming legacy, many next-generation and values-aligned producers continue to face significant barriers to growth. Access to land, capital, infrastructure, and reliable markets can make the difference between a farm surviving or thriving.
The Georgia ACRE Collective was created to address challenges by building a stronger, more equitable regional food system, one where local farmers can sell into metro-Atlanta institutions while expanding the supply needed to meet growing demand.
Farmer Support Services
Infrastructure Support: To help bridge that gap, The Georgia ACRE Collective invested more than $100,000 in infrastructure grants to 10 farms across Georgia. These funds supported improvements such as cold storage, irrigation systems, and other on-farm upgrades that allow farmers to scale wholesale production and meet institutional purchasing requirements. Check out the projects and farms funded here.
Financial Support: Through The Common Market’s purchase order loan program, farmers can receive zero-interest advances based on planned crop sales. If a grower submits a crop plan, they may receive up to half of that amount upfront, and the loan is repaid through the delivery of the product, reducing financial pressure and allowing farmers to plant with confidence.
Land Access remains one of the most urgent issues in agriculture, especially near fast-growing metropolitan areas. Through partnership with The Conservation Fund’s ‘Farms Fund’, farmers are gaining new pathways to secure farmland through lease-to-own agreements. This model helps producers expand their operations while preserving agricultural land for future generations.
Reliable Markets: Infrastructure, financing, and land only matter when markets exist. That is why The ACRE Collective also worked directly with institutional buyers to create seasonal forward commitments. These purchasing commitments give farmers the security of knowing their produce is sold before planting begins, providing the stability needed to invest, grow, and plan for the future.
For farmers, that certainty means more than business growth. It means peace of mind. It means the ability to build something lasting for children and grandchildren. It means legacy.
By aligning farmers and institutions, The Georgia ACRE Collective is demonstrating that regional food systems thrive when we invest in both supply and demand, and when farmers have the support they need to succeed.
CASE STUDY: Strengthening Regional Food Systems Through Strategic Institutional Partnerships & Supply-Side Investments Vol. 2
This case study, a follow-up to The ACRE Collective's January 2025 study, illustrates how strategic institutional partnerships and supply-side investments are creating a stronger, more resilient food system. We examine the impacts of the ACRE Collective’s work, highlighting results achieved in 2022-2025. Specifically, the study illustrates how the Collective has strengthened partnerships across the regional food system, enabling producers and institutional buyers to support one another and drive lasting systems change, and shareable best practices to support a model for local and regional food system revitalization. This study was made possible with support from The Rockefeller Foundation.
The Georgia ACRE Collective is a collaboration between The Common Market Southeast, Health Care Without Harm, Georgia Organics, The Conservation Fund’s Working Farms Fund, the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at Emory University, and Alliance for a Healthier Generation. This initiative is made possible with the support of The Rockefeller Foundation.