For the Gazette

ALMOND –  Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) has awarded a Fund-a-Farmer Grant to Holly Hill Ranch.

This grant from FACT is designed to expand humane farming by supporting farmers who are seeking specific animal welfare certifications.

This year FACT awarded 87 grants totaling more than $253,000 to farmers and ranchers across 34 states and the District of Columbia.

The Almond area ranch is owned by Eleanor Mocker.

Holly Hill Ranch is working toward becoming Certified Humane.

“The ranch will use its grant from FACT to build a perimeter fence and convert 7.6 acres of hay fields and forest into pasture in order to increase rotational grazing for their animals. This grant was underwritten by theASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals),” a FACT release stated.

“This grant means a great deal to me. Without this grant, I could not expand pastures for my turkeys, geese, ducks, and sheep. More room to rotate the livestock will boost the health and happiness of my grazing animals. By co-pasturing these different species together, they all benefit extraordinarily. Turkeys and geese greatly reduce the parasite burden for sheep which improves their gains, and sheep manure attracts insects for the poultry, who are omnivores. Livestock benefit from the increased quality of life and food, and we, as consumers, also benefit from the increase in meat quality,” Mocker said.

“A recent 2023 survey of past grant recipients found that the grants have produced a wide range of long-term benefits. Overall, 99 percent of farmers reported that their FACT-funded projects improved animal welfare, 91 percent experienced a positive environmental impact, and 90 percent found that the grant improved their farm’s financial viability by decreasing expenses, increasing customers and visibility, and ultimately improving net profits,” the FACT release added.

FACT works to ensure that “all food-producing animals are raised in a humane and healthy manner.”

For more information on humane products, visit FACT’s website and Holly Hill Ranch’s Facebook page.