Meet Dana DiPrima

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dana DiPrima. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dana below.

Hi Dana, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I founded For Farmers out of a deeply personal “aha” moment, one that connected my own life to the lives of the people who grow our food. Small farmers shape so much of what truly matters: our health, our communities, our environment, and our economy. Those are universal concerns, and I’ve always felt a deep responsibility to make that connection visible and actionable.

My work ethic stems from that sense of purpose and is inspired by the farmers themselves. No one works harder than a farmer. They’re up before dawn, battling weather, policy, and market forces most of us never see, just to keep food on our tables. So if I’m going to champion them, I have to bring that same intensity and grit to my own work. It’s the only way to do this work justice.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I founded the For Farmers Movement to close the growing gap between the people who grow our food and the people who eat it. It started as a simple effort to tell farmers’ stories, and it has grown into a national movement that provides grants, dispels myths, offers shoppable wish lists, and gives a voice to small farmers across the country.

At its core, For Farmers is about visibility and connection. Small farmers feed us, protect our soil, and strengthen our local economies, but they’re often invisible in the system they sustain. We bring them into the spotlight and invite everyone else to play a role in their success. Because when small farmers thrive, we all do.

Through For Farmers, everyday people can take meaningful action, from nominating farmers for grants, shopping their wish lists, sending thank-you postcards, or simply learning what it really takes to keep a farm alive. The work is tangible, hopeful, and deeply human.

I also host the One Bite is Everything podcast, where I talk with thought leaders shaping our food future. The conversations remind listeners that food isn’t just food; it’s health, community, environment, and economy, all on one plate.

What keeps me going is seeing how one small act of support can restore a farmer’s faith, rebuild a greenhouse, or revive a sense of possibility. That’s what For Farmers is really about: creating a people-powered safety net for the hands that feed us.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, I think the most impactful qualities in my journey have been curiosity, persistence, and empathy.

Curiosity is what started all of this. I wanted to understand why small farmers were struggling and why the system seemed to work against the very people who feed us. That curiosity became fuel. It pushed me to ask better questions and to continue learning from the people who live it every day.

Persistence keeps the movement alive. There’s no quick win in building something that challenges the status quo. Farmers don’t quit when the weather turns or the market drops, and I try to bring that same mindset to this work. You just keep showing up, adjusting, and finding a way forward.

And empathy is the heart of it. For Farmers is built on understanding, on really seeing the human stories behind the statistics, the grit behind every crop. That empathy is what transforms awareness into action.

For anyone just starting out, I’d say: stay curious, stay steady, and stay human. Don’t rush the learning or the relationships. Build something that matters and then keep showing up for it.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

For Farmers has always been a people-powered movement. It works because individuals choose to take part by nominating a farmer for a grant, shopping a farmer’s wish list, or donating a single dollar to our One For Farmers campaign. One dollar from a million people is far more powerful than a million from one because it builds connection and community and grants backed by real people are exponentially more meaningful to the farmers who receive them.

At its heart, For Farmers is an antidote to disconnection. It reminds us that food doesn’t come from a store; it comes from someone’s hands, someone’s land, someone’s hard work. Being part of this movement isn’t charity; it’s reciprocity. When small farmers are supported, we all benefit: our food is healthier, our soil stronger, and our communities more resilient.

We welcome collaboration with individuals, communities, and brands that share that belief, those who want to make supporting small farmers part of how they live, work, and give.

Anyone can join in at forfarmersmovement.com or on Instagram at @xoxofarmgirl. The invitation is simple: find your way to be For Farmers. We are here to welcome you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.forfarmersmovement.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xoxofarmgirl
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@onebiteiseverything
• Other: https://www.onebiteiseverything.com

Image Credits

Photographs by Jeanne Sager Photography