Paul Towers is the Executive Director of Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) where he provides organizational leadership for the 45-year-old nonprofit that serves small- and mid-sized farmers across the Capital Region. At CAFF, he’s championed efforts to enable farmers to adopt more regenerative or climate-smart practices, launched a new program to develop appropriate technology for smaller producers, advanced land and capital access for historically underserved (BIPOC) producers, and created a fund that has provided over $2.8 million in microgrants for farmers impacted by disasters. Paul is a founder of and currently serves on the Steering Committee of the Sacramento Food Policy Council, a network that advocates for food justice through policy change, and has engaged in policymaking and community organizing with agricultural communities for over 20 years. He is a founder of and leader in statewide coalitions, including the California Farmer Justice Collaborative and the California Food & Farming Network.
Paul studied Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning at University of California – Davis, is a graduate of the Green Corps field school for environmental organizing and has participated in several leadership programs, including Sierra Health Foundation’s Health Leadership Program. Paul has also worked to create a megaphone for underrepresented voices, providing media relations support to environmental and environmental justice organizations, and supported efforts to strengthen community and public radio in the region. He currently lives in Sacramento (unceded Nisenan lands) with his wife and two children.