Generations of Stewardship
Limited as it is, land is something to be tended and shared with intention. Rural and tribal families who have lived and breathed it all their lives know this better than most. And while not all farmers are able to pass property and operations down to the next generation for one reason or another, there are still ways to keep that land alive and well with their stamp of approval.
There are more options and resources than ever to keep land in the care of those who mean to do right by it.
For news, organizational support, indexes and other resources focused on particular populations of new farmers, explore some of the other pages here:
*Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders in Agriculture
Tenure, Transfer & Transition
Conversations about the passing on of farmland fall under different names – “Land Tenure” “Transition Planning” “Land Legacy” “Farm Transfers” “Succession Planning” – but all concern what will become of one’s farm after their time.
It can be a murky process, with a web of financial, legal and familial complications muddying the waters. It can also be a beautiful and mutually fulfilling one, a triple-win for farmer, successor and land. A widening network of organizations and individuals are working to explore options, provide resources and facilitate the process so that no one has to navigate it alone:
Auburn University signs deeds for donation of Dye’s Crooked Oaks Farm (July, 2023)
“We both knew we would donate the farm to the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment and seeing the work CFWE leaders have done since accepting the proposal, I could not be more confident that the land will be valued and held to the standard Pat and I always wanted to see,” McDonald said. “I feel his spirit in this, and I know what’s happening is something he would be proud of.” […] Pat Dye Jr. added, “given everything that Auburn has done for dad and our family, he would be thrilled to know that Auburn will be great stewards of his beloved farm, hopefully for many generations.”
‘My heart gradually changed’: Land donation to preserve Waukesha farmland for generations (June, 2023)
WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) — Natalie Shepherd visits the Tall Pines Conservancy to meet Anita Kuchler who donated her entire 268-acre farm to the Tall Pines Conservancy so the property will be protected from development.
Farm Transition Resources Available to Farmers Ready to Change Ownership (December, 2023)
[…] The Clean and Green program can lower your farm property tax by assessing your land values based on use rather than market value. […] The conservation easement program can protect farmland from development. […] If you feel you can create your own transition plan or set the groundwork for the plan, the Ag Transitions website from the University of Minnesota is an excellent place to begin the process. This is a free tool where you can create, edit and save parts of your transition plan and have a reviewer such as an Extension educator or trusted professional give you feedback. You can create a plan online at your own time and pace.
Beginning as Farmers
Those tuning in often cite the aging farmer generation; the average U.S. farmer being well into their 50s and 60s. But that’s hardly the only story we should be telling.
There’s a growing interest among younger folks as well as those from historically marginalized populations to get involved in agriculture, and a wealth of incentives out there looking to support them. While the cost of farmland rises and access to land continues to be a struggle, increasingly inclusive opportunities and funding are cropping up for beginning, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and veteran farmers to take to the land.
The linked icons below are a small sample of organizations and initiatives providing resources for young and beginning farmers.
The Latest
Young Farmers Bring Small-scale, Humane Hog Farming Back to Iowa (January, 2024)
“My dad told me I couldn’t raise pigs without antibiotics because he wasn’t able to in confinement settings,” says Eric. “And then my grandpa told me I couldn’t raise them without farrowing crates. I’m doing both of those things now.” […] “I have people that come tell me all the time, some older people that raised hogs back in the 1970s the way I do, how they sure like to see them and hear them outside again.”
Beginning Farmers Are at a Crossroads. Here’s How the Next Farm Bill Can Help. (December, 2023)
From supporting education to providing funding opportunities, the massive legislative package can ensure a more just, inclusive farm landscape. […] Around 2018, Prusia received a second federal loan, this time from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), specifically geared toward women and minority producers. […] According to the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC), many new farmers don’t even know such funding exists.
Shorlette Ammons: Encouraging Young Farmers to Embrace Their Roots Through Food and Music Connectivity (June, 2023)
“The reason that I encourage young people from places like where I come from, the rural parts of this country, to continue to believe in the legacy of farming is because it’s an innate part of who we are, and we deserve to have that opportunity to farm and to thrive at it if we chose to follow in the [agrarian] footsteps [of our ancestors],” says Ammons.
Resistance Becomes Trust: Father Trusts Daughter’s Judgment as She Manages Farm (December, 2023)
“I’d always known I’d be involved in the farm in some capacity, if only as a landlord. I’m part of the fifth generation, and I have a lot of respect for the heritage.” […] “It definitely was not my dad saying, ‘We need help.’ […] He does not ask for help,” Rachel laughs. […] ”Farm transitions come in all shapes and sizes.”
Growing Career Opportunities for Young People in Agriculture (July, 2023)
As Congress gears up for the 2023 Farm Bill, the struggles of younger generations of farmers in particular are getting some much-needed attention. […] Young farmers bring unique abilities and perspectives to the field, including a dedication to sustainable farming methods. According to the National Young Farmers Coalition’s (NYFC’s) 2022 National Young Farmer Survey, 86 percent of young farmers practice regenerative farming—growing in harmony with nature—while 97 percent use other sustainable practices.
Young Farmers Success Act: Americans Should Value Farmers as Public Servants (May, 2023)
Luckily, there may be a solution for some farmers struggling with student debt. The Young Farmers Success Act (YFSA), introduced in the House on April 19, 2023, would make farmers eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and would apply to full-time employees at farms or ranches whose gross revenue earnings are at least $35,000 annually. […] “We must encourage our youth to enter the agriculture workforce and cultivate the next generation of farmers and ranchers.”
Supporting Young Farmers of Color Can Help the U.S. Meet Its Climate Goals (Oct, 2022)
At Sanctuary Farms on Detroit’s East Side, Jøn Kent and a team of volunteers use cardboard and paper bags to starve invasive weedy plants instead of using herbicides; they plant marigolds and lavender amid squash, melons, and collards instead of using pesticides; and they turn food scraps into lush, clean compost. […]
Supporting Rural
There’s something about the history of farming. As soon as we start doing something well, we often start doing it so well that things turn out badly: the plow, the cow, and now the apple. Tool, animal, crop. When we capitalize too heavily on any one thing, we devalue other things that might be even more important to our communities than money.
– Philip Ackerman-Leist, A Precautionary Tale
Rural Assembly
[…] We know rural America is more than its trauma and more than the convenient stereotypes and stories that dominate public discourse. It is a place of innovation, tight-knit communities, and civic participation. It is fire departments and schools and local organizations making a difference. There is an opportunity right now to draw the connections between rural and its counterparts, to name the roads, fibers, and futures that connect us. To craft a future of us and ours.
The Rural Assembly exists in this space, tending relationships and changing perceptions in service to healing a divided nation.
Rural LISC [Local Initiatives Support Corporation]
With residents and partners, Rural LISC supports resilient and inclusive rural communities as great places to live, work, play and innovate.
– Access to capital
– Broadband & Infrastructure
– Disaster Response & Resilience Planning
– Placemaking
– Workforce Development
– Special Initiatives
RCAC [Rural Community Assistance Corp]
Nonprofit organization that provides training, technical and financial resources and advocacy so rural communities can achieve their goals and visions.
RCAC works with low-income rural communities, where unemployment rates are high, housing is often sub-standard, and poverty is commonplace. Many of these communities also face daunting challenges to access affordable, safe drinking water and other vital infrastructure. Rural communities are often overlooked in the policy arena because they lack the resources, training or social network that larger communities have in place. RCAC includes Tribes and Native communities in all program areas.
Rural Voices USA [Rural America 2020]
Educating Americans on how policies affect rural America. Working to highlight misguided policies that have left rural communities behind and to advocate for policies that will benefit rural Americans and their communities. Sharing Stories. Our Issues:
– Support for Rural Health Care.
– Support for an Effective COVID Response.
– Support for the U.S. Postal Service.
– Support for American Agriculture.
– Support for Rural Education.
– Support for Rural Broadband.
RCAP [Rural Community Assistancee Partnership]
RCAP is a non-profit network reaching rural and small communities in all 50 states to improve quality of life by starting at the tap.
– Videos & webinars
– Training events (by region)
– Assistance & support
Bothered Earth 