An Update on Young Farmers’ One Million Acres for the Future Campaign
We are at a critical moment in our One Million Acres for the Future campaign for equitable land access. It has been more than two years since we launched in November 2021, but Congress has yet to pass the next farm bill and the need for federal action on the land access crisis has only […]
Farmers Need Action on Climate and Land in the Next Farm Bill
By Lotanna Obodozie 2023 was one of the hottest years on record. As spring approaches across the U.S., scientists say 2024 may be even hotter! Young farmers are leaders on the frontlines of this climate crisis and are driving attention to the need for climate action globally as well as in the U.S. Unpredictable weather […]
RELEASE: USDA announces recipients of first-of-its-kind program aimed at increasing land access for underserved farmers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jessica Manly, Communications DirectorNational Young Farmers Coalitionpress@youngfarmers.org, 518-643-3564 ext. 722 Washington, D.C. (June 22, 2023) Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the recipients of the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access (LCM) Program, which was introduced on August 24, 2022. This first-of-its-kind program was created to provide funding […]
The Largest Young Farmer Fly-In in History Calls for a 2023 Farm Bill that Equitably Invests in the Next Generation in Agriculture
Young and BIPOC farmers need land access NOW. Across the country, land prices are soaring, putting land access out of reach for many young farmers. As a result, many young and BIPOC farmers are leaving agriculture. That is why we launched our One Million Acres for the Future campaign and brought over 100 farmer leaders […]
Celebrating our rapid response to the USDA Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program
USDA’s Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program was a historic funding opportunity for community-led land access initiatives across the country. The National Young Farmers Coalition mobilized a rapid response effort to ensure organizations working on land access, particularly BIPOC-led and low-resource, knew about the funding opportunity and had support to apply. Between mid-September and […]
Climate-smart commodities recommendations from Young Farmers
On Tuesday, February 8, USDA announced its new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities pilot program. This program will aid in the fight against climate change by investing $1 billion, via USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation, to provide incentives to agricultural producers and landowners to: Implement climate-smart production practices, activities, and systems on working lands (such as low- […]
Unpacking Land Policy and What is Needed for a More Equitable Farming Future
This post originally appeared in the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)’s blog. NSAC is an alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates for federal policy reform to advance the sustainability of agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities. Photo Credit: Stella Kalinina for the National Young Farmers Coalition This past year has highlighted the critically important […]
Keeping Young Farmers on the Land in COVID-19
Part I: Land in Crisis This post is part of a three-part series on the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on land access and security for farmers. The first post outlines potential impacts of the crisis on farmland; the second provides strategies to help keep farmers on the land; and the third suggests potential policy […]
Finding Farmland: Resources to Support Land Access
The following blog by Mike and Holly of our Land Access team is also posted on farmers.gov. Photographs by Richie Graham Photo. For farmers across the country, it will come as no surprise that farmland has become less and less affordable on a farming income. Approaching land access with a strong financial strategy can help […]
Finding farmland in the Golden State: Young Farmers’ 2019 California Whistle Stop Tour
At the start of February, I had the privilege of spending a couple weeks in California, organizing five Finding Farmland workshops for young farmers in partnership with our California team and California FarmLink. The workshops were focused on sharing practical strategies for finding secure, affordable land tenure, as well as introducing farmers to useful tools—including […]