Along with our partners, the National Young Farmers Coalition is launching the One Million Acres campaign. We are calling on Congress to equitably transition one million acres of U.S. farmland to young and BIPOC farmers through the 2023 Farm Bill.
Access to land is the number one challenge facing the next generation of farmers in the United States, and this barrier is even greater for farmers of color. As a coalition of growers and land stewards, equitable access to land is our top priority.
Land is deeply intertwined with all aspects of farmers’ success, and it does not just impact farmers—land access is critical to the health and well-being of our environment, economy, and marginalized communities.
Why now?
The need is urgent, but so is the opportunity. Nearly half of all U.S. farmland is expected to change hands in the coming two decades, and young farmers are leaving agriculture because they cannot secure land.
The 2023 Farm Bill will dictate farm policy for the next decade. This is a pivotal moment to invest in the individuals who will steward agricultural land and grow food for our communities into the future.
Our nation must take action now to facilitate secure, affordable access to land for young farmers and farmers of color—there is no time to wait.
The campaign
To win this historic investment, Young Farmers is building a coalition of partners, resourcing a cohort of 100 young farmer advocates, and leading the conversation on land policy change in D.C.
Core values
- Driven by our goal to achieve bold policy change and designed around political possibility.
- Centering BIPOC voices and BIPOC-led partner orgs.
- Advocating for policy change that will be implemented and accessible to BIPOC farmers.
- Led by and for farmers, land stewards, and growers.
Farmer Fellowship
Farmers are at the heart of this campaign. We are resourcing 100 current and aspiring farmers through a two-year, paid advocacy and leadership fellowship. Together, we will build momentum and shift power—connecting directly with members of Congress and advocating for policy change in the 2023 Farm Bill.
Coalition Building
We are working closely with partner organizations to create a collaborative policy agenda. Leading up to the Farm Bill we will grow our coalition of supporters and organizations advocating together for equitable land policy.
Policy Advocacy
Young Farmers has years of staff experience advocating for federal policy change. We are working together with our partners to cultivate legislative champions, hold meetings with USDA, and bring the grassroots power of farmers in our networks directly to members of Congress.
We look forward to working closely with Congress over the coming months to share our policy priorities and to build an equitable, resilient future for farming together through the 2023 Farm Bill.
We are asking Congress to take action to:
- Coordinate federal land access initiatives;
- Eliminate inequities in land ownership and access;
- Invest in voluntary, community-led farmland protection that keeps land in the hands of growers;
- Expand access to credit and help farmers compete in the real estate market;
- Support and incentivize farm transition;
- Support farm viability for young farmers and farmers of color;
- Invest in data collection, reporting, and research on farmland tenure, ownership & transition.
Thank you to Chipotle for supporting this campaign.