Buying or leasing farmland may be one of the biggest investments you will make in your career, but it can be incredibly risky, complex, or out of reach entirely. To help you understand your options and navigate the process, the National Young Farmers Coalition has created the Finding Farmland Course, a free, online resource, available in Spanish and English.
While tools alone cannot make land access a possibility for everyone, or entirely eliminate the risk of leasing or buying land, we hope that they demystify the steps you can take and help you feel more confident in your search.
The Course includes articles, videos, podcasts, activities, and resources, and was created in partnership with a nationwide network of farmland access organizations. Topics include:
· Setting holistic farm goals
· Land tenure options
· Financial planning
· Financing options for farmers
· Partners in land access
· Leasing, buying, and transitioning farmland
The Finding Farmland Course is free and can be started any time, on your own schedule, and at your own pace.
Finding Farmland Calculator
Once you’re ready to start comparing properties, the Finding Farmland Calculator will be your go-to tool for calculating purchase costs and understanding affordability. The Calculator is a free tool for comparing properties, calculating purchase costs, learning about financing options, and understanding affordability. Young Farmers designed the Calculator to help you prepare to meet with a loan officer, and to use as a reference tool throughout your farmland purchasing process.
This project was supported by a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through its Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) and with support for outreach from Farm Credit.