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 […]
Land Team Dispatch: Climate, Land Trusts, and Finance
Last year, NYFC released Building A Future with Farmers II, our report on the findings of our 2017 National Young Farmer Survey. We found that land access is the number one challenge facing young farmers and ranchers across America. The actions that we take now will determine what happens to the millions of acres of […]
Last Chance in this Farm Bill for Beginning Farmers and Our Farmland
Our farm bill has expired, and with it the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) has too. BFRDP is a critical program providing new farmers with skill-based training and business planning opportunities, and its defunding, even temporarily, is a significant blow. The immediate and technical challenges BFRDP is designed to address, however, […]
NYFC Gains Traction in New York Land Access Campaign
In New York State, NYFC has been advocating for the expanded use of working farm easements that not only protect the land, but also the farmer, by keeping land affordable and in farmer ownership. We recently had two significant successes in this effort. For the first time ever, easements that protect farmer ownership were made […]
Senate Farm Bill Committee Draft Reflects Young Farmer Needs
Senate introduces farm bill draft with the Young Farmer Agenda in mind
On Friday afternoon, the Senate Agriculture Committee released its long-awaited draft of the 2018 Farm Bill. In stark contrast to the hyper-partisan approach of their House counterparts, Senate Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) offered a bipartisan alternative, the product of months of negotiations and consensus-building. The result is a bill that, despite a challenging fiscal and political climate, contains significant wins for young farmers and ranchers.
House farm bill makes key land access investments, but misses big opportunities
NYFC policy staff continues to dig into the House farm bill, H.R. 2. Read our previous posts on the overall analysis of the bill, as well as its potential impact for young farmers in the West.
Across the country, climbing land prices have made it increasingly difficult for farmers to afford land. The challenge of land access for young farmers is so widespread and acute, in fact, that NYFC has an entire team dedicated to it. The farm bill, reauthorized by Congress every five years, can help, or hinder, young farmers’ ability to access land.
Finding Farmland: Upgrade Released
If you have been using NYFC’s Finding Farmland site, get ready for a big upgrade to our Land Affordability Calculator. And if you haven’t—try out the new version now! A decision-making tool designed specifically for farmers seeking land, the Finding Farmland Calculator makes it easy for farmers to understand and compare farm financing options, […]
RELEASE: Young farmers go to Albany to urge legislators to address the state’s farmland affordability issue with working farm easements
Young farmers find land access to be top roadblock to careers in farming; Will urge NY legislators to direct farmland conservation dollars towards working farm easements to keep land available and affordable for working farmers
Albany, NY (March 12, 2018) – National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) farmer members from across New York State are meeting with New York State legislators in Albany today to discuss the challenges young farmers face in finding available and affordable farmland to own—a crucial step in pursuing a farming career and building a successful farming business.
Finding and Funding Your Farm
By Michael Durante, Land Access Program Associate
The demographics suggest that finding farmland should be easier now than ever, and indeed the National Agricultural Statistics Service estimates that over the next five years, nearly 100 million acres of U.S. farmland are expected to change ownership. But beginning farmers consistently find that accessing land—particularly finding and affording land on a farm income—is the number one challenge they face. We recommend several strategies for farmers seeking land.
RELEASE: Young farmers to gather at Roundhouse to share top challenges with state legislators
Farmers from both New Mexico chapters of the National Young Farmers Coalition will discuss policy solutions to get the next generation of young farmers on the land
SANTA FE, NM (Jan 22, 2018) – Members of the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) will gather at the Capitol on Wed., Jan. 24th, to share the top challenges they face, including land access, student loan debt, water conservation, and farmland succession. The convening is organized by young farmers from NYFC’s two New Mexico-based chapters: the Rio Grande Farmers’ Coalition and the Northern New Mexico Young Farmers’ Alliance. The NYFC drive-in is hosted in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union drive-in on Jan. 23rd, where local NYFC chapter members will also be present.