Farmer testifies to Congress about student loan debt
On Monday, farmer Emily Best was invited to testify at a Congressional hearing about the impact her student loan debt has on her ability to farm. As almost one million student borrowers prepare to receive their first student loan bills in November, United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), chair of the Democratic Steering and Outreach […]
VIDEO: Clif Bar calls for more young farmers
The Sahatjians have been growing raisins in Madera, California for nearly 90 years and across four generations. But their story of farm succession is increasingly rare. Today we’re announcing a new partnership with Clif Bar & Company, one of the nation’s leading organic food makers, to raise awareness of the U.S. farmer shortage and highlight the importance […]
New NYFC report finds student loan debt is exacerbating farmer shortage
Today NYFC released a new report, Farming Is Public Service: A Case for Adding Farmers to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which shows that student loan debt is one of the key barriers preventing more would-be farmers and ranchers from entering agriculture. Read the full report here. The report contains data from a new survey of […]
Young Farmer Success Act introduced in Congress
University of Maryland agriculture instructor Meredith Epstein loves teaching, but it isn’t the career she imagined for herself. Epstein doesn’t lack the skills, training, or talent for her chosen profession—farming—she simply can’t afford to invest in a farm of her own because she has student loan debt. The Young Farmer Success Act of 2015 would […]
March Update: Leanna Says Goodbye to Student Debt
This week, we learned that our Operations Manager, Leanna Mulvihill, was selected to receive student loan forgiveness by New York State. Leanna is starting her own livestock operation this year and will now be able to invest her savings in lambs and pigs instead of student loan payments. This is exactly the kind of impact […]
Check Out Our February Update: New Faces, Discounts, Campaign Updates
In our first monthly update of the year, we have lots of news to share from our snowbound headquarters in Hudson, NY: new staff, new board members, new advisors, and a new guidebook! We also have updates on #FarmingIsPublicService, a rundown of events and conferences, and a reminder about our money-saving member benefits as you […]
Student Loans are Next on the Agenda!
Young people shouldn’t have to choose between a career in farming and paying off their student loan debt. But we’ve heard it again and again—student loan debt is keeping young people from succeeding in agriculture. Now NYFC is taking this challenge head on. Last week, we launched a new campaign to tackle the student loan […]
NYFC Launches Student Loan Campaign to Support Beginning Farmers!
Young people shouldn’t have to choose between a career in farming and paying off their student loan debt. But we’ve heard it again and again—student loan debt is keeping young people from succeeding in agriculture. Today, we’re launching a new campaign to tackle the student loan barrier for committed, career farmers. #FarmingIsPublicService is a campaign […]
August News: Jobs, Climate March, Water Innovation, Events
We’ve been on the road this summer, crop mobbing with the Missouri Young Farmers Coalition, talking shop with first-generation organic grain farmers in Montana, and square dancing with the Washington Young Farmers Coalition. All along the way, we’re collecting stories for our campaigns and building a stronger young farmer movement. Want to see us in action? Follow the […]
July News: NYFC at White House, Student Debt on the Agenda, FSA Elections, Land Trust Ed
Here at NYFC, we think farmers should be spending the summer fighting weeds, fixing fences and growing food—not worrying about student debt and untenable leases. In this July newsletter, we’ll tell you about two exciting campaigns NYFC is taking on: tackling student loan debt and fighting for affordable land. Plus, see us at the White House […]