We applaud the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) as the single largest investment in climate solutions in our nation's history, while offering significant support for farmers and ranchers.

"Because of this legislation, farmers, ranchers, and foresters will have the tools they need to adopt practices that recognize the valuable role our lands provide in tackling the climate crisis," shared a White House statement.

IRA offers unprecedented investments and nearly $20 billion to support climate friendly agriculture, Farm Bill conservation programs, and conservation technical assistance. A note on debt relief, IRA also includes $3 billion in dedicated funding to provide debt relief to distressed farmers who hold Farm Service Agency direct or guaranteed loans, as well as over $2 billion to be paid to farmers who have experienced discrimination in USDA lending programs. While this funding is long overdue, it did not meet the needs and expectations of BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) who have specifically been impacted by discriminatory lending practices. Read the Federation of Southern Cooperatives' press release for more context.

We encourage you to thank your legislators and keep engaged in efforts to plan for the Farm Bill 2023 as it continues to offer critical support to our farms and food system.

We asked our Massachusetts Field Agent, Jae Silverman, owner-operator at Windrow Farm:

"I used to know within a pretty reasonable margin how many bales of hay I was going to make in a given year. Now I'm finding I have to build in a much larger buffer on how much hay I can commit to with pre-orders, and how much I'm hoping to make for the year. This year is looking to be the third year in a row that I'm going to be short on second cut, which is a shame because that's the crop that plugs the most into the food/fiber system due to nutritional value. In 2020 I was short because of dryness (lack of regrowth). Last year was so wet that first cut was delayed, meaning less regrowth. And this year we're back to dry again, with the same problem as 2020."

How is climate change impacting your farm? Your stories are powerful, and sharing them helps shift what’s possible in the Farm Bill 2023.

Join the conversation at #FarmerClimateStories and #Farmers4Climate.

Please welcome Eliza Baker-Wacks, our new Maine Field Agent. Eliza has a passion for working with farmers to help them achieve their goals. She is excited to continue to work towards a more equitable and inclusive food system in Maine.

Eliza has experience supporting policy initiatives and research focusing on state and federal conservation funding, climate and energy policy, land management, and other environmental issues. She has seen the challenges of and lack of education regarding farmland access. Previously she managed the beginning farmer training program at Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport, Maine. Eliza is already out in the field working with Maine's farmers, landowners, and partners. If you haven't had a chance to connect, she looks forward to meeting you. 

All of us at Land For Good have a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We recently completed an organizational assessment in partnership with Service to Justice, a collective of social service providers, advocates, community members, artists, organizers, and justice-oriented institutions. Both board and staff are eager to continue our individual and organizational learning.

We also continue to explore how the things we are learning and hearing from partners and farmers can inform our organizational direction and daily programming.

For example, our three-year USDA Beginning Farmer project, Land for Farmers, enables the expansion of partnerships and strengthening of relationships with groups led by and serving BIPOC farmers. Through this project we are working with organizations to support their staff and farmer networks with co-designed trainings and individualized support to assist additional BIPOC farmers gaining access to land in southern New England. The first year of the project has involved ongoing conversations with partners to plan what would be beneficial for their farmer networks. Additional training and assistance will begin this winter.

We are humbled to be partnering with three great groups: World Farmers offering land, resources, trainings and access to markets for immigrant and refugee farmers from around the globe; Southern New England Farmers of Color Collaborative, supporting BIPOC farmers in CT, MA and RI; and Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust working to advance permanent and secure land tenure through rematriating land and seeds, farmland stewardship, preservation and expansion, envisioning ways to be in reciprocity with land, and reimagining what the word “farmer” stands for.

The region's largest farm link website, New England Farmland Finder (NEFF), is getting an upgrade. Exciting new features are coming soon! Users will enjoy improved site navigation and upgraded functionality on mobile devices. Farm seekers will be able to add their profile, share what they are looking for and explain their experience. Property postings will be automatically shared to relevant state farm link sites in the region, including Connecticut FarmLink, Maine FarmLink, and Vermont Land Link.

Farm link programs and services help beginning farmers and farmland owners connect with each other and facilitate an introduction – providing unrelated parties with a way to meet. These programs serve farming and non-farming landowners, transitioning or retiring farmers, and beginning and established farmers of all kinds.

Launch of the new site is scheduled for 2023 (while a soft launch may happen sooner). Thank you to our many users and partners! Your valuable feedback is leading the improved design.

We are busy planning many programs for the winter season. Stay tuned to our Blog or events page for details as these trainings become available. But here's a sneak peek:

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for details and be the first to register!

Want to get started sooner? Check out the webinars on our YouTube channel, or visit our online Toolbox for free resources. For individualized coaching, email us to connect with one of our field agents.

Farm succession planning is critically important for all farms. Preparing for such an important transition helps ensure that you achieve your goals. One of the questions we hear most often from farmers about farm succession is, “Where do I start?”

A full succession plan addresses the future of the business, the farmer, and the land. A new workbook, Farm Succession Planning: Where Do I Start? helps transitioning farmers of any age think about and address these important issues. This workbook was developed in collaboration with other farm succession advisors and farmers who have planned for succession. Working through the included worksheets will help start important conversations, clarify your goals and identify information to collect and share with family members, advisors and others who have a stake in the future of your farm. The workbook also features a farmer’s moving personal reflection on transferring the farm.

Ready to dig in to succession planning? We offer one-on-one advising to New England farmers. Low or no-cost assistance is available. To initiate a consultation, complete this farm succession form. Find more tools and webinars in our toolbox.

In case you missed it, we recorded a number of online workshops hosted with our state partners. Many farmers prefer to watch at their convenience when the season slows. Find all these webinars and more on our YouTube channel:

Whether you attended a training session or webinar, utilized our farmer resources, or received individual coaching services over the past year, we value your feedback. To continue offering these low or no-cost services and report back to our funders, we’re asking our community to take a two-minute survey about the support they received.

Watch your inbox for an invitation to participate in our Annual Impact Survey. Please take a couple of minutes when you receive the survey to give us your valuable thoughts!