This spring marks just over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives and disrupted our food systems. Its full impact on farmers remains unclear. In this issue, find inspiration from farmers amid the land access challenges and impacts of the pandemic. 

Secure access to land for farmers who grow our food and steward our land is as critical as ever. Our food security (and more) depends on the land security of our farmers. Last year’s market disruptions spawned crises and opportunities for farmers. Some farmers struggled to keep their businesses afloat, others had banner years, and some were forced to consider retirement. All farmers had to adapt quickly to new realities and demand.

Every season farmers must plan in the face of uncertainties related to market prices, consumer demand, weather, labor conditions, government policy, and more. They need our support. Please help us support working farms. Make a donation now. Watch for our spring fundraising appeal and opportunity to renew your support early this year or consider an additional gift. Every donation counts. Thank you for keeping farming a vital and vibrant part of our communities!

If you are unable to make a donation at this difficult, we welcome any form of support! Refer a farmer or friend to Land For Good for services and resources, spread the news about this important work, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to connect with others, share your support, and get the latest news.

With humility and gratitude,

Jim Hafner

Executive Director

Farmers still face difficulties in accessing federal aid in underserved communities, but more relief is on the way. Last month Congress took steps to move forward additional relief by passing the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill with agriculture components making up less than 1% of total spending. This aid will provide additional resources to help farmers mitigate the prolonged effects of the pandemic, especially marginalized communities most impacted. Included in the legislation was $5 billion in debt relief for Black, Indigenous, and Farmers of Color (BIPOC). As the largest portion of the ag-related funding in the bill, it also includes over $1 billion to improve land access, address heirs property issues, establish an equity commission, and create a legal center to provide legal advice and resources to BIPOC farmers.

Some members of Congress claim that this recent round of debt relief for Black farmers was the equivalent of “reverse discrimination” but in fact it’s a small but important down payment toward righting the wrongs of the recent past, explained House Agriculture Chairman David Scott. The debt relief is a start, but the fight is not over for Black farmers.

USDA announced a new initiative that will distribute more than $12 billion to farmers who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with $6.5 billion to the new Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative to reach a broader set of producers than in previous COVID-19 aid programs, with a specific focus on strengthening outreach to underserved producers and communities and small and medium agricultural operations.

USDA is also implementing updates to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-2) for producers of agricultural commodities marketed in 2020 who faced market disruptions due to COVID-19. USDA’s Farm Service Agency is currently accepting new and modified CFAP-2 applications with no closing deadline listed.

Visit farmers.gov for details on all eligible commodities, producer eligibility, payment limitations and structure, and additional resources.

The NH Farm Future Fund is helping ensure New Hampshire farmland is available for future generations. It is an integrated approach to funding farm viability, farmland conservation, and farmland access. NH Association of Conservation Districts, in partnership with the Cheshire County Conservation District, recently announced the 2021 grant recipients.

Huckins Farm, New Hampton NH

Maple Leaf Farm, Lyme NH

Meadow’s Mirth Farm, Brentwood NH

Pete’s Stand, Walpole NH

Picadilly Farm, Winchester NH

As a grant partner and technical assistance provider, we offer our congratulations to the 2021 recipients, and our farmers and friends. Since 2020, $190,000 has been distributed to 10 farms, in partnership with 8 New Hampshire land trusts. In addition to conserving 991 acres in 7 counties, the Fund has helped the farms stay viable and plan for the future. Funding is provided by the You Have Our Trust Fund and the Madison Fund of the NH Charitable Foundation. Additional thanks to the Land Resources Action Team of the NH Food Alliance!

Learn more about the grant recipients & how this funding will help.

We could all benefit from a little inspiration! These recent news articles overlap our work and highlight some of our farmer clients and advisees. Our team is proud to have helped these farmers directly in various ways and collaborated with partners on their behalf. We clearly see the impacts of our work that helps farmers overcome barriers to land access and achieve tenure security.

Boston Globe, March 23: “An urban farm embarks on its first season, determined to serve its community” article features Agric Organics Urban Farm in Dudley MA and the story of Hameed & Ayo Bello. We advised on their lease arrangement to ensure a secure and equitable agreement. Hameed & Ayo, originally from Nigeria, own and operate Agric Organics Urban Farm because they persevered and met a retiring farmer willing to rent them his farmland so they could “be part of the solution” in Western Massachusetts.

Worcester Business Journal, March 29: “Growing community: Sustainably minded young farmers make Central Mass. a national leader” article features Free Living Farm in Brookfield MA. Owners Cara & Michael run this small organic farm growing diverse vegetable crops, herbs, and flowers for their community on land we helped them find on New England Farmland Finder. We also helped them clarify their goals and objectives, improve their lease agreement, and referred them to a special training opportunity.

Boston Globe, April 10: “Black farmers seek to put down new roots in New England” article features Rockbottom Farm at Strafford Organic Creamery in Strafford VT and the story of farmer and friend Earl Ransom. “He’s also a Black man in a state where only 13 Black people owned farmland in 2017, compared with 6,382 whites, according to a federal survey. ‘We’re few and far between,’ Ransom said of Black farmers in Vermont, which had only three in 1969.”

Learn more about this good work on our Blog.

The pandemic has prompted many older farmers thinking about retirement to advance their succession plans to keep their farmland in farming for the next generation of farmers. Help is available! We offer resources and support through the farm transition planning process.

Are you unsure who will take over your farm? Feel like your family needs to start talking, but you don't know where to start? Have questions about passing on the farm that you don't know how to answer? You're not alone.

This spring 125 farmers in transition, junior generation farmers, and advisors, registered for our webinar series on farm succession planning. You, too, can now access these free webinar recordings. Learn the basics of farm succession planning, how to get started, plus where to find advisors and additional resources. Watch the full series or choose what support you need, and refer back to these as you work through your succession planning process.

"Farm succession can be a very complicated process and it is useful to have resources available for reference. The webinar series was very helpful for tips, resources, and networking. It was well worth my time." ~Elizabeth Stocker, AICP (CT)

Land For Good offers one-on-one advising for 2-3 hours at no cost to New England farmers. We can help you set goals, identify next steps, strategize if you don't have an identified successor, or review an existing plan. To initiate a consultation, please complete this form and we'll schedule a time that is convenient for you. Or you can call us at 603-357-1600.

Check out these webinar recordings and find additional resources in our Toolbox for farm transfer planning. Then contact us to see how we can help.

A unique training opportunity for attorneys and financial advisors will focus on the legal and financial components of farm succession plans and offer peer-to-peer learning and network-building, plus presentations by experts.

Whether you are an experienced succession advisor, have relevant knowledge, or hope to do more, you'll benefit from technical training and resources on entity selection, asset transfer methods, tax planning, financial assessments, non-traditional methods and tools, farmland conservation and farm transfer, and much more.

Over 10,000 New England farmers are likely to exit farming in the next decade. Many lack adequate farm transfer or succession plans. They need a supportive and knowledgeable team of advisors. Without the proper resources and support, many farms will go out of production or become part of larger farms, further reducing the opportunities for next-generation farmers to acquire and grow viable farms. Read more on our blog.

This initiative is funded by the USDA through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program as a two-year grant to LFG to improve professional capacity to deliver farm succession planning assistance in New England.

Sign up here, and share with colleagues, to receive updates about this unique training opportunity.

A new report from the The National Young Farmers Coalition, Land Policy: Towards a More Equitable Farming Future, illustrates the critical connection between land, policy and power. With contributions from our staff, this report draws attention to the importance of land access for farmers. We witness the challenges young farmers, particularly Black, Indigenous, and other Farmers of Color (BIPOC), face accessing land. The report illustrates the nuances of this issue and offers a path forward through policy change.

"Land is fundamental to survival. Access to this resource should not be a privilege. As we work toward a future defined by racial equity, community well-being, and climate resilience, land must be centered in our policymaking and our organizing."

Go to the Land Policy Report.

Our partners at The Carrot Project support agricultural businesses by breaking down financial barriers and building a path to sustainability with business development programs and farm financing options.

The Carrot Project works with farmers and fishermen who use sustainable methods, food entrepreneurs who source their ingredients from these types of farmers and fishermen, and agricultural businesses throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. They address important gaps at the intersections of financial security, racial and economic justice, financial barriers to farmland access, and farmers’ ability to weather major disruptions. They offer one-on-one business assistance aimed at helping farmers achieve greater financial sustainability and managerial confidence.

We collaborate with The Carrot Project on many initiatives, such as the Berkshire Farmland Initiative, and utilize their expertise to contribute to resource materials and farmer discussions.

Learn more about The Carrot Project.

Spring is here! Are you looking for a farmer for your land?

Want your property seen by more farmers? If you are a landowner or real estate agent looking to find the right farmer, post the property at no charge on New England Farmland Finder to get in front of 4,000+ subscribed farm seekers.

"We are about to enter our first trial year with successors found on New England Farmland Finder! Looking forward to a long and positive relationship with the young farmers who will take over our farm." ~Retiring farmer

Learn how to create effective property postings that also get more views by farmers! In partnership with the New England Farmlink Collaborative: Maine FarmLink, Connecticut Farmland Trust, and Vermont Land Link.

Post, search, or subscribe now for notifications of new properties.

You are an important part of the Land For Good community! Please help support working farms. Make a donation now. Watch for our spring fundraising appeal and opportunity to renew your support early this year, or consider an additional gift. Every donation counts.

Donate now.