Disaster relief resources, how YOU can support farmers now & more good work

Our Good Work • Summer 2023

Our hearts are with the farmers affected by recent flooding

The flooding and devastation that has hit so many of our farmers is overwhelming. Farmers suffered major crop loss, damages, and displaced or perished livestock. Many are just beginning to navigate the long road ahead. Some farmers were forced to face an end to a harvest season that had only just begun.

The series of extreme weather events this year has hit farmers hard. Two late frosts caused significant loss to fruit and berry farms, while wildfire smoke caused harvesting delays and affected farmworkers' health. These disasters will have repercussions on farm businesses and our economy, and impact our local food system.

In this issue, we have compiled flood resources for support, response, and recovery. You'll also find a new land access guide to help find and assess farmland, as well as new translated materials, an upgrade to New England Farmland Finder, and some state happenings.

We remain available to help! Our hearts are with our farmers, and our hands are at work in each of our communities. If we can assist you, please contact us.

~ The Land For Good team

Was your farm impacted by the recent flooding?

Response and recovery information, both state and federal, for the ongoing State of Emergency across our region is provided below.

In preparation for the disaster recovery process, farmers are encouraged to reach out to their local Farm Service Agency county office to report their loss and damages. Reporting helps determine federal relief opportunities!

In Vermont, find disaster relief resources at the Agency of Agriculture including recovery donation opportunities. UVM Agricultural & Environmental Testing Lab is offering free testing for farms with flooded fields, including the basic soil test, heavy metals screen, and available nitrate nitrogen (PSNT). Mental health resources are available for free at Farm First.
In Massachusetts, find disaster relief guidance and resources at Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources including mental health resources. Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture has opened their emergency farm fund that can provide zero-interest loans to impacted farmers.
In New Hampshire, find resources at the Department of Agriculture. The Farm & Ranch Stress Assistance Network offers Farm Strong NH with farmer to farmer support networks, as well as mental health resources.
In Connecticut, find disaster relief resources at the Department of Agriculture. Mental health resources are available at CT Farm Stress Relief.
In all states, find USDA disaster assistance including a recovery tool, risk management, and food safety guidelines. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has directed the USDA to aid recovery efforts. Plus Farm Aid is offering a Farmer Resource Network and a hotline to point you toward both local and national resources offering relief. They are also accepting requests for assistance!

Support local farms who were impacted

The season has been challenging for our farmers but they continue to demonstrate perseverance following hardships like this. There are many ways you can show your support!

Donate to help flooded farms. In Vermont, find a list of impacted farms at NOFA-VT as well as various emergency funds that have been established. In Massachusetts, find a list of impacted farms to support through Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
Volunteer when farms are ready. NOFA-VT is collecting a list of folks interested in volunteering. Just fill out this form and they'll be in touch when a farm expresses need in your area.
Buy local at farmers markets and farm stands when they get back up and running. Consider signing-up and paying early for your next CSA season, or find their products at your local Co-op.
Advocate for policies that result in a more resilient food system. While Congress is working on writing the next Farm Bill, you can reach out to your state representative to push for progress on issues of climate change and racial justice. Read about these important issues for the upcoming Farm Bill at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the National Young Farmers Coalition.

Enjoy new features at New England Farmland Finder

We are thrilled to share that New England Farmland Finder (NEFF), the region's largest farm link website, has been upgraded. Along with a fresh look, there's improved site navigation and enhanced functionality on mobile devices. Translations are part of the upgrade, too!

Farm seekers are now able to create a profile, highlight their farming experience and vision, explain what they’re looking for in a farm property, and include a short pitch to property owners. Landowners can use the "Find a Farmer" database to search for farmers that may be a good fit for their land. This site is managed by the New England Farm Link Collaborative, a partnership of farm link programs and land access services in New England, including Connecticut FarmLink, Maine FarmLink, Vermont Land Link, and Land For Good.

Preview the new features

"What an amazing service—thank you so much for what you do—we could not have taken the next step on our journey toward a cooperative farm without New England Farmland Finder!"

~Karen Parker Feld, Crow's Feat Farm, Kensington, NH

Find these resources now in Spanish!

We are fortunate to have received funding to translate a selection of our farm seeker resources.

If you’re a beginning farmer exploring your options to get onto land, or an established farmer ready to expand, relocate, or rethink your land situation, these farm seeker resources can help. (English and Spanish selections available.) Find worksheets, handbooks, sample lease templates, and other resources to inform your decision-making and guide your planning and search for farmland.

en español: Obtenga más información sobre los métodos para acceder juntos a las tierras de cultivo

Learn more about specific Spanish resources available.

If you or someone you know is interested in resources in a different language, please contact us so we can further understand accessibility needs.

Thank you to Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, and Cultivemos, formerly the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network Northeast, for funding these translations.

Learn how to find, assess & secure farmland with this new guide

When looking for farmland to start or expand a farm business, there are lots of steps to find the right piece of land. Clarifying your vision and needs, exploring land tenure options, and conducting a land search are some of these steps. A new guide, How To Find, Assess, and Secure Farmland, (en español: Cómo encontrar, evaluar y obtener tierras de cultivo), is clearly written to assist farmers through these steps and offers tips and resources to farmers seeking land.

This guide is presented in "plain language" to make the topic easily understandable. Plain language provides clear, straightforward, and accessible text to help readers confidently act upon what is learned. Real-life examples of people practicing the information are included.

Finding farmland that works for you is a process that takes time. For some farmers it takes months, and for others it takes years. You may find land that is good enough to get started, and then move to other locations or expand in the future. Keep an open mind, know what you need, and start as early as possible.

Co-authored by New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and Land For Good. Material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28588.

Learn more (Aprende más)

Meet up with our staff in your state

This summer our staff have been offering trainings and mixers across the region with local partners; we're rounding out the season with a few more exciting opportunities!

In New Hampshire: Read about the NH Food Alliance gathering in May, Growing a thriving local food system in the Granite State

In Massachusetts:

A Farmer Resource Fair hosted by New Entry Sustainable Farming Project in May brought together farmers from Essex County and beyond. Farmers really appreciated having so many service providers and resources in the same room together. That sentiment was repeated multiple times throughout the event. There were so many amazing organizations all together! (Pictured here, Kali Lucey of Land For Good.)
Armed To Farm, provided by National Center for Appropriate Technology and New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, will allow veterans to experience sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and explore career opportunities in agriculture, in Danvers from July 24-28. Register now
NOFA Summer Conference later this month will feature a presentation led by one of our students in the Acquiring Your Farm course on July 29: BIPOC Land Access, Reparations and the Family Farm Dream. Register now

In Connecticut: Auerfarm & Samad Gardens Initiative presented an Agribusiness Virtual Series in June for new and seasoned farmers who wish to improve their business. An Accessing Farmland session, presented by Will O'Meara of Land For Good, compared leasing and ownership arrangements, group farmland access, entities, and partnerships with municipalities, schools, nonprofits, and land trusts.

In Maine: Our friends at Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association will host a free farm tour and conversation for beginning farmers on Sound Pine Farm’s leased land in Brunswick, ME. Together Eliza Baker-Wacks of Land For Good and Maine Department of Agriculture will discuss the land search process, leasing land, soil health principles, and managing fertility while leasing land on July 26. Register now

Show gratitude to our funders

We are grateful to our recent funders:

Roy A. Hunt Foundation, the Clif Family Foundation funded by Clif Bar & Company, and United Natural Foods, Inc whose generous support will have a meaningful impact on our programs and operations. We look forward to sharing the positive outcomes that will arise from our partnership!

And special thanks to YOU our partners, friends, and donors. We couldn't do this work without you! If you responded to our spring appeal, your gift is already hard at work helping farmers access or secure farmland.

"Among the hundreds of proposals we received, your organization stood out as one that will offer social and environmental change. We know that current events have altered the way many of you do your important work and we are inspired by your extraordinary resilience and compassion."

-Clif Family Foundation

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