A New Voice for the Land
Martin Adams is a new voice for the land, and a revivalist of the historical context for the way we think about land issues. His new book, Land: A New Paradigm for a Thriving World is scheduled for publication in March. From Adams: Many of us already sense on one level or another that capitalism […]
Featured Resource: LandPortal
From the LandPortal website: The Portal allows for the collection, sourcing, and searching of otherwise fragmented and inaccessible data and information on land governance and land use from diverse sources, produced by governments, academia, international organizations, indigenous peoples and NGOs. Besides documenting land rights, the Portal also encourages social information exchange, debate and networking. Vision, […]
Sharecropping Awareness Week
Watch this film about the folks that farm the land for no or reduced rent, then owe (some of) their product to the land owner. A good idea? Does it work?
A model to model: Terre de Liens
We’ve mentioned Terre de Liens a lot in the past. The structure of a shared commons used for agriculture is one we hope to replicate, and we have a group of lawyers, agrarians and activists working to create a legal structure for such an endeavor in the US. Here’s how it works: [gview file=”https://www.agrariantrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Terre-de-Liens-Structure.pdf”]
Definition: Reserved Life Estate
Definition: Reserved Life Estate From ConservationTools.org The ownership of real estate can be divided into present and future interests. This division enables a landowner to convey land to a land trust or government with the owner retaining ownership during the owner’s lifetime or some other specified period. Donation of future interests can result in tax […]
The Commons are Making a Comeback
The land has not always been owned, or able to be owned, and it is not just in recent history that citizens have rebelled against the very idea of land as property. An article from AlJazeera America by Nathan Schneider uncovers some of what’s new with the old school idea of the commons. From the […]
A Farmer Needs a Law Degree
Farmers are not lawyers, and why should we be? We have enough on our plate running a small business, tending the fields, defending small-scale agriculture. Sometimes it feel like we need to be lawyers, too, as we navigate the increasingly complex food system. Even a small market gardener needs a lawyer more than they’d think. […]
Death of a Family Farm
The transition to the next generation doesn’t always go smoothly, even when there is a chance for keeping it in the family. Kristina Johnson profiles this side of the farm business in Death of a Family Farm, citing stark realities like these: So while financial advisors love to pull out the statistic that just 30% […]
Harvard Food Law and Policy Internships
The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic is seeking current law students for its Summer 2015 Summer Internship Program. This fast-paced, multi-faceted internship gives students the unique opportunity to get hands-on experience conducting legal and policy research for individuals, community groups, and government agencies on a wide range of food law and policy issues, and […]
Tools for Investing in Community
[gview file=”https://www.agrariantrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Creating-a-Community-Investment-Fund-A-Local-Food-Approach.pdf”] by Michael H. Schuman — also check out 24 Tools for Local Investing