Policy News Around the Nation From American Farmland Trust
Here are a handful of farmland updates from across the nation from American Farmland Trust New Hampshire Rededicates Funding for Farmland Conservation After several years of being diverted, all proceeds from New Hampshire’s deed recording fee—an estimated $8.45 million over the next two years—will be dedicated to the state’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program […]
Biodynamic Next Generation Farmers
The Biodynamic Initiative for the Next Generation (BING) has been breaking ground for next generation farmers since their unveiling at the Biodynamic Youth Gathering, part of the 2010 Biodynamic Conference in Spring Valley, NY. The project creates opportunities for the next generation of farmers, apprentices, educators, activists, and others inspired by biodynamics to connect, share, and […]
Value Up for U.S. Cropland
Ag Economy: USDA Stats- Cropland Values, Production Expenses Categories: Agricultural Economy The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) noted in its annual Land Values report on Friday that, “The United States cropland value increased by $460 per acre (13.0 percent) to $4,000 per acre.” Friday’s report pointed out that, “In the Northern Plains and Corn […]
Family Farms Still Outnumber Corporate Farms
Cropland Consolidation and the Future of Family Farms by James MacDonald Highlights: During the past three decades, U.S. crop production has been shifting to larger farms for most crops and in most States. Despite the shift, family farms continue to dominate U.S. crop production, accounting for 87 percent of the total value of U.S. crop […]
Talking about Land Succession
Here’s a glimpse into what happened in New Brunswick last month at the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN) Symposium. Some words from speakers Jeff Schnurr, Severine von Tscharner Fleming, Mark Bernard and Shannon Jones on “The Quest of Finding Farmland”. Jeff Schnurr -Community Forests International Speaking about: Incubator Farms Thank you to […]
Nothing Sucks Like Succession
By Dave Pratt From the Ranch Management Blog. You know how difficult it was to have that talk with your kids about the facts of life? There is a talk that you need to have with your family that is even more difficult. It’s about the facts of death. We make all sorts of excuses […]
Agricultural Transition: Recognizing the Growing Importance of Farm Transition Issues
Choices Magazine highlights many of the facets of farmland transition in a string of articles around the theme “Transitions in Agriculture”. Among the illuminating writes are: Drivers of Agricultural Transition Retired Farmer – An Elusive Concept The Policy and Legal Environment for Farm Transitions Agriculture, the Tax Code and Potential Tax Reform Credit Markets and […]
Farm Profile: Food Growing Program
The Food Growing Program started 5 or 6 years ago when the county jail donated ½ an acre of land to the Food Bank for Westchester (NY) as a vocational training garden. A few years later, they acquired another ¼ acre at a school for disadvantaged youth in Yonkers. The focus then was mainly on education […]
Interview with Joel Salatin
The Greenhorns Radio Program covered the ground of agricultural land use and transition with forward-thinking farmer Joel Salatin on the Heritage Radio Network. Salatin described the hurdles for young start-up farmers and offers solutions to the growing problem of the aging farm population. Salatin offers as a case model, the innovation brought forth by young […]
Farm Profile: Champlain Orchards
Bill Suhr and Andrea Scott were not intentionally looking for conserved land when they found the 158-acre parcel that is now home base for Champlain Orchards. The land in Shoreham, Vermont had been Laramie Point Orchard, and was in the process of being conserved as agricultural land by the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) as part […]