Learning


Guide to Creating an Agrarian Commons
The Center for Agriculture & Food Systems (CAFS) created the following legal guide for anyone interested in establishing an Agrarian Commons. The guide outlines bylaws, land stewardship standards, equitable lease-building, and more.
Bite-Sized Legal Guides from Sustainable Economies Law Center
Have a legal question but not quite ready to read a full legal guide? These Bite-Sized Legal Guides from SELC are a great place to start. Guides are available on Cooperatives, Entity Formation, Food and Farming, Intellectual Property, Capital, Investing Locally, and much more!
FaithLands Toolkit
The FaithLands Toolkit supports partnerships between farmers, faith communities, and food systems in celebration of our interconnectedness to one another and our common home.
Guidebooks and Reports
Agrarian Trust shares in-depth research, findings and reports by independent entities such as Patagonia, the Young Farmer’s Coalition, American Farmland Trust and the Environmental Defense Fund. These guidebooks and reports offer a thorough investigation into our current food system and how it needs to change based on evidence-based findings.
Publications
Here are some publications we’ve found most helpful for new economy farmers, cooperatives, and land equity and reparations organizations:
FROM SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIES LAW CENTER
FROM FARM COMMONS
FROM LAND FOR GOOD
FROM EQUITY TRUST
FROM EQUITY TRUST
Grassroots Financing Guide for California Farmers
Living Commons Models

The Commons Alliance works with and supports a number of communities and organizations, and the following land trusts are now working to create their own community-centered farmland commons: