Success for the next generation of farmers and ranchers depends on whether they can secure suitable land to start and expand their operations. Farmland for the Next Generation is American Farmland Trust’s nationwide project to address this critical issue.
AFT is partnering with the nation’s leading experts in land access and farmland transition to serve as an Educational Enhancement Team. Working with an external evaluator and curriculum designer, we have assessed existing curricula and resources and are developing a comprehensive, new curriculum to give beginning farmers and ranchers practical knowledge and skills needed to gain access to land and secure land tenure. We are delivering the curriculum to a core group of agricultural educators and service providers. These trainers represent the start of a nationwide network to support beginning farmers and ranchers as they sort through the financial, legal and technical challenges of gaining access to land.