Access to land is recognized as a top challenge facing first and multi-generational beginning farmers (BFS), as confirmed by recent national young farmers coalition and american farm bureau federation…

Access to land is recognized as a top challenge facing first and multi-generational beginning farmers (BFS), as confirmed by recent national young farmers coalition and american farm bureau federation surveys. BFS must have adequate access to land to launch and sustain viable farms. Land for BFS of all types must be: available; affordable; appropriate; secure; and distributed and accessed equitably. However, accessing farmland is more complex and challenging than ever before due to contemporary economic, demographic, and cultural trends and conditions. With the impending transfer of 40% of US farmland (370 million acres), ensuring that BFS can access land is critical to our farm economy and food system. Expanding farmland access and tenure options are needed to facilitate farmer entry and grow farming opportunity, while mitigating concentration of farmland ownership and promoting more sustainable practices. Access to land is also an issue of historical and increasing inequality withinour nation's agricultural sector and food system. Ambitious, integrated and sustained collaborative responses that increase equitable access to land is required to diversify and grow the next generation of US farmers, who are foundational to a more resilient food system.land for good (LFG), a new england-based nonprofit organization, established its specialty in farmland access, tenure and transfer in 2004, before farmland access or beginning farmers (BFS) were program or policy priorities. Recognition of the need for BFS – and the needs of BFS – led to a rise of BF education, training and financing programs. But few programs addressed land access or transfer. Based on findings of a USDA/national research initiative - a project CO-led by LFG - our work in new england takes a systems approach combining education and technical assistance (TA) on farmland access to BFS with resources and services for transitioning farmers, non-operator landowners, allied professionals and community leaders. Helping farmers exit from farming and transfer farms to next generation BFS and engaging landowners are both needed. More service providers require topical training and interconnection. More TA, new models, greater public awareness, and more supportive policies are also all needed. Through bfrdp projects alone, LFG has formally collaborated with over 60 organizations in our region (and many others nationally) to implement these recommendations, achieving noteworthy outcomes. The project goal is for more new england BFS to successfully access farmland to start or expand their farm businesses. The project will improve the ability of at least 3,400 participating BFS to make sound land access decisions and support their path to gaining secure access to land to establish, grow and sustain a farm business. The main outcome is that over 350 BFS - including 45 farmers of color - gain more secure land tenure.land for good, seven partners and eight collaborators across 6 states will achievethis by undertaking activities in the following main areas of project effort:improve and update new england farmland finder, a regional farm link website, and connected support servicesprovide new resources, training and technical assistance to BFS, retiring farmers and landowners on farmland access and transfer strategies across new englandoffer intensified training and technical assistance in the massachusetts berkshires to facilitate farmland access and transferexpand farmland access for more black, indigenous and people of color BFS in southern new englanddue to these efforts, at least 3,400 BFS in new england will improve their ability to access land and improve tenure. Additional intermediate outcomes are: 60 farmersbetter able to transfer farms to BFS;15 farmersdevelop concrete plans to transfer farms to next-generation or unrelated BFS;48 bfsdevelop plans to gain more secure tenure on farmland. Our work targeting transitioning farmers, landowners and service providers will improve the conditions that enable more BFS to access land to farm into the future and beyond the direct scope of this project. The long-term impacts of this project on BFS and the structure of agriculture include:more successful and diverse BF farm starts and growth due to informed tenure decisions and greater land security.more land is available and findable for BFS, including from transitioning farmers.more BFS and more BFS of color can access farmland in new england.increased collaboration among - and capacity of - service providers within new england to serve and support BFS successful access to land.greater regional and national awareness and promotion of land access methods to help BFS, exiting farmers, professionals and communities solve land access challenges.