One third of New York’s farmers are over the age of 65, and these senior farmers own or operate nearly two million acres of farmland vulnerable to being lost as it changes hands in the coming years. At the same time, young, beginning, and historically underserved farmers face major barriers finding farmland at prices they can afford, accessing the tools they need to steward the land using regenerative or climate smart practices, and with conditions that will enable them to launch successful businesses. We all need to eat. Without farmers, who will grow our food?
It is critical that we work to keep land in farming and bring a diverse new generation of farmers onto the land during this period of intergenerational transition. Below are the common stories we hear from the farmers we work with every day.
Common Scenarios Threatening Farmland Transition
The Land is Sold Out from Under Them
A farming couple in their 30s has been renting from a supportive landowner for five years, building up the soil with their rotationally grazing livestock and regenerative practices. They're just hitting their stride, having developed a customer base at the local farmers market and finally paying down some of their capital investments made towards the farm.
One day, the landowner announces that they need to move to be closer to an ill family member and gives them six months notice that it’s for sale and they can have first shot at it -- if they can meet the asking price. The housing market is still hot, and the farm is located in a perfect spot for a weekend escape for an urban couple that could offer cash to the landowner. If the young farmers can't come up with funding to buy the farm in six months, too short notice for traditional farm financing, their opportunity is lost and they will have to start from scratch on another farm, if they can find one.
Settling Estate with Family Breaks Up the Farm
A young farmer in his 20s has been working alongside his parents and grandparents on their field crops and seasonal U-pick and farm stand for all of his life, opting to attend community college locally to be able to increase his responsibilities on the farm after high school. He just finished an Associate's degree to gain business experience to manage the farm for better profitability. His father hasn't updated his will in years, but he has an informal handshake agreement with his father to rent a portion of the farm while he works towards purchasing it to keep the land whole for future generations.
His father suffers a heart attack and passes suddenly, leaving the farm equally to his four children, three of which have moved off-farm and have careers and homes of their own. His mother passed a decade ago from cancer, and his siblings are feeling cheated by the loss of their parents and want to glean something from their estate. The young farmer has 3-6 months to figure out how to buy his siblings out and keep the peace while figuring out the best path forward for the farm business.
The Land is the 401k
A farmer in his late 60s has a 250-acre former dairy operation that he needs to sell to support his retirement. He sold his dairy cows a few years ago when the milk prices plummeted and tried raising heifers and beef cattle for a time, but figuring out the online sales and marketing were beyond his comfort zone. He's decided it's time to let go of the land and enjoy retirement with his wife. Their 50th wedding anniversary is coming up in a year, and he plans to surprise her with a move to Florida, where their daughter and grandkids now live.
The farm is too small and outdated to function as a modern dairy, and too large for most to take on as a diversified direct market operation. While he doesn't have any next of kin interested in keeping the farm going, it's important to him that the land stays in farming and doesn't get swallowed by development and 'turned into McMansions' as he's witnessed with other farms he grew up near. Given time and creativity, he could imagine several farmers coming together to steward the land cooperatively -- it's abundant with resources, like a natural spring, prime soils and several buildings that could be repurposed, but his modest savings are running out, and he needs to retire and move before next winter.
Do Young People Actually Want to Farm? Yes, They Do!
It isn't a lack of interest keeping young people from farming -- it's a lack of land access. Study after study tells us that land access is the number one barrier beginning farmers face. American Farmland Trust leads the Farmland for a New Generation New York program, featuring a farmland finder website where farmers can create a free profile to search for land across the state, and access a wealth of resources and the support of a statewide network of Regional Navigators that work one-on-one with farmers and landowners. Right now, nearly 500 farmers have active profiles on the website seeking farmland in New York state, compared to 150 farm properties listed on the site.
Real Farmer Voices
"I want to make sure that the farmers who have been caring for the land their whole lives still get out of it what they need to survive in retirement and beyond."
You can help make access to farmland possible for a new generation of farmers which strengthen our local and regional food systems, permanently protect farmland, and so much more.
By providing support in the critical moment where farms are most likely to be lost to development, or to new owners without an intention to farm...
...and leveling the playing field for an enthusiastic, passionate new generation of farmers by giving them the gift of time and affordability that will allow them to make their farming vision a reality.
Join Us and Support the Farmland Access Fund!
The New York Farmland Access Fund launched with a $1,250,000 lead gift secured from two incredible donors. Additionally, we are grateful for gifts from several other major donors who have allowed us to launch the project.
With this project fully funded, we will:
- Provide farmland access to 5-10 new farm operations (with the goal of ensuring that half of those supported are from historically underserved populations).
- Protect 500 to 1,000 acres of farmland in New York state.
- Not only secure the land, but support farmers in bringing a variety of regenerative agricultural practices to life.
We would love to share more about the vision we have for this project, and to count you in as a supporter!
Contact: Karisa Centanni, Senior Philanthropy Officer, (315) 748-5099; Jerry Cosgrove, Farm Legacy Director and Senior Advisor, (518) 281-5074
Photos Credits: Anthony Aquino, Cozy Oaks Productions, Josh Baldo, Nancy J. Parisi, and Lindsay Morris.