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INVESTIGATOR: Freedgood, J.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST, INC
1150 CONNECTICUT AVE STE 600
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 20036

FARMLAND FOR THE NEXT GENERATION:TRAINING THE TRAINERS TO HELP BEGINNERS SECURE LAND AND SUCCEED IN AGRICULTURE

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: According to USDA's 2012 Census of Agriculture, the number of beginning farmers and ranchers has reached a 30-year low - down 20 percent in just five years. One key reason for the decline is finding, affording and securing appropriate land to purchase or rent. More than a third of U.S. farmers and ranchers are 65 years or older, which suggests that in the next twenty years, at least 240 million acres of agricultural land are likely to change hands. The future of American agriculture hinges on the successful transfer of farm and ranch land to the next generation.Many resources are available to support BFRs in production, marketing, and business planning, but relatively few exist to help BFRs gain access to land. Farmland for the Next Generation will fill this gap. To achieve this we will evaluate existing curricula and resources, create a comprehensive curriculum that meets the needs of diverse populations, regions, and agricultural systems, test and validate it by delivering to 25 experienced agricultural educators, pilot the curriculum with BFRs, and ultimately extend the training to other trainers. Further we will sustain the knowledge by laying the foundation for a national network of service providers and making the curriculum and resources widely available. The ultimate outcome is to help BFRs secure land from retiring farmers and ranchers as well as institutional and non-operating landowners.

OBJECTIVES: The ultimate outcome of this project is to help beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) secure land from retiring farmers and ranchers as well as institutional and non-operating landowners. Four year goals include completing an evaluation of existing training programs and curricula related to land access for BFRs; creating, testing and validating a comprehensive national land access curriculum; building the capacity of agricultural educators and service providers working with BFRs to provide continuing education; and launching a national network to provide ongoing technical assistance and support to BFRs seeking agricultural land.