Provide dedicated state, federal, and private funding for technical assistance, mentorship, and capital for farmland access programs

Recommendation Status: In Progress

Are you working on this recommendation? Let us know.

Recommendation: Provide dedicated state, federal, and private funding for technical assistance, mentorship, and capital for farmland access programs. Funding will support:

• Research, expansion, and development of innovative models for cooperative and alternative land tenure.
• Increasing access to capital through alternative approaches like Community Development Financial Institutions and the NH Community Loan Fund, while continuing to decrease systemic barriers (e.g., recent changes to the FSA loan application process that improved accessibility).
• Incentivizing and educating landowners about leasing land to farmers.

Current work happening on this recommendation:

• American Farmland Trust's Buy‑Protect‑Sell Plus (BPS+) Pilot in New Hampshire directly advances this recommendation by:
  • Combining land acquisition, permanent conservation, and transfer to farmers 
    Integrating affordability and long‑term stewardship into land protection
  • The NH pilot is intentionally designed to interface with regional land access networks, aligning with NHFA’s systems‑level approach.
  • This effort involves forging new partnerships with land trusts and local partners to identify opportunities to secure threatened farmland, protect it, and transition it to a next generation of farmers. This may include identifying new sources of funding for conservation and access projects.
    • How can you learn more and get involved? Reach out the Jamie Pottern, Senior New England Program Manager, jpottern@farmland.org
       

Craving context? This recommendation is included in the Farmland Conservation, Access, & Succession brief, part of the NH Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan.

Read the Farmland Conservation, Access, & Succession brief here