The Farmers Land Trust’s Post

Nearly 300 million acres of American farmland are expected to change hands in the next twenty years. As aging farmers exit the field, the future is uncertain for about one third of the country’s farm and ranch land. The United States’ ability to sustainably produce food, steward natural resources, and support rural economies depends on ensuring greater access to land for the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Working in partnership with public and private land protection leaders throughout the country, American Farmland Trust announces a new “Land Transfer Navigators” program in partnership with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service that will help exiting farmers and landowners retire with confidence and help new, beginning and underserved farmers gain secure, equitable land access.

As the nation's #farming population ages, who will replace them for our #foodsupply? Especially with the high cost of farmland? That's why this new Land Transfer Navigator program with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is so vital right now. It allows farmers and landowners to retire knowing that new, beginning, or underserved farmers will keep it as #farmland. As American Farmland Trust has reminded since the 1980s, #NoFarmsNoFood.

🐨 Inside the Great Koala National Park Process 📆Last year, it was exclusively reported by Wood Central that 106 coups within the proposed park area have already been closed for harvesting. This move has sparked a debate over the balance between conservation efforts and the economic implications for local communities and industries, particularly the hardwood industry, which is crucial for NSW's electricity infrastructure. 💬 In a new opinion article, legal expert Jack Rodden-Green unpacks the NSW government process to establish a Great Koala National Park. 🔍 Key Points of Contention: 1️⃣ Policy and Transparency: There is growing unease about the NSW Government's transparency and accountability in the park's creation process. The hardwood industry's supply chain has expressed concerns over potential impacts, emphasising the need for clear communication and stakeholder involvement. 2️⃣ Community and Stakeholder Engagement: Critics, including Michael Kemp, the NSW State Member for Oxley, argue that the process has been dominated by a select few, sidelining genuine community voices from the affected regions. There is a call for a more inclusive consultation that genuinely reflects the diverse views of the local population. 3️⃣ Composition of the Community Committee: The selection of the committee members has drawn criticism for being skewed towards environmentalists, with a lack of representation from local businesses, community services, and broader community interests. This composition raises questions about the committee's ability to represent the varied interests of the North Coast community fairly. 🗣️ #questionforgroup: In light of these concerns, how can government bodies ensure that processes like the establishment of the Great Koala National Park are transparent, inclusive, and truly reflective of community needs and interests? 💬 Join the Conversation: Discuss the importance of genuine stakeholder engagement and transparency in governmental processes. Share your thoughts on achieving a balanced approach to environmental conservation that respects the needs of local communities and industries. 🔗 For more detailed insights into the Great Koala National Park debate and the concerns raised, visit: https://lnkd.in/gTUw7R7Q #koalapark #nswpol #enviromental #forestry #forests #powerpoles #timber #greenenergy #renewableenergy #auspol #woodcentral #woodcentralau1 #koala #nswpol #nswdecides #politics #law #transparency #auspol #ausdecides #transparency #accountability #publicpolicy

Old Drake contemplates the nationwide struggle of farmers facing the funding crisis in federal conservation programs. As detailed in the recent article, farmers like Sara George encounter hurdles in programs such as EQIP and CSP, with high demand but insufficient funds. Explore the disparities in funding approval rates, the impact on underserved farmers, and the potential game-changing cash infusion from the Inflation Reduction Act. Old Drake remains committed to sustainable farmland development amid these pressing challenges. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gHj7Dxaz #ConservationStruggles #SustainableFarming

Local soil and water districts awarded over $2.3 Million for water quality initiatives "The Indiana State Department of Agriculture and the State Soil Conservation Board awarded $2,313,287 in matching grant funds to 26 projects within soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) and soil health organizations through the Clean Water Indiana program. “Providing farmers and landowners with tools and funding to keep our Indiana waterways clean and their soil structure healthy is key to keeping Indiana agriculture thriving,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “This funding will allow 48 organizations across 26 projects to improve their local water systems, keep their soil healthy and keep their communities thriving. Last year's increase in Clean Water Indiana funding from the general assembly is already making a lasting impact." The Clean Water Indiana program is administered by the state’s soil conservation board. The program, led by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), provides financial assistance to landowners and conservation groups that are working to reduce runoff from non-point sources of water pollution, whether it’s on agricultural land, urban areas or eroding streambanks." -  Indiana State Department of Agriculture #WhitefieldGlobalHoldings #RexburgHemp #Hemp #News #Articles #CleanWaterIndiana #WaterQuality #SoilHealth #ConservationFunding #IndianaAgriculture #EnvironmentalInitiatives #SustainableFarming #CommunityDevelopment #NonpointSourcePollution #GrantFunding #SWCDs #SoilConservation #RuralDevelopment #HealthyCommunities #FarmersForChange

“The evidence in the Natural England report confirms what many nature-friendly farmers are finding: delivering good-quality habitats, supported by public money, is helping to stop nature’s decline or even reverse it. Many farmers are pleased that their hard work is showing positive results, and with the support of well-funded ELMS, more farmers can deliver or help reverse nature’s decline. https://lnkd.in/engYYxGx

We are hosting a unique workshop next week. It's not an easy one to name and give a succinct title, but I trust that sometimes the beautiful ideas and practices defy our penchant for catchy titles. "Leverage the Innovative Farmland Commons Model to Ignite Regeneration"  Tuesday, NOV 14th @ 1pm ET This conversation may not be for everyone, but it aspires to use some nifty strategies for land access for everyone, not just corporations and institutional investors. For those who have an interest in how we secure access to land for farmers, this is for you and your farmer friends and allies of essential soil building heroes. 🤔 How might we establish a farmland commons that takes farmland out of the private, for-profit market model, so that farmers can hold secure land tenure to develop their essential work? 🤔 How might we use existing tools to secure land that is all too often sold to corporations, instead of local farmers? This is not a topic that everyone can relate to, but you may know someone who really needs to be in this conversation. Who comes to mind? Tag them below, share this post, and invite them to learn with us. This workshop will offer: - Insights into the history and perspective of Conservation and Community Land Trusts - Familiarize you with the innovative Farmland Commons model - Present the framework and specifics of the land trust model addressing ownership, tenure, stewardship, and equity within the Farmland Commons - Explore pathways for sellers, buyers, Regenerative Real Estate practitioners, and the land to connect, collaborate, and mutually benefit https://lnkd.in/gnxuR2zd #regenerativerealestate #regenerativeagriculture #landaccess #commons #farmlandcommons #landtrust

The great Australian water grab Giant new water licences are being handed out to developers in the Northern Territory, in search of the next boom crop, with a lucrative but often unmentioned player, cotton, entering the fray. Not mentioning cotton appears to be part of a broader effort to avoid a public backlash, as the NT government helps smooth the regulatory path for this crop. Dr Howey says it was previously understood that farmers wanting to grow a crop like cotton needed to apply for a non-pastoral use permit, but farmers stopped applying for these a few years back. For a farmer wanting to grow a crop like cotton, they need to apply for a non-pastoral use permit, with native title holders required to be notified about the change in land use. For Harold Dalywaters an elder and one of the traditional owners of the lands covered by Ucharonidge Station, 130km north of Tennant Creek on the Barkley Tableland NT, he says he was never informed about the planting of cotton or the clearing of land he has rights over. “It’s a shame … the pastoralists just went on and done it,” he says. “As traditional owners, when things happen to our land, myself and my family, we suffer emotionally, physically, and it’s like a cancer that lives in you.” Essentially, native title holders are being deprived of their right to be notified, the right to negotiate, the right to seek compensation and compensation may be a very significant amount. Angus Grigg, Mary Fallon, Maddy King and Nick Wiggins report for Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Four Corners. See link in the comments section below #water #cotton #traditionalowners #nativetitle #northernterritory

💧 Access to clean water is one of the biggest social-environmental justice issues in Lima. Enter "fog catchers", which are harnessing the city's unique microclimate for good. 🌬 ⛰ The capital of Peru already receives less than an inch of rain each year and this is declining further with the effects of climate breakdown. An estimated two million of Lima's 10 million residents do not have access to the municipal water network, including many internally displaced people forced to leave worsening farming conditions in rural areas. Folks in low-income urban areas are often grappling with multiple intersecting forms of injustice and trying to eke out a living with razor-thin margins for error. 💡 Peruvian Abel Cruz saw Lima's infamous near-constant shroud of fog as an opportunity. With his nonprofit organisation El Movimiento Peruanos sin Agua ("Peruvians without Water Movement"), he innovated on different "fog catcher" models to harness water from the air for families to bathe, clean, drink or grow small gardens. So far, the organisation has helped install 2,000 fog catchers across Peru, including 600 in Lima. A few months ago, they reportedly signed an agreement with the Lima's Mayor to install 10,000 more in the surrounding hills. 📲 Learn more about this inspiring initiative in "The Backyard Farmers Who Grow Food With Fog", a multimedia story by journalists Peter Yeung and Melanie Pérez Arias for Reasons to be Cheerful: https://lnkd.in/d-ggKsgv -------- This story is part of Waterline, an ongoing series "exploring the intersection of water, climate and food, told through the eyes of the people impacted by these issues" with the support of the Walton Family Foundation. To read more stories like this, sign up for Reasons to Be Cheerful's newsletter: https://lnkd.in/d55SGF3R. To learn more about the right to water in international law, check out the United Nations' fact sheet: https://lnkd.in/dW6RKyuj, co-published by Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) World Health Organization #mondaymotivation #solutionsjournalism #water #peru #climatejustice

This is such an important project that has the potential to drive sustainable economic growth in one of Australia’s most important agricultural regions. #sustainableagriculture #circulareconomy #regionaldevelopment