Equitable access to affordable, quality farmland is a foundational need of growers and land stewards across the country. At Futurists Farmers we believe investing in land access, retention, and transition for farmers is an insurance policy for all other public dollars spent by Congress in the 2023 Farm Bill.
Last month I celebrated my birthday! Ayyyyeeeee! It’s amazing how fast half a century goes. As a Naturalist, I’ve been actively farming for over a decade, mostly in urban areas. Though I may be far from my youthful days, working less than 50 acres, I am considered a “young” farmer; equally faced with the same pathways to resistance as any other “new and beginning, disadvantaged, minority farmer”.
A new generation has sprung forth with the torch raised high to extend a new beacon of light to Mother Earth.
The land has been in use for over fifty years and once served as a state prison.
“61, 670 farm families are currently on the brink….people who borrowed money from the USDA….and are either delinquent, bankrupt, or facing foreclosure…and we have got to do something about it !“
Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture
It’s important we engage young farmers of all backgrounds as we transition into the pillars of environmental justice. Farm families are embedded in a complex agri-family system. Within the micro-level of this system, the farm household and the farm operation are interconnected through the constant exchange of resources (i.e. time and money). Challenges faced by the farm business can therefore have negative consequences on the farm household, and likewise, challenges faced by the farm household can negatively impact the farm business.
“When you are interested in developing a local regional food system, whether it’s farm-to-school, farm-to-table farms, farmers’ market, local opportunities, food bank, or whatever, these folks at these regional food centers will be able to provide you the technical information and the financial assistance information that allows you to know exactly how to go about creating that opportunity, and where you can get financing for it…so, we are providing multiple ways in which people can get information about these various opportunities.”
Tom Vilsack
Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities Act
H.R.3955 & S.2340
As you can see, it’s well over time for Congress to take action, build on this investment, and ensure that the 2023 Farm Bill delivers on delayed promises to help Futurists Farmers access more land to build sustainable farm operations.
With Congress now in the midst of setting 2023 Farm Bill priorities, we are at a critical moment to ensure that this funding becomes permanent and truly works for our communities. The Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities Act (H.R.3955, S.2340), which has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and in the House with bipartisan support by Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Zach Nunn (R-IA-03), Joe Courtney (D-CT-02) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), would expand the promise of the Land, Capital, and Market Access Program and authorize $100 million in annual funding for community-led land access solutions through the 2023 Farm Bill.
Potentially, a meaningful investment to address the land access challenges facing young and underserved farmers through the 2023 Farm Bill!
In June 2023, USDA announced the awardees of $300 million in funding for projects dedicated to increasing land access for underserved farmers through the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program. This historic, one-time funding opportunity directly addressed our land access policy asks and One Million Acres for the Future campaign by providing federal support for community-led land access initiatives benefiting young and BIPOC farmers across the country. With your support, we can activate our networks to join us in calling on our members of Congress to support this monumental bill.
Millions of acres of agricultural land are changing hands as farmers and ranchers across the country age out and retire. At the same time, land access is the top challenge facing the next generation.
Policy Matters
The recently announced awards for the USDA Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program will support 50 community-led projects across the country. Securing this program in the 2023 Farm Bill (a continuum from 2018-2028) is essential if we want to protect the health and vitality of our communities well into the future.
We are currently focused on encouraging additional Representatives and Senators to sign on to the respective bills.
I will applaud the USDA and Congress if they deliver on the promise of the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program. To close out the year, my current aim is to inform local and regional key stakeholders to help adapt and revitalize urban forestry and agriculture.
Need a subject matter expert for your conference or media? Please reach out to Young Farmers Florida Fellow, Jermyn Shannon, with any questions at info@futuristsfarmers.com.
