In the "Expanding Integrated Solutions to Achieve Farmland Access for New Farmers" project, Jan Joannides, Executive Director of Renewing the Countryside with Co-PDs Lori Stern, Executive Director, Marbleseed, and Martha McFarland, Farmland Viability Coordinator, Practical Farmers of Iowa, along with Nathan Aaberg of The Land Connection in Illinois are expanding the services and network of the Farmland Access Hub to assist beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) in obtaining secure access to land in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois.
Through this project, we have: 1) Helped BFRs become prepared to seek land; 2) Assisted these BFRs in obtaining improved leases or purchasing land; 3) Worked with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) BFRs to reach these same goals; 4) Grew the network of Farmland Navigators and Support Service Providers (SSPs) to support the work; 5) Created a thriving network of dozens of organizational Hub Partners in the Upper Midwest to integrate our work and sustain longevity (https://www.renewingthecountryside.org/farmlandaccesshubPartners); 6) Engaged farmland owners to raise awareness about transitioning land to beginning farmers. Specifically, we helped 164 BFRs purchase farmland or obtain favorable lease or use agreements. An additional 300-plus BFRs made progress towards accessing farmland. We supported and provided training to a network of 17 Navigators, who are providing 1-on-1 assistance to BFRs, including referring them as needed, to specialized expertise from a network of more than 150 Specialized Service Providers. We educated 325 landowners about transitioning land ownership to beginning farmers. We held the 2023 Upper Midwest Farmland Access Summit, attended by 215 farmers, farmland access advocates, technical specialists, and policymakers, which strengthened partnerships, build strategies, and heighten awareness of BFR farmland access issues and opportunities. 100% of the funds requested are allocated to nongovernmental organizations.