American Farmland Trust

THE MISSION OF AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST IS TO SAVE THE LAND THAT SUSTAINS US BY PROTECTING FARMLAND, PROMOTING SOUND FARMING PRACTICES AND KEEPING FARMERS ON THE LAND.

STATE, LOCAL AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS -ALTHOUGH 2021 WAS OFTEN DIFFICULT DUE TO THE ONGOING PANDEMIC, THE YEAR ALSO BROUGHT MANY SUCCESSES IN THE EFFORT TO GIVE FARMERS AND RANCHERS THE HELP THEY NEED TO STEWARD THE LAND THAT SUSTAINS AMERICA. HERE IS A SAMPLING OF AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST ACHIEVEMENTS. EXPANDING OUR IMPACT IN THE SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWESTWE LAUNCHED NEW PROGRAMS AND RAISED FUNDING FOR EXCITING NEW OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING $1.6 MILLION FOR THE KENTUCKY COMMERCIAL RYE COVER CROP PROJECT TO EXPAND THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION, AND SALE OF KENTUCKY RYE. WE ALSO SECURED FUNDING FOR "FARMS UNDER THREAT: 2040" MAPPING PROJECTS TO HIGHLIGHT FARMLAND LOSS IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TEXAS. AND THROUGH OUR WOMEN FOR THE LAND INITIATIVE, WE WORKED WITH THE BLACK FAMILY LAND TRUST TO ENGAGE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN FARMERS IN NORTH CAROLINA AND KENTUCKY, WHERE WE FOUND A GROUNDSWELL OF INTEREST IN FARMLAND STEWARDSHIP AND PRESERVATION. GETTING SERIOUS ON SOIL HEALTH IN THE MIDWESTBY REPLENISHING LIFE IN THE SOIL, FARMERS CAN IMPROVE THEIR OPERATIONS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT. IN ILLINOIS AND OTHER STATES, WE HELPED FARMERS ADOPT CONSERVATION CROPPING SYSTEMS TO RESTORE THE SOILAND PROMOTED PROGRAMS THAT MAKE SUCH SUCCESSES POSSIBLE. ILLINOIS' FALL COVERS FOR SPRING SAVINGS COVER CROP PREMIUM DISCOUNT PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, DOUBLED IN SIZE FROM LAST YEAR. BY OFFERING A SIMPLE $5 DISCOUNT ON CROP INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR EVERY ACRE PLANTED IN COVER CROPS, ILLINOIS PROVIDES A SMALL BUT MEANINGFUL REWARD FOR THE EXTRA WORK THAT FARMERS DO TO PROTECT HEALTHY SOILS AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY. ADVANCING FARMLAND PROTECTION IN WASHINGTON STATEFOR SEVERAL YEARS, AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST AND PARTNERS HAVE WORKED TO BUILD A FUND TO HELP LAND TRUSTS PROTECT WASHINGTON FARMLAND. IN A HUGE WIN FOR AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES, A NEW PROGRAMFARMLAND PROTECTION AFFORDABILITY AND INVESTMENT (FARMPAI)OFFERS LOW-INTEREST LOANS FOR LAND TRUSTS TO PURCHASE FARM PROPERTIES AT HIGH RISK OF DEVELOPMENT, PROTECT THEM WITH EASEMENTS, AND SELL THEM TO BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS. ADMINISTERED BY THE WASHINGTON STATE HOUSING FINANCE COMMISSION, THE PROGRAM WILL PRIORITIZE PROJECTS THAT FACILITATE LAND ACCESS FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS AND RANCHERS.BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR UNDERSERVED FARMERSFARMING IS HARD WORK AND RISKY. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TILLAMOOK CREAMERY, A FARMER-OWNED CO-OP, WE LAUNCHED THE BRIGHTER FUTURE FUND TO HELP FARMERS DEAL WITH FORCES LIKE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, CHANGING MARKETS, AND CLIMATE CHANGE. A MAJOR COMMITMENT OF THE PROGRAM IS TO SUPPORT A WIDE RANGE OF FARMERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE HAVING TROUBLE ACCESSING LAND, CAPITAL, AND RESOURCES. IN THE FIRST ROUND, MORE THAN $2.5 MILLION IN GRANTS WERE AWARDED TO 2,000 FARMERS, PROVIDING HELP WHEN IT WAS NEEDED MOST, ESPECIALLY TO FARMERS WHO FACE ENDURING BARRIERS IN OUR AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM. A SECOND ROUND OF AWARDEES WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE SPRING OF 2022.SUPPORTING WOMEN FARMERS AND LANDOWNERSIN 2021, MORE WOMEN ROSE TO LEADERSHIP ROLES IN AGRICULTURE THAN EVER BEFORE. AT THE SAME TIME, WOMEN ON FARMS AND RANCHES FACED IMMENSE CHALLENGES, AS MOUNTING CLIMATE IMPACTS, A PANDEMIC, AND ECONOMIC DISRUPTIONS ADDED TO ALREADY INTENSE DEMANDS. OUR WOMEN FOR THE LAND INITIATIVE EMPOWERED WOMEN TO EMBRACE CONSERVATION BY HOSTING FREE LEARNING CIRCLESSOME IN-PERSON AND SOME ONLINETO SHARE RESOURCES ON PRACTICES AND PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT SOIL HEALTH, CLEAN WATER, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, FARM VIABILITY, AND LAND PROTECTION.ACHIEVING WINS FOR CALIFORNIA AGRICULTUREDURING AN ONGOING DROUGHT, CLIMATE CRISIS, AND PANDEMIC RECOVERY, CALIFORNIA MADE SUBSTANTIAL AND MUCH-NEEDED COMMITMENTS TO CONSERVATION AND FOOD SYSTEMS. AMONG OTHER POLICY VICTORIES, AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST WORKED TO ADVANCE SEVERAL KEY BILLS, INCLUDING ASSEMBLY BILL 350, WHICH HELPS FARMERS IN DROUGHT-PRONE AREAS DEVELOP MANAGEMENT PLANS TO CONSERVE WATER RESOURCES. AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST AND PARTNERS ALSO ADVANCED AB 125, A BLUEPRINT FOR A BOND MEASURE THAT MAKES KEY INVESTMENTS IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS, TRIBES, FARMWORKERS, AND REGIONAL FOOD ECONOMIES.INVESTING IN NEW YORK FARMINGTHE PAST YEAR WAS CHALLENGING, BUT THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHTER THANKS TO STRONG INVESTMENTS IN NEW YORK PROGRAMS THAT PROTECT FARMLAND, ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, BRING A NEW GENERATION ONTO THE LAND, AND PROVIDE KIDS WITH HEALTHY FOOD. KEY WINS ADVOCATED FOR BY AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST INCLUDE RECORD FUNDING FOR FARMLAND FOR A NEW GENERATION NEW YORK, WHICH MATCHES NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS WITH RETIRING FARMERS. IN ADDITION, THE STATE'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FUND INCLUDED $18 MILLION TO HELP FARMERS PERMANENTLY PROTECT THEIR LAND AND $4.5 MILLION FOR THE CLIMATE RESILIENT FARMING GRANTS PROGRAM. MORE THAN $11 MILLION ALSO WAS ALLOCATED TO HELP SCHOOLS SERVE LOCALLY GROWN FOOD.GIVING TARGETED ASSISTANCE TO NEW ENGLAND FARMERSIN 2021, AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST'S NEW ENGLAND FARMER MICROGRANTS PROGRAM PROVIDED 28 FARMERS FROM ACROSS THE REGION WITH A TOTAL $132,000 IN CASH GRANTS TO EXPAND THEIR FARM PRODUCTION, ADDRESS ACCESS TO LAND, AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THEIR FARMS. THE FUNDING COULD NOT HAVE COME AT A MORE CRITICAL TIME FOR FARMERS IN NEW ENGLAND AS THEY STRUGGLED WITH A CHANGING MARKETPLACE, LABOR ISSUES, AND SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES RELATED TO COVID-19, AS WELL AS CROP LOSSES DUE TO EXTREMELY WET WEATHER. IN 2022, OVER 100 GRANTS OF UP TO $5,000 EACH WILL BE AWARDED, WITH 80 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS DEDICATED TO HELPING LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS ADOPT REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES.

PUBLIC EDUCATION -ADVOCATE - AFT FIGHTS FOR PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT SAVE FARMLAND, SUPPORT FARMERS AND ENHANCE OUR ENVIRONMENT.EDUCATE - AFT EDUCATES THE PUBLIC ABOUT OUR NATION'S FARMS, FARMLAND AND FARMERS.INNOVATE - AFT PIONEERS CUTTING-EDGE TECHNIQUES THAT PROTECT FARMLAND AND PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES.INVESTIGATE - AFT CONDUCTS RESPECTED RESEARCH AS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR PROGRAMS.COLLABORATE - AFT BUILDS COALITIONS TO ACHIEVE LARGE-SCALE SOLUTIONS AND LASTING CHANGE.

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA OUTREACH -AFT CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGES THE PUBLIC THROUGH OUR DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR MEMBERS, VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA OUTREACH.