About
Land For Good
Our mission is to ensure the future of farming in New England by putting more farmers more securely on more land.
Since 2004 we have provided caring support and expert guidance to help farmers, landowners and communities navigate the complex challenges of land access, tenure, and transfer. The ability for an older generation to exit farming and a next generation to enter farming constitutes one of the greatest challenges for farming in the region. The average age of New England’s farmers is beyond retirement age, and they need support transitioning their farms to a new generation. At the same time, access to farmland is one of the top challenges for beginning farmers. This is a heightened barrier for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and other disadvantaged farmers.
We believe that any strategy to improve land access and tenure security for farmers must make land:
- Available in sufficient quantity, suitable locations, accessible, and findable
- Affordable whether for purchase or rent
- Appropriate for farming and related uses by providing security, housing or infrastructure
- Equitable with clear rights, responsibilities, and equity for all parties
Complex issues call for complex solutions. We believe in tackling farmland access, tenure and transfer through a combination of strategies. We believe that to shift land access we need to engage with all levels of society: policy makers, funders, agricultural service providers and organizations, farmers, and landowners—farming and non-farming, public and private. And we believe in collaboration, partnering locally, regionally, and nationally to bring this vision to reality.
Our strategies:
EDUCATE
Workshops, in-depth training and development of new guides and tools.
ADVISE
Individualized coaching to farmers and landowners in New England.
RESEARCH
Investigate the challenges and explore new models, with a keen appreciation for innovation.
ADVOCATE
Informed by our work on the ground, suggest policy and service improvements that address the changes needed to shift power and redistribute land access.
Together we’re gaining ground for farmers.
