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Tool to help beginning farmers gain access to land

A program director with the National Young Farmers Coalition says gaining access to affordable land is one of the biggest challenges that beginning farmers and ranchers face.

Holly Rippon-Butler says although there are a lot of resources available to farmers, the coalition saw a need for technology that addresses land access. She says that is why it partnered with Fathom Information Design to create a land affordability calculator.

“Buying land is one of the biggest decisions a farmer will make for both their professional and personal finances and so we wanted to provide them with a tool that will help demystify that process a bit,” she says.

She tells Brownfield the website and calculator will help new farmers
demystify buying land and how it will impact their bottom line. A list of lenders that have experience in loans for agriculture and land access are also listed as a resource.

She says that the website will complement a series of in-person workshops being held around the country.

Investing in young farmers is one of the coalition’s top Farm Bill priorities.