Advancing Farmland Protection & Land Access Efforts

American Farmland Trust works with land trusts, local organizations, state agencies, and communities to further farmland protection and enhance land access efforts across Berkshire County. This includes technical assistance to land trusts and towns, coordinating funding proposals with local partners, and providing direct support to individual farmers.  

We are working on: 

• Technical Assistance to Land Trusts and Communities 
• Farmer Education & Outreach 
• Direct Financial Support to Farmers 
• Coordinating Partners to Advance Farm Protection & Increase Land Access 

AFT is currently in the process of launching a local network of agricultural service providers to advance and enhance permanent farmland conservation and affordable and equitable farmland access across Berkshire County. 

Upcoming Events

Resource Roundup: Finding Farmland in Berkshire County

October 19th, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
472 W Mountain Rd, Lenox, MA

This in-person workshop will include introductory talks from agricultural service providers about land access and financing resources/services that their organizations provide to farmers. There will be time for Q&A followed by a mix/mingle—an opportunity for farmers and resource folks to connect and peruse the resource materials table.

Learn More

Strategies for Finding, Affording, and Securing Farmland in Berkshire County

November 2nd, 6:00pm – 7:30pm 

Join us on a deep dive into strategies and tools for accessing farmland!

This virtual workshop will build off of the recent Oct. 19th Resource Roundup event, and is intended for Berkshire County, MA farmers or those seeking access to farmland in Berkshire County. Jae Silverman, MA Field Agent at Land for Good, will lead an in-depth tutorial on land access considerations and methods. Tina Smith, Western Massachusetts APR Program Planner at the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources will provide information about the state’s Agricultural Preservation Restriction program and considerations for accessing or farming on conserved farmland. There will be ample time for Q&A, and a range of agricultural service providers from the region will be on the call to weigh in with resources and ideas.

Learn More

Farmer Education & Outreach

On May 11, 2022, American Farmland Trust collaborated with Land for Good on its first farmer workshop in Berkshire County in a series of farmer workshops to take place over the coming years.

“Planning for the Future of Your Farmland,” co-hosted hosted with the Williamstown Agricultural Commission, brought together 35 farmers and agricultural support organizations to share information about conservation options, farm succession planning, financial planning, and estate planning. The workshop featured speakers from Caretaker Farm, the Williamstown Agricultural Commission, Land for Good, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Farm Credit East, and Lazan Law.

This workshop was part of a grant-funded collaborative effort between American Farmland Trust & Land for Good to enhance farmer education and outreach in Berkshire County.

If you are a farm landowner interested in support with a farm transition plan, reach out to Land for Good.

Check out our Op-Ed in the Berkshire Eagle to learn more about the event. 

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