Network of 40 Regional Navigators to Support Farmers and Landowners through Farmland for a New Generation New York 

(ALBANY, NY)  Farmland for a New Generation New York, coordinated by American Farmland Trust in partnership with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, announced a cohort of 40 new and returning organizations to the statewide network of Regional Navigators, which provide support to farmers and landowners to connect them with each other and resources to find or keep land in farming for future generations. 

Launched in October 2018 and funded in the state budget, Farmland for a New Generation New York offers a cohesive suite of information and services for farmers and landowners, including a website that hosts farmer and farmland profiles, farm job and event listings, training materials and direct support from American Farmland Trust staff. During the past six years, Farmland for a New Generation New York facilitated 211 matches of farmers to more than 10,600 acres of land.  

The state funding also supports Regional Navigators partner grants totaling $1.3 million from Farmland for a New Generation New York over the last six years to add capacity for Navigators to work on farmland access and transfer issues, in addition to other education and services provided. This year, Regional Navigator organizations will collectively receive $330,000 in grant awards from state funds to add capacity.   

“American Farmland Trust is thrilled to welcome new and long-time Regional Navigators working tirelessly and creatively on issues of farmland access and transition to the Farmland for a New Generation New York program,” said Molly Johnston-Heck, AFT Regional Farmland for a New Generation Senior Manager “We are grateful to the State of New York for supporting the program and funding the critical work of Regional Navigator organizations aiding farm seekers in their search for land and helping farmland owners to make farmland available to the next generation. We look forward to more successful farmland matches and farmland transitions in the year ahead!” 

"As an organization working to support farmers with land access, having a community of practice where experienced regional navigators can share resources and wisdom is an invaluable resource. While each case is often very specific to the farm, enterprise, or region, workshopping with peers lets us apply learnings and creative solutions from one case to advance others. Being part of the Regional Navigator network allows Glynwood to better achieve our shared goal: supporting farmers in navigating the challenges of leasing and purchasing farmland." -Lauren Kaplan, Associate Director of Farmer Training, Glynwood 

“The farming sector in Tompkins County is rich and diverse, with 42% of farmers older than 65 and 24% identifying as beginning farmers. The CCE Tompkins Agriculture Program is fortunate to be one of multiple fantastic organizations serving Tompkins and surrounding counties as Regional Navigators, connecting these sometimes-disparate populations, facilitating conversations, supporting with estate planning and ensuring that farmland stays in farming. Funding from American Farmland Trust and engagement with the broader network of Regional Navigators means that our efforts are more responsive, proactive, collaborative and, ultimately, more successful.” -Graham Savio, Agriculture & Horticulture Issue Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County 

“As a Land Trust with a 35-year history of protecting the working landscapes of the Genesee Valley, our principal focus has been to prevent the loss of high-quality soil to unfettered development. In recognizing that the distribution of benefits that farmland protection as it has historically been implemented are unclear, we see an opportunity to advance our agricultural conservation work to ensure that we explore our organization’s capacity to help with the serious problems of land affordability and access for all farmers. The Regional Navigator program and network provide us with the runway, tools, and support to help guide that exploration, and we are looking forward to stepping up to help tackle the unique challenges our agricultural communities face today while looking toward the future.” -Matthew Halladay, Director of Land Conservation, Genesee Valley Conservancy 

“The Regional Navigator program has been a tremendous asset to our organization and to the farmers we serve in Western New York. It has helped us build a strong network of support and connect more deeply with local resources and farmers. Thanks to this program, we’ve grown our capacity and expertise to guide beginning farmers as they take steps toward accessing farmland of their own. Without Regional Navigator, it would have been incredibly difficult—we simply didn’t have the network we do now.” -Mo Mberwa and Beth Liepler, Farm Mentor & Liaison and Farm Director, Providence Farm Collective 

Learn more about Farmland for a New Generation New York and view the full directory of Regional Navigators at www.nyfarmlandfinder.org.  

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American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms No Food® message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.