National Agricultural Land Network

Growing the capacity and momentum needed to elevate the cause of agricultural land retention and protection across America

Become a Member

Gain professional networking and support as an organization/entity or individual directly engaged in retaining and protecting agricultural land. There is no cost for membership; however, some select services, programing, or events may require a fee.

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Introduction to the NALN

For much of its history, AFT has provided a broad array of support to the growing agricultural land protection community—whether through regional events and national conferences, cutting-edge research and communications insights, or technical expertise and policy innovation.

In 2020, AFT launched the National Agricultural Land Network, or NALN, to further strengthen the collective capacity of public agencies, planning entities, and land trusts working to protect agricultural land.

The NALN is designed to grow the capacity and momentum needed to elevate the cause of agricultural land protection across America.

If you are a farmer, or an aspiring farmer, and looking for information about farmland protection or accessing land, please visit AFT’s Farmland Information Center (https://www.farmlandinfo.org)

Saving America’s Working Lands National Conference
Save-the-Date: April 23-25, 2025

SAVING AMERICA’S WORKING LANDS, a national conference hosted by American Farmland Trust, focuses on the threatened and irreplaceable land that America relies upon to grow food, fiber, and fuel, provide critical environmental benefits, and sustain rural communities and agricultural economies.

SAVING AMERICA’S WORKING LANDS is intended to meet growing demand for cutting-edge information about protecting and retaining U.S. agricultural land. Designed for new and seasoned conservation practitioners, agriculture industry representatives and service providers, researchers, planners, policymakers, farmers, and ranchers, the conference will feature three days of workshops, field trips, discussion groups, and conference sessions that elevate successes and respond to practitioner needs for approaches to save the land that sustains us.

Attend SAVING AMERICA’S WORKING LANDS to deepen your knowledge of agricultural land protection tools, discuss emerging issues and trends, and explore and elevate new ideas and strategies to save America’s working lands.

SAVING AMERICA’S WORKING LANDS offers space for learning, networking, exploring, and celebrating together.

Contact Beth Fraser (bfraser@farmland.org) for more information

Who Are NALN Members?

The NALN seeks to provide a high level of professional networking and support to organizations/entities and individuals directly engaged in retaining and protecting agricultural land, and those whose programs, services or public policy advocacy help to advance agricultural land protection and planning. The NALN is a learning and knowledge exchange network; offers policy education and updates but will not promote or take positions on specific legislation.

We welcome organizational members such as public Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement programs, private land trusts, and state and county government or quasi-governmental agencies with jurisdiction over agriculture, conservation, and/or planning. Other eligible organizational members include farm and conservation organizations, coalitions, trade associations, and service providers.

We also welcome individuals who are not affiliated with an organizational member and whose work is focused on advancing agricultural land retention and protection. Individual members may be researchers, planners, legislators, public agency staff, nonprofit organization staff, or individuals serving on public or nonprofit boards and committees that address aspects of agricultural land retention and protection.

There is no cost for membership; however, some select services, programing, or events may require a fee. Organizational members directly engaged in agricultural land protection or planning may receive preference for certain workshops and events where participation may be limited.

If you are a farmer, or an aspiring farmer, and looking for information about farmland protection or accessing land, please visit AFT’s Farmland Information Center (https://www.farmlandinfo.org)

Become a Member

NALN Members - Today

The NALN is growing. We're 1367 members strong. See the roster of organizational members as of 11/27/2024.

NALN Membership

NALN Steering Committee

The NALN is guided by a Steering Committee composed of representatives from members of the network. Use this link to view the 2024 committee members.

Steering Committee Members

NALN Products and Services

The NALN uses a variety of ways to engage members. After submitting a membership form, you will be added to the NALN Online Community Platform and begin receiving monthly issues of the Network News.

Informational Webinars: Webinars offer basic training on agricultural land protection and planning tools and techniques, relevant national research, agricultural land protection, planning and policy innovations, and updates on Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE) implementation. They are recorded and housed on the NALN and Farmland Information Center webpages.
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE) Resources and Support: Resources and support for entities applying to ACEP-ALE and for landowners interested in protecting their land through the program are available through the Farmland Information Center. Webinars, the NALN community platform, and regional roundtables provide opportunities for information sharing on ACEP-ALE implementation.
Workshops: The NALN will periodically survey NALN members on topics and needs relevant to their work. These surveys will inform workshops to facilitate deep dive learning, explore policy concepts, seek solutions around identified challenges and needs, and identify opportunities for research and program collaboration. Workshops will be limited in size to facilitate conversation. Some may be restricted to staff from organizational members.
State and Regional Roundtables: Roundtables are designed to facilitate networking within states and regions and identify opportunities for collaboration to expand and improve program, planning, and policy work.
Online Community Platform & Library: The community platform is a virtual space where conversation channels allow members to share successes, challenges, and information by topic, state/region, or experience level. A shared document library allows members to post relevant materials such as sample easements and easement deed terms, stewardship plans and management contracts, and land use plans and zoning ordinances.
Network News and Technical Bulletins: NALN members receive periodic e-news with announcements about webinars, workshops, and grant opportunities, as well as federal and state legislative updates. Technical bulletins focus on hot topics, providing information and insights on specific issues.

Become a Member

Soil Health Stewards Program: Promoting Soil Health on Protected Agricultural Lands

Beginning in 2021, AFT's National Agricultural Land Network, with other AFT national initiative teams and funding from NRCS developed a curriculum to engage 125 land protection practitioners in the basics of soil health and soil health practices. AFT’s Soil Health Stewards Program is an ambitious national effort to engage and support agricultural land protection practitioners in promoting soil health practices with the farmers, ranchers, and others who own and manage permanently protected agricultural land—and on the agricultural land their agency or organization itself owns. The program’s focus is on the more than 6 million acres of permanently protected farms and ranches across the United States, recognizing the lasting impact that soil health improvements on this land will provide.

See more about the program

Farms Under Threat 2040 - Choosing an Abundant Future State-specific Webinar Series

During the summer of 2022, the NALN hosted a series of state-specific webinars digging into the findings for 35 states from AFT's report "Farms Under Threat: 2040". We looked at the spatial data and development scenarios and talked about how this data will be helpful to planners, land protection practitioners, policymakers, and advocates as they strengthen and expand agricultural land retention and protection efforts. Recordings for all the webinars can be found at the link below.

Find your state

Farms Under Threat: State of the States - State-specific Webinar Recordings

During the summer of 2020, the NALN hosted a series of state webinars that dug into the findings for 38 states from AFT's new report "Farms Under Threat: The State of the States". We looked at the spatial and policy scorecard findings and talked through tools available through this report to help planners, land protection practitioners, policymakers, and advocates strengthen and expand agricultural land retention and protection efforts. Recordings for all the webinars can be found at the link below.