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New York Great Lakes Farm Navigators

The Great Lakes Farm Navigators project is an initiative led by American Farmland Trust, and supported by the Great Lakes Protection Fund, to support the ecological health of the Great Lakes while sustaining a viable agricultural economy and communities.

The Great Lakes Farm Navigator cohort began meeting in 2023. Since then, members have participated in trainings on land access, farm transfer, and conservation practices and evaluation. They’ve also built regional networks and have been working one on one with farmers in Michigan, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin. 

Navigators are skilled professionals who provide direct assistance to farmers, ranchers, and landowners. They support conservation with succession and transfer planning so a new generation can thrive on the land.

Meet the Navigators in New York

Meet Navigators in in other Great Lakes States

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Nearly one in three farmers across the Great Lakes is over 65….

… and will likely be transferring their farms in the next 15 years. These farms and their conservation investments are at risk of being converted to real estate. At the same time, the next generation of farmers face prohibitive land prices and lack connections to landowners.

In response, Navigators are working to promote successful farm transfers, create paths to land access, and promote conservation in the Great Lakes Watershed.

Learn more about Protecting the Great Lakes through a Farm Navigator Network
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Many thanks to the Great Lakes Protection Fund for supporting this project

Great Lakes Protection Fund is an impact investor. They launch and accelerate big ideas that protect the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Learn more about GLPF
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New York & New Jersey Region

Agriculture is a critical part of both New York and New Jersey’s food system and economy, providing a diverse array of food and fiber to locals throughout the two states. American Farmland Trust is working tirelessly to support farmers in our region through programs that address everything from soil health, farmland access and transfer, and issues specifically faced by women in agriculture, to promoting farm to school, smart solar, and advocacy for policies and practices that help save the land that sustains us.

Learn more about the New York & New Jersey Regional Office

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