New legislation to increase support for farmers, ranchers, and foresters with small-acreage operations across the country through the Office of Small Farms Establishment Act would create a new office within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) focused on ensuring that smaller operations have better access to the critical federal programs that provide farm loans, conservation funding, crop insurance, and much more.
AFT Statement on Gov. Hochul's State of the State Address
.jpg)
Tim Fink
American Farmland Trust (AFT) has announced a call for applications for its 2026 Regenerate Virginia grant opportunities, open from December 1 to December 19, 2025.
Biochar — a carbon-rich material made by heating organic matter in a low-oxygen environment — has emerged as a potential tool for building soil organic matter, improving water retention, and storing carbon long-term. But for many farmers, biochar still feels more like a research concept than a practical option.
.jpg)
The Midwest begins to thaw, hinting at the next growing season, and the American Farmland Trust Midwest team is out in the field listening, learning, and educating. From late winter to early spring, our staff meets with farmers, landowners, and partners across the Midwest to dig into the topics that matter most—protecting our farmland, keeping farmers on the land, and promoting sound agriculture practices. Here’s a look at where we’ve been and at what’s coming up in Spring 2026.
AFT celebrates National School Breakfast Week and Farm to School programs in New York
Caro is AFT New England’s Soil Health Program Manager, where she organizes farmer networks, provides technical support, and conducts research on agricultural practices and soil health. From perennial gardens to peer learning spaces, her work is rooted in connection — to land, farmers, and community. Read on to learn what she’s planting this spring and the farm lessons that continue to shape her work.
Sunday Bell Farm is responding to extreme weather by improving soil health, water planning, and pasture management. With guidance from AFT’s PARCC program, the Vermont dairy and livestock farm is developing strategies to stay productive in a changing climate.
Read on how American Farmland Trust, alongside a growing group of partners, is leading the effort to develop federal policies to address PFAS risk and contamination in agricultural land across the nation.
American Farmland Trust and regional partners hosted our second Learning Circle for women farmers and ranchers on Nov. 23, 2025, at the Rusted Gate Farm in Central Point, Oregon. Women for the Land Learning Circles support women in agriculture to gather in community, share farm experiences, and learn together.
The Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Viability in Idaho brought together landowners and leaders of Idaho agribusiness, academia, conservation, development, community organizations, and government to examine the challenges facing Idaho’s working lands and to identify practical solutions for the future.
Upcoming webinars and training aimed to support farmers in exploring agrivoltaics in the Northeast.
Solar grazing is reshaping how energy and agriculture share the land — with benefits for farmers, soils, and solar developers alike.
American Farmland Trust (AFT) has launched a new video spotlighting women and nonbinary farmers across Massachusetts who are leading the way in regenerative agriculture and soil health.
.jpg)
American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Cargill partnered to create educational videos for corn and soybean farmers interested in adopting soil health practices, including cover crops, reduced tillage, and nutrient management. Both AFT and Cargill recognize that a major barrier to the adoption of soil health is knowledge of technical details, like cover crop species selection or termination options, and understanding the potential costs and benefits for their operation.
