AFT Applauds Introduction of the Bipartisan American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act
AFT Applauds Introduction of the Bipartisan American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act
Jun 18, 2026
AFT Applauds Introduction of the Bipartisan American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act
American Farmland Trust (AFT) applauds Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature for enacting a final FY 2026–27 state budget that delivers meaningful, sustained investments in farmland protection, farm viability, climate resilience, and local food systems across New York.
American Farmland Trust has named Julia Valliant as Director of the national Farms for a New Generation team, where she will lead efforts to increase access to land and capital for the rising generation of farmers and ranchers and support elder farmers and landowners in transferring their farms with dignity and confidence.
AFT Applauds Introduction of the Bipartisan American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act
Eliza Paterson
Ranchers are piecing their lives back together one fence post, one pasture, and one herd at a time. We followed up with the recipients of the Brighter Future Fund back in July — here’s a look into their journey on the road to recovery.
Lindsey Richards
“A lot of the "magic" in a farmers market is the unique bond that's formed between the producer and consumer. Questions are asked, "aha" moments are had, and you leave each stand with not just a product or a sale, but a purpose. THAT is invaluable.”
Jenna Farineau & Liz Amodeo
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In August, AFT’s Midwest team program staff completed the Soil & Water Conservation Society’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and attended the 80th Soil and Water Conservation Society’s Annual Conference in Costa Mesa, California. Midwest staff Rachel Lechuga, Floreal Crubaugh, and Marlee Giacometti are AFT’s most recent graduates of the second class of the Emerging Leaders Program (fun fact: Helen VanBeck, our Midwest Program Manager) graduated from the first-ever program. Here’s a look back at what the program meant to them and the snapshots that capture their achievements.
Rachel Lechuga
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Rachel Irvine
On a thin strip of land between two hayfields in Walpole, New Hampshire, a once-impenetrable wall of invasive plants is being transformed into pollinator-friendly hedgerow. Where bittersweet, honeysuckle, and multiflora rose once dominated, clover is now blooming, pollinators are returning, and the sunlight can actually reach the soil. This remarkable change has been fueled by the passion and persistent work of Holly and her family at Brookfield Farm, powered in part by a Regenerative Livestock Farming (RLF) microgrant from American Farmland Trust.
Lia Raz
High Lawn Farm has been raising Jersey cows in Lee, Massachusetts, for over 100 years. The cows have always had access to pasture, but until recently, the farm relied on continuous grazing. That began to change when the farm received a Regenerative Livestock Farming (RLF) microgrant from American Farmland Trust. The funds helped them fence off 20 acres of previously idle land, giving their dry cows access to fresh, well-rested pasture—and creating space for true rotational grazing for the first time.
Lia Raz
We dig deeper into one way of quantifying how well practices address the SWAPA-E resources concerns. We turn our attention to another set of three practices: Tree/Shrub Planting, Prescribed Grazing, and Conservation Cover
Michelle Perez, PhD
California policy wrap up for the 2025 legislative session.
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Some places don’t just hold memories—they carry a legacy. For more than four decades, Gretchen and Dick Regnery have poured their hearts and souls into Whitefish Bay Farm—a sanctuary of serene pastures, naturally colored Corriedale sheep, and the fiber art that has defined their lives. Nestled in the stunning landscape of Door County, Wisconsin, their farm has been more than just a home; it has been a labor of love, a commitment to land stewardship, and a place where people from all walks of life have come to experience the beauty of farming and art.
Sydney Green
As Texas faces rising energy demand and farmland loss, new legislation presents a pivotal opportunity to expand clean energy while protecting agricultural resources. By supporting rooftop solar, agrivoltaics, and smart utility-scale siting, Texas can lead in balancing renewable energy growth with farmland preservation.
Garrett Bader
Farmers and farm workers gathered to discuss cover cropping strategies at Sungrounded Farm in the high desert of Terrebonne, Oregon, this past March.
Agricultural producers and advisors are working together to navigate generational farm transitions.
Colorado is testing whether food and energy can truly grow together — from vineyard agrivoltaics at CSU to the first commercial fruit-orchard project at Talbott Farms. Four takeaways from 1,000 miles of conversations with farmers, co-ops, and county officials on what it will take to scale.
I grew up in Illinois, and here you learn to notice what I like to refer to as “little” nature. Little nature doesn’t demand your attention in the same way as more dramatic and grand landscapes; you have to give it your attention. You see little nature in the evolution of prairie flowers across the seasons, in the subtle differences between the bee species that pollinate them, or in the hidden life of a creek bed. These are things you come to understand over time by paying attention.
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Prosperity Partners, American Farmland Trust's fee-for-service program, is expanding its agricultural engineering services in the Northeast. And this April, we're hosting three free webinars to show farmers, land trusts, and nonprofits what's now possible.
Those of us in conservation agriculture talk a lot about scaling the adoption of cover crops and conservation tillage in the US
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