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
Highlighting a recent policy update that offers a perspective on our work to advance farmland protection and support agricultural viability across Washington State in 2026.
Stephanie Castle
Agriculture solar energy is a necessary tool in the fight against climate change. Experts agree that sourcing more energy from cleaner sources, such as solar panels, will help mitigate some of climate change’s future impacts. For America’s farmers and ranchers, this means limiting the regular occurrence of catastrophic weather events—such as floods, droughts, and intense heat waves—that threaten land and livelihood, as well as slowing less obvious climactic shifts that affect crops and livestock.
Ethan Winter
AFT Staff
AFT Staff
AFT Staff
Brooks Lamb
AFT Staff
As part of this work, AFT recently published “Solar Energy and Agriculture in Kentucky.” This document is the product of an intensive stakeholder engagement process in which we interviewed leaders from agricultural, environmental, energy, and community groups. Insights shared during these thorough, thoughtful conversations can—and should—guide Kentucky’s approach to solar development.
Brooks Lamb
AFT Staff
Emily Liss
Michael Shulman
Those of us in conservation agriculture talk a lot about scaling the adoption of cover crops and conservation tillage in the US
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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