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.
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Regenerative grazing practices in Texas enhance watershed health by rotating livestock across pastures, these methods improve soil structure, increase water infiltration, and reduce runoff, leading to cleaner waterways and more resilient ecosystems.
Amanda Henderson
AFT's Bonnie McGill is excited about this nutrient-density movement and how it connects to all the great work we’re already doing with farmers across the country to build soil health and further, healthy food.
Bonnie McGill
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Hear from AFT’s Smart Solar Program Coordinator on efforts to define agrivoltaics and encourage thoughtful policy and project design to benefit farmers, energy production, and land stewardship in California and Colorado.
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Since January, AFT has been planting seeds for improved agricultural policy across the Midwest. This blog is part of a three-part series spotlighting our work in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
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During this past Women’s History Month, AFT collaborated with local partners in Northern Illinois to host events focused on farmland succession planning, sharing resources to empower women farmers and landowners to guide their land or family farm transition to the next generation.
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Read on to learn what we’ve been up to in Indiana, what we’re working on now, and an action you can take to support better food and farm policy in your state!
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This blog is part of a three-part series spotlighting our work in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Read on to learn what we’ve been up to in Wisconsin, what we’re working on now, and an action you can take to support better food and farm policy in your state!
I recently spent time traveling and visiting Kentucky farmers growing rye as part of AFT's Kentucky Rye Cereal Crop Initiative.
Brian Brandt
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AFT's New York Farmland Access Fund aims to holistically address land access and affordability challenges in New York.
Our AFT staff, Rachel, Floréal, and Marlee reflect on their experiences from the recent Marbleseed Organic Conference in February 2025 and the topic of embracing slowness as a strategy to commit to a larger vision of a sustainable future.
AFT’s Brooks Lamb caught up with Claudia for a quick Q&A after the Land Transfer Navigators training in San Antonio, Texas. In the conversation below, they discuss farm transition planning, conflict management, role playing exercises—and the importance of good, consistent communication.
Brooks Lamb
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Since starting with American Farmland Trust in June, I have worked with farmers across the state of Illinois through our Farmer-Led Advances in Soil Health (FLASH) program. Attending the FLASH group meetings, I’ve met many passionate conservationists dedicated to protecting farmland for future generations, a sentiment very personal and important to me. I grew up in Ramsey, a small town in south-central Illinois. My family has been farming in the area since around the 1850s; my great-grandmother grew up on the same farm as I did. My dad still farms the land, maintaining an operation of corn, soybeans, and beef cattle.
Morgan Cauble
Emily Liss
Over five years, seven Vermont dairy farmers built a tight-knit farmer-led learning cohort that became a practical space to compare approaches, troubleshoot challenges, and try new grazing and business-planning ideas.
Lia Raz
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.
Elizabeth Beggins
Phoebe Silag
During the first year of the 2025–2026 California State Legislature, AFT led coalitions to advance California agriculture policy that strengthens climate resilience, expands land access, protects farmland, and secures major investments through Cap-and-Invest, the SALC program, and Proposition 4 climate-smart agriculture funding.
Chelsea Gazillo
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As agriculture evolves, American Farmland Trust is scaling its programs, research, and regional teams to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers across the country. Learn how AFT’s new leadership structure and expanded national initiatives are driving innovation, resilience, and farmland protection.
David Haight
Virginia farmer Bob Waring is redefining agriculture by “growing fertilizer” through regenerative practices that boost soil health, resilience, and profits.
Elizabeth Beggins
Five years ago, American Farmland Trust launched the Soil Health Stewards program with an ambitious idea: if we could train the people protecting farmland to also champion healthy soils, the benefits would ripple far beyond property lines.
When a late frost destroyed most of Scott Farm Orchard’s 2023 apple crop, orchardist Erin Robinson and manager Simon Renault turned loss into action. Through the Planning for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (PARCC) project, they developed a climate plan focused on diversification, soil health, and community support. From frost fans to their best-selling ginger cider, Scott Farm shows what adaptation and resilience look like on the ground in Vermont.
Lia Raz
In this third installment of our blog series, we analyze the labels, marketing channels, and environmental markets the PCSC projects proposed to pursue to attract customers who value farm and forest climate-smart conservation practices.
Peter Ten Eyck was a pillar of the farming community in New York state, and a trailblazer for conservation and stewardship.
David Haight
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