The 18th annual AFMC runs Aug. 1 - Sept. 30 on markets.farmland.org. The event is a fun celebration that helps farmers markets across the country earn national recognition and local prestige. Markets can join the celebration and encourage their customers to vote, an excellent marketing tool and a pathway to winning a piece of the $15,000 prize pool.
AFT’s Beef Grazing Network is launching a redesigned Beef Producer Economic Resilience Initiative, now part of USDA’s Advancing Markets for Producers program.
The Farm Bill discussion draft text released this week by Chairman Boozman would make critical improvements to USDA conservation programs to better serve farmers, ranchers, and landowners.
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.
New England had a mixed year for farmland this session — some real wins, some hard-fought compromises, and a few reminders of how much work is still ahead.
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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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.
Lia Raz
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.
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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.
Kinzie Reiss
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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
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There is a lot we can learn from a field by taking a closer look at the soil. For farmers and others who depend on the soil to produce, it’s standard to look outward for the best advice or most popular solutions to ensure the soil will behave accordingly. This search for the “best” or chasing new trends is inefficient and can lead to highly varied results. Before changing an agricultural management practice, like tillage or cover crops, or deciding what support might help, it is worth slowing down and asking what the soil is showing us.
The following is a running field update based on what I’m seeing while scouting across my area—crop progress, field conditions, and anything that stands out week to week.
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Indiana is paving over its future. Year over year, we lose nearly 29,000 acres of Hoosier farmland due to accelerating pressures from urban sprawl, large-scale industrial development, energy infrastructure, and technology facilities. Indiana’s fertile soils are one of the state’s most valuable and irreplaceable assets. Once they're gone, however, so are the farmers’ livelihoods, agricultural heritage, and long-term potential they represent. The time to act is now.
Meet Alissa White, Deputy Director of AFT New England, and discover how her passion for farming, soil health, conservation, and supporting farmers is helping build more resilient agricultural communities across New England.
The 18th annual AFMC runs Aug. 1 - Sept. 30 on markets.farmland.org. The event is a fun celebration that helps farmers markets across the country earn national recognition and local prestige. Markets can join the celebration and encourage their customers to vote, an excellent marketing tool and a pathway to winning a piece of the $15,000 prize pool.
New England had a mixed year for farmland this session — some real wins, some hard-fought compromises, and a few reminders of how much work is still ahead.
Learn how American Farmland Trust's latest research is helping shape more effective conservation planning, climate disaster relief, and soil health programs by centering farmers' experiences and expertise.
Discover how American Farmland Trust's Integrated Whole Farm Planning Pilot is helping New England livestock farmers strengthen farm viability through business planning, conservation support, succession planning, and peer networks that build long-term resilience.
Discover how American Farmland Trust and Island Grown Initiative are advancing soil health through reduced tillage, biochar, and living clover trials.
Learn more on how Brad Buttrey helps farmers implement conservation practices that enhance soil health, improve water quality, and support human and non-human communities in Tennessee.
Bear Roots Farm in central Vermont is building climate resilience through diversified farming, perennial crops, soil health practices, and community support. Learn how this innovative farm is adapting to extreme weather while strengthening its business and local food system.
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