Land Protection Projects

When American Farmland Trust opened its doors for business in 1980, there were just a handful of publicly funded programs protecting farmland with agricultural easements and even fewer land trusts that focused on the protection of farmland. In its early years, AFT took on a variety of land projects that pioneered the use of easements to protect agricultural land, raise awareness for the cause and our national need to protect critical farms and ranches from development, and encourage partners and support the land protection efforts of other like-minded organizations.

In more recent years, we have been more selective in our work but still seek opportunities to innovate easement practices, work in areas where capacity is limited, and support like-minded organizations in their efforts to protect farms and ranches. AFT’s land protection projects recognize the importance of water, wildlife, and other natural resources, encourage regenerative practices on protected lands, and create new paths for access and ownership for the next generation of farmers. Once farmers protect land with AFT, we work in partnership to steward their land so they remain viable farms and ranches into the future.

To date, AFT has done more than 210 projects protecting more than 75,000 acres of agricultural land across the United States. In more recent years, we have done fewer projects but still seek opportunities to innovate easement practices, work in areas where capacity is limited, and continue to support like-minded organizations in their efforts to protect farms and ranches.

Land Protection Projects

• Easement Acquisition. AFT accepts donations of agricultural conservation easements. In some cases, AFT can work with landowners to seek federal or state funding to protect land with an easement. AFT develops easements “wholistically,” meaning that we seek to protect agricultural resources as well as other critical natural resources, such as wildlife habitat, forestland, and water source that are common to America’s farm and ranchland.
• BPS+. AFT’s Buy-Protect-Sell-plus program (BPS+) represents an innovative approach to farmland conservation, farm viability, and environmental health. Through this program, AFT purchases and permanently protects agricultural land that is under threat from development. Once the future of the land is stable and secure, AFT then works to sell the property to next generation farmers for an affordable price while encouraging regenerative farm practices on the land.
• Easement Stewardship. Easement stewardship varies from property to property and includes a wide range of activities meant to serve our easement landowners needs while ensuring that protected land remains in agriculture. In most cases, stewardship of an agricultural easement on private land consists of an annual visit to meet with landowners and review any significant changes to the land.