Since every farmer, and every farm, is unique, estate planning should fit the uniqueness of a situation. This is especially true when transitioning a farm to a new owner. One of the key elements of any transition is fairness – to the owner and the new owner. When the transition involves a direct family member, a common approach is to […]
Category: Family Farm
Whether you have a long, multi-generational background in farming or are a newcomer to the business, successful farming consists of a multitude of components. Every farm and each farm family is different in their approach, focus, and goals. In spite of this, there are some new ideas as well as old principles that can help secure […]
As farm acreage becomes more costly pushed higher by institutional investors, managing an affordable transfer of farm assets complicates Succession Planning. For many farmers close to retirement age, decisions concerning farm transfer must try to accommodate disparate goals. For example, farm succession planning may involve accommodating career-minded heirs who want to preserve the family farm […]
Between 2007 and 2012, the number of farms in the U.S. decreased as their average size increased, indicating further erosion of the small family farm market share in relation to Big Ag and conglomerates. It’s increasingly difficult for small family farmers to make money or shape farm policy in an environment where Big Ag rules. Yet […]
A group in Maine are developing a small farms and local food economy specialized credit union. Called the Maine Harvest Credit Project, the group is working toward a nonprofit, member-owned credit union that fills a critical financial services need: small, low interest loans for the acquisition of land and financing of specialized food processing and […]
The Food Sovereignty Movement is a growing international movement that supports a community’s right to choose how and where their food is produced and what food they consume. This basic human right stands in opposition to corporate agribusiness, and family farmers and fishermen are leading the fight. The National Family Farm Coalition is supporting this […]
Whether you and your loved ones are currently practicing the family farming lifestyle, are considering implementing some farming techniques, or simply want to celebrate the unique farming way of life, try picking up some literature that everyone can indulge in together. 1. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan This classic takes place in the Midwestern […]
The idea of breaking ground on your own farm can be exhilarating: the idea of your children learning the hard work and ethics of farming, giving fresh produce and meats back to your friends, knowing exactly what your family puts on the table, what it ate, how it was grown, and what went into it. […]
Heritage breeds, CSAs, farmer’s markets, artisan cheese: farming is getting an injection of cool from farmers looking to change the face of agriculture in America. Clean food, slow food, organic food, local food: the movements may be a small part of the agricultural giant, but their share is growing. Consumers are starting to pay attention. They want […]
Ground Operations: Battlefields to Farmfields is a multi-award winning short documentary about the training programs and internships being developed by and for returning veterans who have transitioned to farming. Out of 21 million US veterans, 800,000 are unemployed and 100,000 are unemployed and homeless. US farmers are getting older, and young farmers are not stepping up to […]
