Keeping Farm in Family requires strategy- USA Today

This is a great article that underscores the incontrovertible link between beginning farmers and succession. Here are a couple of facts I lifted from the article:

According to the Department of Agriculture, family farms account for about 98% of all farms in the USA and for 85% of the nation's total agricultural output. About 70% of the nation's farmland will change hands in the next two decades, and recent surveys show that about 89% of farmers don't have a farm-transfer plan, according to the USDA.

Read the entire article at:  http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/story/2012-06-28/keeping-farms-in-the-family/56117782/1

Beauty of local farming

Improving access to locally grown food just makes sense. Locally grown food is fresh, more affordable (it eliminates food distribution costs) and strengthens the local economy by supporting local farmers and their families. This photo reminded me of the importance of our work at Land For Good - improving access to land for farming. The land provides all we need as long as we take care of it.

Public needs vs. farming: How a community came together to overcome this controversy

A great article explaining how the community of Northampton, Massachusetts turned a public needs vs. farming land dispute into a "win-win" situation for all. It also highlights the hand Land For Good board member, Clem Clay, played in making this happen. Read now >> www.tinyurl.com/TPLFarm