By Blake Jackson
Access to affordable farmland remains a major obstacle for new and beginning farmers across the United States. Although the number of beginning farmers has increased, many continue to face high land prices and competition from larger, established agricultural operations.
In New York, the challenge is particularly significant, as approximately one-third of farmers are 65 or older and own about two million acres that could change ownership in the coming years, according to Ignacio Villa, Bilingual NY Program Specialist.
Collaborative and cooperative land access models offer a potential solution. These approaches allow farmers to share land, resources, skills and responsibilities, reducing financial barriers, and making agricultural businesses easier to establish and manage.
According to the Farmland for a New Generation website, 40% of active farm seekers identify collaborative or cooperative arrangements as their preferred land tenure option.
To help farmers, prospective landowners and agricultural service providers understand these opportunities, organizers developed a three-part webinar series addressing organizational structures, relationship-building and personal wealth creation within collaborative farming projects.
The first session, titled “Mitigating the High Cost of Land through Cooperative and Collaborative Models,” explored legal structures and practical approaches to shared land ownership and access. Speakers included cooperative development specialist Jonah Fertig-Burd, Jack Hornickel of Pace Law School, Muhidin Libah of the Somali Bantu Community in Maine and Frances Yu of West Branch Commons.
Participants emphasized that no single legal or organizational model works for every situation. Strong relationships and mutual trust are essential to successful collaboration.
The second webinar, “Building a Relational Culture to Succeed in Collaborative Land Access,” focused on communication and interpersonal skills. Cedar Landsman of Relational Uprising and Maggie Cheney of Rock Steady Farm discussed the importance of addressing differences, establishing shared goals and ensuring that everyone's needs are heard.
They stressed that collaboration requires ongoing communication, patience, and a willingness to work through disagreements. Recognizing when an arrangement is no longer effective can also be an important outcome.
The final session, “Building Personal Wealth Within a Collaborative Land Access Project,” examined financial security and broader definitions of wealth. Nicole Tommell of Cornell Cooperative Enterprises and Dave Rifenburgh of Farm Credit East explained that shared farming arrangements can improve quality of life by lowering expenses for land, childcare, elder care and transportation.
However, participants also highlighted the importance of long-term financial planning. Farmers were encouraged to include retirement contributions in their operating budgets and account for taxes that help support future Social Security benefits.
Together, the webinars highlight how collaborative land access can create opportunities for beginning farmers while emphasizing trust, financial planning, and shared responsibility for long-term success.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-hirurg
Categories: New York, Education