Mantha Phillips, Chair of our Ranchland Succession Committee and Executive Director Pam Dewell recently traveled to New England to meet with the Vermont Land Trust and the Maine Farmland Trust to learn about innovative programs they have developed to help new farmers become landowners. Both land trusts help retiring farmers pass along their farms to new landowners at affordable ag value — not at prices driven by development potential or the amenities attracting buyers not planning to make their living from agriculture. Fundraising efforts help to reduce the cost of land so that new producers are not paying full market value.
This young farm family had been running their diversified farming operation on seven different leased units and had moved onto their own ground in Maine just a week before they hosted visitors from Wyoming.
Despite harsh winters, Maine farmers are able to grow a range of products and market them directly to consumers, through farmers markets and food coops and to restaurants specializing in locally harvested vegetables, meats, dairy and poultry products.
This Vermont farmer was able to buy the farm she needs to produce high-end cultured butter from a small herd of Jersey cows. She also plans to raise pigs using the by-products from her dairy operation.
Vermont Land Trust staff Siobhan Smith, Vice President for Land Conservation and Jon Ramsay, Director of the Farmland Access Program discuss rural real estate values with Mantha Phillips