Land Access Resources

The national umbrella organization for land trusts across America. Find a local land trust in your region that may offer affordable access to protected farmland.

• ▸ Find local land trusts by state
• ▸ Conservation easements that keep land affordable
• ▸ Stewardship opportunities on protected land
• ▸ Connects landowners with conservation buyers

Makes homeownership permanently affordable by separating land ownership from home ownership. The CLT retains ownership of the land while you own the home.

• ▸ Permanently affordable homeownership
• ▸ Land remains in trust — home prices stay accessible
• ▸ Equity building for low-to-moderate income families
• ▸ Long-term community stability

The FSA provides direct and guaranteed loans to help farmers and ranchers who cannot obtain commercial credit. Beginning farmer programs have favorable terms.

• ▸ Beginning Farmer Direct Loans up to $600,000
• ▸ Microloan program for small operations (up to $50,000)
• ▸ Down Payment Loan Program for land purchase
• ▸ Emergency loan programs for disaster-affected farms

NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners conserve natural resources. Multiple programs offer payments for conservation practices.

• ▸ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
• ▸ Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
• ▸ Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)
• ▸ Payments for implementing conservation practices

Works to protect farmland from development and keep it in agricultural use. Connects farmers with land access programs and advocates for farmland protection policies.

• ▸ Farmland protection advocacy
• ▸ Farmer training and education programs
• ▸ Land access resources for beginning farmers
• ▸ Farmland finder tools and databases

Advocates for young and beginning farmers on land access, student debt, healthcare, and climate change. Connects young farmers with land access resources.

• ▸ Land access resources and guides
• ▸ Farmer-to-farmer land matching programs
• ▸ Policy advocacy for beginning farmers
• ▸ Community of 100,000+ young farmers

Focuses specifically on keeping farmland affordable and accessible for the next generation of farmers through agrarian commons and land access programs.

• ▸ Agrarian commons model for shared farmland
• ▸ Land access for beginning and BIPOC farmers
• ▸ Farmer training and mentorship
• ▸ Long-term land tenure security

Provides grants to organizations that offer education, mentoring, and technical assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers, including land access education.

• ▸ Training programs for new farmers
• ▸ Financial literacy and business planning
• ▸ Land access education and resources
• ▸ Connects beginners with experienced mentors

Many municipalities and counties offer lease programs for city-owned agricultural land. Farmers markets and local food councils often coordinate these programs.

• ▸ Municipal land lease opportunities
• ▸ Community garden and urban farm programs
• ▸ Incubator farm programs for beginning farmers
• ▸ Short-term leases to build experience

Works to protect land and water resources across America. Offers conservation easements and works with landowners to protect agricultural land while allowing continued farming.

• ▸ Conservation easements for working farms
• ▸ Land protection with continued agricultural use
• ▸ Tax benefits for landowners
• ▸ Long-term stewardship support