Center for Agroecology

Affordable and secure access to land is crucial for assuring both the economic viability of small-scale agriculture and the adoption and use of sound land stewardship practices. In order to help beginning farmers secure long-term land tenure in the face of development and increasing land prices, new and innovative options for land tenure must be explored. This unit introduces students to a range of strategies that may be used to secure affordable access to land. Although the focus is on those farming or seeking farmland in California, this information will also be useful in other regions.

Lecture 1 examines the challenge of finding affordable farmland, and outlines various land tenure options, including leasing and purchasing, and alternative models such as community land trusts and shared ownership arrangements.

Lecture 2 offers “how to” information on finding land and developing a lease agreement. It also identifies government programs that offer help to beginning farmers who are looking for land and improving farmland.