MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced funding for Renewing the Countryside’s Upper Midwest Farmland Access Hub Navigator Program to improve farmland access outcomes for all stages of beginning farmers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The Farmland Access Hub, in its seventh year, pairs land-seeking farmers with an advocate who can provide guidance and resources to help farmers on their land access journey and connect them with farmland owners hoping to transfer their land to new owners. They will use the nearly $750,000 in federal funding to expand their program.
“The average age of a producer in the United States is 58, and in Minnesota it’s 57. And of course, this number increases every year. That in a nutshell is why we need to invest in the next generation of farmers, so this country’s agriculture production continues to work,” said Senator Smith. “This is a matter of national security, food security, and the strength and vitality of rural America. Agriculture is a driving force in America’s economy, and this grant will make sure our Ag economy is strong as the next generation of farmers takes over.”
“Agriculture is the economic backbone of rural communities across our state, and we need to ensure the next generation of farmers receive the support they need to succeed,” said Senator Klobuchar. “With this federal funding, we’re taking a big step toward ensuring beginning farmers can access land to start and grow their businesses.”
“We are excited to receive this good news! This grant will support the work of the Farmland Access Hub that assists beginning farmers in finding and accessing land on which to farm. With farmland prices so high, and so many thousands of acres changing hands as older farmers retire, we are at a moment in time where this work is more critical than ever,” said Jan Joannides, Executive Director and co-founder of Renewing the Countryside.
Senator Smith has long been a champion of supporting the next generation of farmers. During a Congressional hearing she chaired earlier this year on expanding opportunities for beginning farmers, she highlighted three pieces of legislation she has spearheaded in the Senate:
- The Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities Act, which addresses land access, market access, and capital access issues that under-served farmers face while trying to start up their farming operations;
- The Agriculture Skills Preparation for Industry Recruitment Efforts (ASPIRE) Act, which would establish a work-based agriculture training program within the USDA’s existing Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.
- The reauthorization of the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Grant Program, which provides the funding for the award that the Farmland Access Hub received.
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