Past Newsletters
Below are the newsletters that have been sent, and at the bottom of this page you can sign up to receive future newsletters!
Land trust and nonprofit land ownership structures have a profoundly impactful history of defining and structuring land ownership, access and tenure, protection, and connection, yet, by and large, do not address justice and equity and only benefit a small portion of the population.
We believe that commons land trusts are a necessary and innovative land-ownership model to address and transform the current realities of how land is owned, how tenure and equity are conveyed, and how land stewardship is carried out. This model builds upon and evolves the 120+ years of conservation land trust practice and the 60+ years of community land trust practice. This model challenges the current options of land ownership, protection, transition, and legacy to offer a new, generational approach to community supported farmland commons for regenerative agriculture.
We know the seeds of change must be viable, diverse, abundant, and adaptable, and we see the Farmland Commons as a localized and evolving seed bank that is beginning to germinate in communities across North America. We envision and work towards a future of new possibilities and outcomes for how farmland is held, accessed, and how tenure and equity are conveyed. We are working on cultivating and supporting these seeds of decommodified community-held farmland that conveys secure equitable tenure to farmers for regenerative food growing without harmful chemicals and in ways that connect with, engage, and feed communities. >>> See full newsletter
We know land is the foundation of civilization, culture, and community and we know we are part of the land. We know new and beginning farmers identify land access as a primary barrier to farm viability and that existing and retiring farmers must destroy what they have built over their lifetime by selling their farms for development and speculation, simply to retire. We know on average 37 mid-size farms close permanently every single day in this country and we know these farms' successful generational transitions are what sustains agrarian culture and community resilience. We are deeply compelled to do something with this knowledge. We are compelled to act.
