Two new publications on the ATTRA website will lend a hand to farmland owners who want to encourage the next generation of farmers to consider sustainable practices.

“Conservation Financing for Farm Transfer” was co-authored by National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) Agriculture Specialist Hannah Lewis and Jane Grimsbo Jewett of the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA).

Jewett also authored “Valuing Sustainable Practices” with contributions from NCAT Agriculture Specialist Robert Maggiani.

In addition to being posted on the ATTRA site, the publications are part of “Farm Transitions Toolkit,” a resource guide released Nov.12 by the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) and MISA.

“The need for such a comprehensive resource is more critical than ever. With the percentage of older farmers on the rise, it is projected in the next 20 years, 70% of ranch land and farmland will change hands,” said Karen Stettler, an organizer with LSP’s “Farm Beginnings” program.

About the Publications:
 “Conservation Financing for Farm Transfer.” Farmland owners are in a unique position to protect water, soil, and wildlife now and long into the future. The purpose of this publication is to offer guidance to farmland owners on the farm-transfer process when conservation and sustainable agricultural practices are desired. It discusses a variety of the most well-known and commonly used farm-transfer tools to help landowners achieve these conservation goals.

“Valuing Sustainable Practices.” This publication is for farmers who are good stewards of their land and want the people who come after them to carry on that heritage. “Valuing Sustainable Practices” has sections detailing 10 common sustainable agriculture and conservation practices. It discusses some scientific background and reasons for the practices; estimated costs and benefits of each one; some of the barriers that new farmers may face in implementing them; and suggestions for rent, lease, or sale terms that can facilitate these practices.

To access the publications, please click on the titles above.