Starting the farm search and evaluating potential properties:
Once you have a clear sense of the business you want to create, you’ll need to find land to carry out this vision. This can be a challenging process, but there are lots of great resources to help you.
- Comprehensive resource for how to find, assess, and secure farmland, from Land For Good (note, this is a resource created in New England, so some of the specific references are for that locality). https://landforgood.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/LFG-NESFP-How-To-Find-Assess-Secure-Farmland-plain-language-guide.pdf
- NM LandLink– a statewide platform for matching farmers with landowners https://landlinknm.org/
Acquiring Land — Owning vs. Leasing, and Various Structures for both:
While most people would prefer to own the land they farm on, and there is a great deal of benefit to it, buying land may be financially inaccessible, or unwise as it may tie up all your capital, making it difficult to afford the other costs of starting the farm. There are many alternatives to buying land, including buying land with others, lease-to-own programs, and short or long term standard leases.
- This is a detailed guide that helps you to understand different ways of acquiring and ownership structures for land/farm businesses.
- This is a worksheet to help you think big picture about what kind of land owning/leasing situation you want to be in.
Leases & Landowner Relationships
A good lease agreement serves as a strong protection for both the farmer and the landowner. It is important to take the time to think about every issue that might come up and include ways to exit the lease and to engage in conflict resolution.
This is an overview of what elements to include in a lease.
While being very clear about rights and expectations is very important in any lease agreements, it is extra important if the landowner lives onsite. Here is a sample lease co-created by a landowner and a farmer who was farming the land behind the owners’ house.
Other Resources:
- Land for Good has numerous other resources on this topic.
- The American Farmland Trust has a step by step guide to land access for new farmers.
- An “Agrarian Commons” is a community-based landholding structure. More info here.
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