Farmland for a New Generation New York (FNG-NY) is a program coordinated by American Farmland Trust – in partnership with the State of New York, agricultural organizations, land trusts, and others – that helps farmers seeking land and landowners who want to keep their land in farming.
HOW WE WORK
We provide resources and services to help farmland seekers – new farmers and younger generations of farm families – while supporting elder generations and other farmland owners in successfully transferring their farms.
FNG-NY offers the New York Farmland Finder website, which includes a directory of available farm properties across the state, profiles of farmers seeking land, listings of on-farm jobs, upcoming events, and a searchable library of resources to educate and support farmers and landowners.
We also coordinate a statewide network of Regional Navigators, partner organizations with dedicated staff, who provide training and on-the-ground customized support to farmers and landowners.
WHY LAND ACCESS
According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, nearly a third of farmers in New York State are over the age of 65. At the same time, new and beginning farmers face major obstacles to finding suitable farmland at prices they can afford. Access to farmland remains the number one barrier for new and beginning farmers, small and medium sized operations, and economically constrained producers. Without pathways to support bringing a new generation of farmers onto the land, approximately 2 million acres of New York farmland are vulnerable to being lost. The New York Farmland Finder website and the support provided by AFT and Regional Navigators is one tool that can be used by farmland seekers and farmland owners to overcome these challenges – by connecting directly to available farm properties, farm jobs, resources, and expert advice.
ABOUT OUR TEAM
American Farmland Trust staff serve as the first point of contact for farmers and landowners seeking support from the Farmland for a New Generation New York program.
Alex Morency (she/her)
Farmland for a New Generation New York Associate
Ignacio Villa (he/him)
New York Program Specialist - Especialista del Programa Nueva York
Tim Biello (he/him)
New York Program Specialist
Molly Johnston-Heck (she/her)
Regional Farmland for a New Generation Senior Manager
Collectively, the FNG-NY team has a broad range of experience in key topics related to accessing and transferring land, including developing farm business or succession plans, evaluating farm properties, preparing land for agriculture, fostering equitable land access, conserving farmland, and more. Each profile created on the New York Farmland Finder website is reviewed by our staff and offered individual support.
Please contact us or a Regional Navigator with questions and to receive assistance with finding your farm, connecting with a farmer, or planning for your farm’s future.
