Farmland Access is a Regional Challenge—Let’s Build Regional Solutions!
- bonnie862
- 2 days ago
- 12 min read
By Bonnie Warndahl
Early bird registration is LIVE for the 2026 Upper Midwest Farmland Summit in
Madison, Wisconsin! (Early bird ends September 15)
November 18–19, 2026 | Pyle Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Greetings Farmland Access & Transition advocates! If you joined us for the 2023 Upper Midwest Farmland Summit at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, you may remember the feeling: over 200 people from across the Midwest and beyond, coming together around a shared concern, and leaving with new ideas, new relationships, and a renewed sense that we can do something about the farmland access and transfer challenges facing our region.
That gathering was more than a conference. It was a convening of people who care deeply about keeping farmland in farming—and who are willing to roll up their sleeves to figure out what comes next.
Now, three years later, it’s time to gather again!
The farmland access and transfer landscape has continued to change. Farmers are navigating even higher land values, financing challenges, uncertain markets, and increasingly complicated paths to farm ownership. Landowners are struggling to find and understand transition pathways that honor their land, their families, and the future of agriculture. Communities and policymakers are grappling with development pressure, conservation, and the question of who will have access to farmland in the decades ahead.
And across the Midwest, people are developing creative solutions!
The 2026 Upper Midwest Farmland Summit is where we come together once again to share those answers, challenge our assumptions, build partnerships, and turn promising ideas into action. Two days—one shared purpose.
This year’s Summit will bring together farmers, landowners, land-seekers, lenders, agricultural service providers, conservation professionals, researchers, policymakers, advocates, and other leaders working on farmland access and transfer.
Day One will zoom out—to understand the larger forces shaping farmland access, transfer, conservation, and policy across the Upper Midwest.
Day Two will zoom in—getting into the weeds with topic-focused conversations designed to share practical strategies, tackle persistent challenges, and identify opportunities for collaboration. Full conference agenda coming soon!
We invite you to come ready to learn—and ready to contribute!
The 2026 Summit is an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, meet people doing innovative work across the region, discover resources and models you can take home, and help shape what comes next.
Whether you are a farmer trying to find land, a landowner thinking about the future of your farm, a lender trying to understand emerging models, a policymaker looking for effective strategies, a researcher studying the issue, or someone working every day to make farmland access more possible, there is a place for you at this table.
November 18 & 19, 2026 | Pyle Center | University of Wisconsin–Madison
Early-bird registration: $220 (ends September 15!)
Don’t go just yet! There are other ways you can amplify this effort!
Become a Summit Sponsor. Sponsors help make the gathering possible—including supporting planning, speakers, and scholarships that help reduce barriers to participation.
Support others attending by contributing to the Scholarship Fund (Add any amount when you check out during registration).
Share the 2026 Upper Midwest Farmland Summit with Others!
The 2023 Summit left participants energized and eager for the next one. Now that next one is here. Join us in moving farmland access and transfer forward.
We hope you’ll join us in Madison for another epic convening!
From Farm Beginnings to Farm Ownership
By Laura Cullip
Tuesday, September 1 is the application deadline for Farm Beginnings! Scholarships will be available! APPLY NOW!!!
One of the most rewarding parts of our work is seeing organizations build on one another's strengths to help farmers succeed.
For years, Renewing the Countryside and the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) have worked alongside one another, united by a shared commitment to farmland access, farm transition, and supporting the next generation of farmers. While each organization brings different expertise, together we're helping create clearer pathways for people who want to farm.
A great example is Elyssa Eull, owner of California Street Farm in Minneapolis.
Like many beginning farmers, Elyssa has spent years building the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to make the leap into farm ownership. She is a graduate of LSP's Farm Beginnings program, a year-long course that helps new and prospective farmers develop the practical, business, and planning skills needed to launch successful farm enterprises.
Today, Elyssa is taking the next step. She's working with one of Renewing the Countryside's Farmland Access Navigators as she prepares to purchase her first farm.
Buying a farm for the first time is exciting—but it can also be overwhelming. Navigators provide one-on-one support, helping emerging farmers identify opportunities, work through financing and land access challenges, connect with resources, and keep moving toward their goals. Elyssa has been meeting weekly with her navigator, Laura Cullip, as she works toward closing on her farm later this year, with plans to continue growing her business both in Minneapolis and at her new farm location.
Navigator services are provided at no cost to eligible beginning farmers through support from the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) and generous contributions from individual donors to Renewing the Countryside.
Elyssa describes her vision for California Street Farm as creating "a space of belonging and learning, all while growing nutritious, accessible food and respecting the soil she's working in."
It's exactly the kind of future both RTC and LSP hope to make possible—more beginning farmers with the knowledge, support, and access they need to get on the land and thrive.
If you know someone looking to build their farm business or start a farm, now is a great time to encourage them to apply for LSP's next Farm Beginnings class. The year-long, farmer-led, training program focuses on goal-setting, marketing, and financial skills needed to establish a successful farm business. Participants will name their vision, acquire the tools they need to make it happen, learn from farmers, and become part of a community of support to help them succeed.
Farm Beginnings is offered primarily online, with a few in-person sessions taking place in the Twin Cities, MN. The bulk of the class will run from December, 2026 through March, 2027.
Tuesday, September 1 is the application deadline for Farm Beginnings!!! Scholarships will be available! APPLY NOW!!!
Click here for more information about Farm Beginnings.
Shining Lights Farm: An Interview with Minnesota farmer Anita Fondikum and Farmland Access Navigator Laura Cullip
Tell us about yourself Anita:
My name is Anita Fondikum, farmer and owner of Shining Lights Farm in Princeton, Minnesota. I come from a long line of farmers in my family. I am a 3rd generation farmer that came to the U.S. from Cameroon in 2014. I grew up farming and has a college agricultural degree from Cameroon. I have been backyard farming at her house in Rogers, Minnesota the last few years, growing cultural vegetables from Cameroon such as njamma njamma along with other vegetables such as bell pepper, roma tomato, watermelon, and squash. In 2025, I purchased 10 acres of land in Princeton, MN. In 2026 I am growing 3 acres of fruits, American, and African vegetables. I sell my produce to The Good Acre and directly to customers.
How did you purchase land and what support did you receive along the way?
In 2024, I applied for the MN Department of Agriculture Down Payment Assistance Grant to purchase farmland for the first-time. I received the down payment assistance grant in fall 2024 for $15,000 towards the purchase of farmland as a first-time farm buyer. I met Nura Ahmed (Farm Business Management Specialist at Renewing the Countryside) at the Emerging Farmers Conference and she recommended that I fill out the intake form to work with a land access navigator to help support me in my land access process. I met with Laura Cullip (a RTC land access navigator) and we worked together, along with my realtor Leslie, on my farmland purchase.
I found 10 acres of land near Princeton, MN in early 2025 and needed to use my grant within a few months. I had contacted Compeer Financial about farm financing but wasn’t getting a response on my application. Laura connected me to Sai Thao, senior lending specialist at Compeer Financial and we worked on the financial documents and business plan to submit as part of my application. I also used a beginning farmer loan through MN Department of Agriculture (RFA Beginning Farmer Loan) for part of my farm purchase. Laura has supported me every step of the way.
Why is farming important to you?
We think that this land belongs to us, but we actually belong to the land. I’m very excited working in the land and doing what I do because I feel that’s home for me and that is where I come from, farming and the land.
What are the challenges for you right now?
Some of the difficulties that I’m facing right now are equipment, starting small and going big. Last year I had an acre of farmland, and I did not foresee that I would be farming bigger. I tripled the production I did last year, and after I planted everything, I realized the number of acres that I have to weed! I really need a tractor. That is one of my goals.
I wrote multiple grants, some with assistance from Laura, for grants to develop the infrastructure at my farm. I need to set up electrical service at my farm, dig an irrigation well, and in the process of setting that up, the well company let me know I need better driveway access. Everything is expensive! I am working on fundraising right now, in addition to using my own funds.
Laura Cullip is a long-time organic vegetable farmer and joined RTC in 2025. She is a Minnesota Farmland Access Navigator and Farm Business Management Specialist. For the past 15 years, Laura has worked as a farm educator and advocate for beginning and emerging farmers. She is passionate about supporting local food farmers and the local food network in our rural/urban communities. Laura is a FSMA food safety trainer and the co-author of “Direct Market Success: A Farmer’s Guide to Farmers’ Market, CSA, Farmstand, and Online Sales”. She lives in Hutchinson, MN with her family.
A Documentary About Accessing Land? Yes Please!
🎬 Save the Date: Virtual Screening of This Land + Meet the Producers
Thursday, September 17 | 6:00–7:30 p.m. CST
Who owns America's farmland, and who gets the opportunity to farm it? This Land is a thought-provoking documentary that explores the complex history, current realities, and future of farmland ownership in the United States. Through powerful personal stories and expert perspectives, the film examines issues of land access, farm succession, racial inequities, corporate land ownership, and the challenges facing the next generation of farmers. It invites viewers to consider why farmland matters—not just to those who farm it, but to the future of our food system and rural communities.
Join creator Eva Barr and Michelle de la Vega for a special virtual screening of This Land followed by an exclusive live "Meet the Producers" Q&A. This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the filmmakers about the inspiration behind the documentary, the stories that shaped it, and the conversations they hope it will spark across the country.
Butter up some popcorn, grab your favorite snack or beverage, and most importantly, bring your curiosity. Whether you're a farmer, landowner, conservationist, or simply someone who cares about the future of agriculture, this promises to be an engaging and inspiring conversation.
We hope you'll join us for an evening of storytelling, reflection, and meaningful conversation about the future of farmland in America.
How Bipartisan Coalitions Advance Innovative Land Access Policies
Julia Valliant’s recently published research examines how bipartisan coalitions in multiple states have successfully advanced innovative land access policies that help beginning farmers purchase or rent farmland while addressing rising land costs, farm consolidation, and the loss of agricultural land.
Drawing on interviews with policymakers and advocates across nine states, the study identifies practical policy approaches that are expanding opportunities for the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Read the full publication here.
Building on this nationally recognized research and years of leadership in farmland access and succession, Valliant has been named Director of American Farmland Trust’s Farms for a New Generation initiative. In her new role, she will lead AFT’s national efforts to increase access to land and capital for emerging farmers while helping landowners navigate successful farm succession and transfer, ensuring farmland remains in agricultural production for future generations. Learn more about Julia’s new position here.
A new proposed policy in Illinois
By Claire Shipp, AFT
What is it?
The Farmer Tax Benefit Act (HB4849/SB4193) would create a voluntary Illinois state income tax credit for landowners who permanently protect farmland or natural areas through conservation easements or certain land donations. The credit would provide a new source of funding for land protection while helping Illinois leverage additional federal resources. Read the fact sheet here.
Why is the FTBA needed?
Farmland loss is accelerating. Illinois paves over 48 acres of farmland every day, and 81% of the land at risk is among the most productive and resilient farmland in the country. By 2040, the state is projected to lose 363,400 acres, an area 2.5 times the size of Chicago, along with 1,600 farms, $218 million in annual farm output, and 3,400 jobs. Illinois’ natural areas are also at risk. Just 4% of the state’s land is protected as open space, ranking Illinois 48th nationally in open space protection despite its extraordinarily diverse and ecologically important landscapes. At the same time, Illinois is leaving federal conservation dollars on the table. While states with dedicated farmland protection funding are leveraging more than $15 million annually in federal ACEP-ALE matching funds, Illinois is capturing just $430,000. The FTBA would create a new state investment that could immediately help unlock additional federal funding, stretching state dollars further while protecting the farmland and natural areas that sustain Illinois’ economy, communities, and environment.
Where did the policy idea come from?
For years, agricultural, conservation, environmental, food system, and community organizations have been coalescing around the need for sustainable funding for land protection in Illinois. In conversations with agencies, legislators, and partners, we identified a tax credit structure as the most effective and politically viable solution for securing long-term land protection funding in the state. This legislation is informed by existing programs in 15 other states and is modelled after successful programs in Colorado and Virginia, which collectively bring in more than $71 million in federal match dollars for land protection annually.
What happened in 2026?
AFT and partners organized around the FTBA through the Alliance for Conserving Rural and Natural Environments (ACRE), which grew to more than 60 members. In just five months, the coalition built support among 74 legislators, secured 38 sponsors, and moved HB4849 through the House Revenue Committee with a unanimous 19-0 vote and 83 proponents. Twenty-five organizations and 50 individuals also signed a letter supporting the legislation. The FTBA ultimately was not included in the final FY27 budget and revenue package, but conversations continued through the final hours of negotiations, a sign of how much momentum the coalition built in a short time.
Biggest Success: Building Common Ground
For me, one of the most meaningful outcomes was bringing together organizations that do not always work side-by-side. Farmers, land trusts, conservationists, environmental advocates, food system organizations, and others found common ground around a simple idea: once land is developed, it is incredibly difficult to get it back. That shared understanding gives us a strong foundation for future work. You can read my blog about how we built consensus around the FTBA here.
What’s next?
The work continues. ACRE will spend the coming months refining the legislation, strengthening relationships with legislators and partners, and gathering stories about the impact of land protection so that we can ensure the FTBA is included in the 2027 Illinois Revenue Package. Our goal is to continue building a durable constituency for land protection in Illinois that will (1) secure land protection funding by passing the FTBA, and (2) ensure the money is used to keep Illinois farmland and natural areas intact for generations to come. If you'd like to get updates about this work and learn how you can be more involved, you can sign up for the ACRE listserv here.
Every farm has a story, and for Amy Kroll and Martice Scales, that story is one of perseverance, partnership, and purpose. After years of farming rented land, they found a path to secure land ownership through the collaboration of American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Renewing the Countryside (RTC) on the Buy-Protect-Sell-Plus program.
Martice and Amy’s story highlights the growing impact of partnerships within the Farmland Access Hub, and their journey demonstrates how collaboration, creative solutions, and long-term investment in the next generation can help keep farmland in farming while strengthening local communities. By bringing together organizations that support farmland transition and access, the Hub is helping remove barriers to farm ownership and ensuring more farmland remains in the hands of active farmers. It's a powerful example of how coordinated support can turn the dream of farm ownership into a reality for the next generation.
Check out this great story by Brookes Lamb about Amy and Martice's journey to secure land access on AFT's blog.
Free “How to Buy a Farm” Guide by American Farmland Trust
Buying a farm is about much more than finding the right piece of land—it's about making informed decisions that support your goals for years to come. Whether you're purchasing your first farm or expanding an existing operation, understanding everything from financing and infrastructure to soils, water, and legal considerations can help you avoid costly mistakes. This practical guide walks you through the essential questions to ask and the key factors to evaluate so you can move forward with confidence on your journey to farm ownership.
