Farming statistics in the U.S. are grim. Less than two percent of the country actively farms. And the average age of these farmers? 57. For new farmers, the number one barrier to breaking into the business is lack of access to affordable land.
In the past, young farmers grew up in or married into a farm family, then inherited some or all the land. But today, the cities and suburbs are giving rise to a new generation of farmers. Young, educated and concerned with the health of their environment and communities, these farmers need land.
Since 2009, PASA has been developing a land leasing program based on research by Temple University’s Fox School of Business. The Farm Lease Connection, launching in early 2012, is a web-based program to link landowners with new farmers—“a blend of eBay and eHarmony,” explains PASA.
Enrolling your land is free and carries no obligation. Once enrolled, PASA helps determine what farming your land is best suited for and what farmer has the qualifications and business plan to meet your goals.
Whether you own a sunny, flat, half-acre of good soil, or 350 acres of rolling, partially wooded hills, PASA can help. Learn more at farmleaseconnection.org and join today to contribute to Pennsylvania’s sustainable agriculture movement.
