KUFM Commentary - May 2009

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"Land Link Montana"
AERO Commentary by Paul Hubbard
Aired May 28th, 2009 on Montana Public Radio

Western Montana may still be "The Last Best Place," but it is no longer a well-kept secret. People are flocking to the region's mountains, rivers, and open spaces by the thousands, and many are choosing to stay here. Five years ago, I became one of those transplants, also lured by the opportunities to hunt, fish, ski, and hike. But what has really made me stick around is the emerging regional food system, rooted right here in the working farms and ranches across western Montana's valleys and foothills.

Grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets, schools and colleges are all increasing their appetites for locally produced foods. But while these markets create new economic opportunities for agriculture in western Montana, the very bedrock of our food system—fertile farm and ranchlands—is in great danger of being subdivided and permanently converted to residential or non-agricultural uses.

Even for the agricultural lands that remain intact, unfettered development pressure is driving up the market values of land, pricing it at its development potential and making it unaffordable and inaccessible to the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

To magnify the challenge, researchers estimate that over half of the Rocky Mountain West's farms and ranches will change hands in the next decade. Facilitating the transfer of these lands to beginning producers has never been more critical or urgent.

A new program, Land Link Montana, aims to do just that. The Community Food & Agriculture Coalition designed the Land Link Montana program to help producers access land and make sound business decisions to get set up for success. Land Link Montana will also enable landowners and retiring producers to pass their land on to a new farmer or rancher, through a lease, sale or a business partnership. As one retiring farming put it:

At my age, maintaining fences is tough work. And I've been approached by developers offering an incredible sum of money. But if I can keep it in ag status for tax purposes, I'd like to keep the land in production agriculture.

Land Link Montana officially launched its matching service in February 2009 in seven counties across western Montana. In a few short months, 10 landowners and 17 land seekers have enrolled in the matching service, and some interesting trends seem to be emerging:

1. First, many landowners—both retiring producers and non-farming landowners—have a land ethic that runs much deeper than any price tag can reflect. Dozens have called the Land Link Montana office to discuss ways they can ensure that their land remains open and productive. Many want to know that their land is producing food, feeding people and supporting a new farmer.
2. Secondly, the number of people who want to start farming or ranching is astounding. It might seem surprising that anyone would choose to go into the food production business, given the amounts of sweat, time, and start-up capital that agriculture requires—usually with modest financial returns. Luckily, for those of us who eat and cherish rural communities, lots of people are looking to start a farm or ranch, if they can find the right land for their goals. So far, these land-seeking producers hold a wide range of interests, from beef cattle to fruits and vegetables to dairy, poultry and grains. And their ages range from 25 to 50 years old. Many are also expressing a strong interest in growing for local markets.
3. Lastly, and perhaps not surprisingly, beginning farmers and ranchers are indicating that the single biggest barrier to getting started is financing. They often bring multiple years of experience managing a farm or ranch, they have a pretty good idea of what they want their operation to look like in 5 and 10 years, but most cannot access the requisite capital to purchase land and equipment. For this reason, many new producers are looking to either to lease land from a landowner or partner with a retiring farmer or rancher.

If you own land that you would like to see in production, stewarded by a farmer or rancher, Land Link Montana is a resource for you to help you find the right person for your goals and circumstances. There is already a great diversity of farmers and ranchers seeking land opportunities. Some are looking for just a few acres of fertile loam to grow vegetables or fruits, others need hundreds of acres of pasture or rangeland. To see if your land might be a good fit for a beginning or relocating farmer, we encourage you to get in touch and visit our website at www.LandLinkMontana.org.

On behalf of AERO, the Alternative Energy Resources Organization, I am Paul Hubbard, coordinator of the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition's Land Link Montana program. AERO is a grassroots membership organization that's been building communities by linking people with sustainable agriculture and energy solutions for 35 years. If you'd like to get involved with AERO, give us a call in Helena at (406) 443-7272.