Agroforestry VOLUME 25 ISSUE 2

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New &

Beginning Farmers

Opening up Possibilities Through Agroforestry

pg.4Forest 

Farming for 

New Farmers pg.8 Military Veterans 

Practicing 

Agroforestry

Photo by Kevin Wolz
2 Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2

NAC Director's Corner

A commentary on the status of agroforestry by Susan Stein, NAC Director

Previous Inside Agroforestry issues have 

highlighted the use of agroforestry on 

farms and forest lands across the United 

States to address a host of landowner needs. 

This issue highlights the opportunities that 

agroforestry is providing to new and beginning farmers, a sector 

that received special attention in the 2014 Farm Bill. These 

landowners, especially those with limited resources, are taking 

advantage of the economic and ecological opportunities that 

intensively managed agroforestry systems can provide - 

a variety of benefits and income sources at multiple levels and 

over a range of time periods. Producers can harvest perennial 

crops from forests, trees, and shrubs; annual field crops; and/or 

produce livestock and dairy products on the same piece of land. 

This issue of Inside Agroforestry showcases the use of 

agroforestry by new and beginning farmers through USDA 

programs, agroforestry leasing, coalition building, and 

engagement in a variety of educational opportunities. One 

such opportunity is our new web page presenting resources for 

this audience: https://nac.unl.edu/issues/newfarmers.htm.

We’d love to hear your stories related to this topic. If you are, 

or know of, a new farmer engaging in agroforestry, please let 

us know. Additionally, if you know of new farmers who are 

interested in agroforestry, please share this newsletter and 

our website.

News on Agroforestry Notes

Agroforestry Notes has always been an important publication series 

for NAC because it provides technical information and has a “how 

to” approach. We are excited to announce two new and updated 

Agroforestry Notes, along with other Agroforestry Notes news. 

These new and updated Agroforestry Notes are available as 

PDFs in our new full color design – please check them out 

and share with anyone you think would be interested.

Riparian Forest Buffers: 

An Agroforestry Practice

Outlines the basics 

of riparian forest 

buffers including their 

objectives, steps for 

buffer implementation, 

and design tools 

and resources. 

Alley Cropping: 

An Agroforestry Practice 

Updates the previous 

version of this publication, 

written in 1999, with new 

science and approaches to 

alley cropping.

As of January 1, 2017, printed copies of new and updated Agroforestry Notes are no 

longer available. Printed copies of Agroforestry Notes published before this date are still 

available. Please see our website for details: 

https://nac.unl.edu/publications/agroforestrynotes.htm
Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2 3

Growing Tomorrow, Today 

Lilia McFarland, USDA New and Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program 

USDA is hard at work to support the next generation of food, fiber, fuel, and flora producers across the 

country – and that includes support for agroforestry. New 

and beginning agroforestry producers might be surprised 

by the wealth of resources that USDA has to offer.

Whether you are just starting out, or looking to grow in your 

agroforestry career, we hope you’ll come see us at USDA.

Why invest in the next generation?

The average age of the American farmer now exceeds 58 years, 

and 2014 data shows that almost 10 percent of farmland in the 

continental United States will change hands in the next five years. 

These changes present a significant challenge to rural communities: 

how to keep communities economically vibrant and attract new 

farmers, ranchers, and other business owners, workers, and 

their families.

To meet these challenges, USDA has engaged our resources to 

inspire a strong, productive next generation of farmers and ranchers 

by improving access to land, capital and risk management tools. 

The hope is to increase next generation participation within key 

USDA programs and services that create opportunity and longevity 

for new and beginning farmers and ranchers. We also launched the 

first comprehensive, interactive online tool for new and beginning 

farmers, https://newfarmers.usda.gov/, a one-stop-shop where 

a new agricultural operator can access the full breadth of the 

Department’s resources in support of their farm or 

ranch business. 

What might I qualify for? 

Through partnerships with USDA, agroforestry professionals 

can access a variety of financing support for actively managed 

farmed plots of trees or biomass production. The Agricultural 

Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which conserves 

agricultural lands and wetlands, may also provide assistance with 

tree planting and forest management as part of the restoration 

process if producers are interested in putting their land into 

an easement. There is also significant conservation support 

offered through partnerships with the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency, including: 

the Conservation Reserve Program, which will pay cost share 

to plant trees and manage stands for the benefit of the wildlife 

and timber; the Environmental Quality Incentives Program 

(EQIP), which provides payments to private forest landowners 

for implementing conservation practices that help improve 

forest health and restore wildlife habitat; and the Conservation 

Stewardship Program, which can potentially allow forestland 

owners to receive an annual land use payments for operation-level 

environmental benefits. In many of these programs, USDA has 

worked to increase participation by new and beginning farmers. 

For example, in 2014 about 11 percent of EQIP contracts went 

to new and beginning farmers; by 2016 this had increased to 27 

percent. Similarly, in 2014 about 3.2 percent of applicants in the 

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program were first-time 

beginning farmers. By 2016 that number had increased to more 

than 22 percent.

How do I get connected? 

USDA Service Centers are located across the country, 

throughout the communities they serve. These centers 

provide customers access to some of the most critical 

services offered by USDA—including financial assistance 

and conservation planning. Come see us today to find out 

what might be available to you and your operation! e

USDA’s https://newfarmers.usda.gov puts a wealth of 

USDA resources right at your fingertips.
4 Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2

Forest Farming for New Farmers

Holly Chittum, Virginia Tech

Forests represent 65% of the land base across the Appalachian region. Along 

with timber production and harvest, farming 

of non-timber forest products provides a 

potential income source for Appalachian 

forestland owners. There is a long history 

of the sale of wild harvested forest edible, 

medicinal, and decorative plants in this 

region. As consumer knowledge of and 

demand for these products has grown in 

recent years, forest cultivation has become 

an economically viable option and a 

sustainable alternative to wild harvesting. 

Increased demand has piqued the interest 

of new farmers looking for ways to diversify 

production or make better use of wooded 

land that requires minimal site preparation 

and keeps the forest ecosystem intact.

The Appalachian Beginning Forest 

Farmer Coalition (ABFFC) is dedicated to 

increasing opportunities for farmers 

and forestland owners in Appalachia 

and beyond, who are interested in 

starting or expanding/diversifying a 

forest farming operation. Funded by 

the National Institute of Food and 

Agriculture (NIFA) under the Beginning 

Farmer and Rancher Development 

Program (BFRDP), the ABFFC is the 

first project supported by the BFRDP to 

focus specifically on forest farming. 

The ABFFC promotes and expands 

cultivation and conservation of native 

non-timber forest medicinal products. It 

helps prepare forest farmers to supply raw 

material that is both forest grown verified 

and certified organic to nutraceutical and 

herbal product industries. This is achieved 

through technical, administrative, and 

market sales training, and providing 

opportunities for farmer-farmer 

and farmer-industry representative 

networking. The Coalition also improves 

access to resource inventory and plant 

habitat management support services 

by training extension and agency 

personnel. Additionally, opportunities 

are provided to link these personnel 

with forest farmers so that they may 

learn more about these enterprises. 

The project is a collaboration across 

multiple academic institutions, 

governmental, and non-governmental 

organizations, including the USDA Forest 

Service, Virginia Tech, Penn State, North 

Carolina State, the Maryland University 

of Integrative Health, Appalachian 

Sustainable Development, United Plant 

Savers, Rural Action, the Blue Ridge 

Woodland Growers, the USDA National 

Agroforestry Center, the Pennsylvania 

Department of Conservation and Natural 

Resources, and the Southern Regional 

Extension Forestry Network. 

Year One has wrapped up at the ABFFC 

and much was accomplished. The coalition 

website is up and running at 

www.appalachianforestfarmers.org. 

It includes a substantial and growing 

collection of forest farming resources 

As consumer knowledge of and demand for 

these products has grown in recent years, 

forest cultivation has become considered an 

economically viable option and a sustainable 

alternative to wild harvesting.

At an event hosted by Blue Ridge 

Woodland Growers, people interested in 

beginning forest farming gathered in Floyd, 

Virginia. Photos by Holly Chittum.
Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2 5

and learning tools, as well as a forum for 

connecting coalition members. ABFFC 

membership is now almost 700 strong 

and growing. Two newsletters have been 

published with a third on the way in 

spring 2017. Eight forest farmer training 

events and two external training sessions 

took place at multiple locations across the 

Appalachian region including in Virginia, 

Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, and Maryland. 

The high level of interest in forest 

farming across the region was evidenced 

by the strong turnout at these events.

For the first events in November 2015, 

people gathered together from across the 

forest medicinal products supply chain 

to discuss new opportunities for growers 

and buyers in collaboration with United 

Plant Savers, Mountain Rose Herbs, 

Pennsylvania Certified Organic, North 

Carolina State, and Penn State. Summer 

2016 events took place in Kentucky and 

Ohio for the United Plant Savers half-day 

and 1-day introductory forest farming 

workshops with collaborators from the 

Kentucky Department of Agriculture, 

Pine Mountain Settlement School, and 

Mountain Rose Herbs. Attendees received 

an introduction to the forest botanicals 

market and supply chain and learned 

about a Forest Grown cost-share program 

funded by United Plant Savers. The Blue 

Ridge Woodland Growers hosted their 

ABFFC event in late summer in Floyd, VA. 

Attendees got a glimpse of the grounds 

and drying facilities at the Appalachian 

Herb Growers Consortium at the Blue 

Ridge Center for Chinese Medicine 

during a field trip. They learned about 

different aspects of production from site 

selection and propagation to post-harvest 

handling and value added production. 

In late August the coalition joined forces 

with Appalachian Sustainable Development 

in the forests of northeastern Tennessee 

near Mountain City. Participants dove into 

a diverse set of topics from how to make 

value added products like wild cherry bark 

syrup to forest farm management and 

budgeting strategies. In September, the 

ABFFC presented forest farming sessions 

at the Small Farms Conference in Virginia 

Beach and the International Herbal 

Association Conference in Columbia, 

Maryland. Finally, the coalition journeyed 

up to Rutland, Ohio and the United 

Plant Savers Goldenseal Sanctuary in late 

September with Rural Action. The weekend 

was full of events in the classroom and 

in the field. Some attendees spent time 

in the woods with Eric Burkhart of Penn 

State and Chip Carroll of United Plant 

Savers discussing site selection and related 

topics, while others learned the process 

of tincture making with local herbalist 

Caty Crabb. Evening found everyone 

around the bonfire sharing thoughts about 

valuable ideas gleaned from the event 

and excitement for what is to come.

Attendee feedback on these events 

indicate that much was learned and that 

their understanding of the opportunities 

and challenges related to forest farming 

has increased substantially. Many also 

indicated that they were highly likely 

to use the information gained during 

the trainings in their forest farming 

endeavors. Venues used for the trainings 

and catering were also rated as excellent!

Planning for Year Two of the project is 

well underway. In addition to offering 

several trainings that give a detailed survey 

of forest farming industry and practices, 

the ABFFC also plans to offer next-step 

curriculum. Participants will focus on 

important forest farming topics from 

propagation and seed sourcing, to harvest 

and post-harvest processing, to business 

planning and more in order to build depth 

and offer opportunities for specialization. 

Information about the 2017 events is 

available on the ABFFC website calendar, 

with more to follow as the dates for 

future events are confirmed. In addition 

to planned Year Two program events, 

the Coalition has offered trainings 

and programs in partnership with 

other organizations. These include a 

preconference workshop at the Chesapeake 

Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture 

Future Harvest Conference in College 

Park, MD in January 2017, two forest 

farming sessions at the Pennsylvania 

Association for Sustainable Agriculture 

Farming for the Future Conference in 

State College, PA in February 2017, and 

a one-day introductory training at the 

Organic Growers School Annual Spring 

Conference in Asheville, NC in March 

2017. The list of collaborative events is 

growing, so be sure to check the ABFFC 

website calendar often for updates. e

For more information, visit: 

www.appalachianforestfarmers.org

Growers, buyers, and other partners gathered 

in Rutland, Ohio to learn more from each 

other about forest farming and the forest 

medicinal products supply chain.

Participants in the Blue Ridge Woodland Growershosted ABFFC event learned about post-harvest 

handling and value added production at the 

Appalachian Herb Growers Consortium.
6 Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2

Agroforestry in the Tropics 

Scott Gallant, Rancho Mastatal Sustainability Education Center

I am the co-director and farm manager at Rancho Mastatal Sustainability Education Center, located in rural Costa Rica. 

For the last eight years we've been designing and implementing a 

tropical agroforest that produces fruits, nuts, tubers, greens, and 

spices on our twelve acre campus. The goals of our site are three fold:

• Grow food for our kitchen.

• Investigate trial crops and techniques 

which may be appropriate and replicable to 

farmers in our region.

• Teach, practice and demonstrate 

agroforestry practices to the groups and 

visitors of our site.

Visitors to our project, mostly from temperate climates, often 

have trouble recognizing the agro-ecological landscape we've 

created. They understand that we practice organic agriculture and 

expect to find tidy rows of veggies; tomatoes, eggplant, and such. 

However, we live in a tropical rainforest, and our agricultural 

systems mimic the ecology of this place. The land wants to be 

in tree cover, and reverts to this through patterns of succession. 

When we work to mimic the structure and function of the forest 

(agroforestry) as opposed to working against it (maintaining 

field crops), we are simultaneously promoting ecosystem health, 

growing food, changing our microclimate, and reducing work. 

These are powerful arguments in favor of agroforestry.

Unlike most parts of the temperate United 

States, agroforestry has a long and 

uninterrupted history in the tropics. 

From the deliberate transformation of the Amazon rain forest 

into a food forest, to modern tropical home gardens, to the 

shade grown coffee plantations of Central America--the peoples 

of tropical America have maintained a relationship with 

trees in agricultural systems. This cultural recognition of the 

benefits of trees, whether for food, fodder, fencing, energy or 

shade, means there is a great deal of interest in agroforestry.

The Loss of the Trees

This interest has provided me the opportunity to work as a 

consultant for new farmers and projects around Costa Rica. 

My path to become a consultant began when I first experienced 

the agricultural systems of the nearby Zapaton Indigenous 

Reserve a few years ago. It was here that I saw the juxtaposition 

between field crops and tree crops, between monoculture 

and polyculture. 

As in many rural places around the globe, farming is a dying way 

of life here. My partner Laura Killingbeck and I interviewed the 

farmers and elders of this area to learn what farming looked like 100 

years ago, 50 years ago, and today; and what had caused the changes.

Fifty years ago the region was almost completely deforested, 

but it was also full of farming families churning out heaping 

quantities of staple crops such as rice, corn, and beans. The 

topography here is extremely steep and the climate produces over 

4000 mm (157 inches) of rain per year. The clearing of the land 

to produce these crops, year after year, combined with heavy 

monsoon rains, led to the inevitable loss of soil. Today, less food 

is grown in the region compared to the past; the soil no longer 

supports intensive cultivation.

The author teaching a group of 30 students from 

10 different countries about the Ranch's alley 

cropping systems. Photo by Dorothy Farrell.
Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2 7

This reduction in production is not the fault of landscape—it is 

a symptom of how that landscape is managed. I contrasted this 

pattern with that of a neighboring farm, La Iguana Chocolate. 

They maintain a four hectare planting of cacao trees, with a 

leguminous tree overstory, a classic agroforestry pattern. 

The soil under these trees is deep, black, and full of life. Seeing 

this convinced me that the trees of this landscape were the key 

to bringing back the agricultural life of our region.

Consultation Work around the Country

In 2014, landscape designer Rachel Jackson and I co-founded the 

Rancho Mastatal Design/Build Collective in order to 

provide support for landowners who want to implement 

agroforestry practices.

Our clients to date fit a common pattern; they have recently 

purchased land that was previously cattle pasture. Usually it is 

located on steep hillsides, in high rainfall areas. Rarely are they 

working with quality agricultural soils. It is clear to our clients 

that most of their land is not suitable for traditional row crop 

agriculture or cattle, but they need support to move beyond these 

models. We create conceptual master plans and provide advice on:

• The big picture patterns of land renewal

• How to take advantage of specific land 

features

• Where to site different systems (timber, tree 

crops, infrastructure, roads, etc)

• Which crops are economically viable

• How to source, layout, plant, and manage 

different crops

• Goal setting and project implementation

These needs expressed by beginning farmers in 

Costa Rica are similar to those of beginning farmers 

everywhere, including the U.S. It is quality information 

and not just money that makes the difference.

The agroforestry movement in Costa Rica is strong. It walks handin-hand with a vibrant conservation ethic, and various agroforestry 

systems are supported by government subsidies for tree planting. 

Our hope as designers is to leverage all of the above and leave 

our clients with a plan to create their own agro-ecosystems. e

Salak palm is an ideal understory species 

that produces a market quality fruit. 

Photo by Scott Gallant.

Above: Jackfruit is an easy to grow and prolific 

tree in tropical agroforestry systems.

Below: A nearby farmer is turning his bean 

monoculture into a polyculture by incorporating 

contours of plantain and passion fruit. 

Photos by: Laura Killingbek.
8 Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2

Military Veteran Farmers Practicing Agroforestry

Hyelee Won, University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry

Military veterans and agroforestry practice may seem like an 

uncommon combination, but there 

are a lot of veterans in rural America 

who could benefit from becoming 

involved in the agriculture industry. 

The Veteran Farmer Reserve Program, 

based at the Arcadia Center for 

Sustainable Food and Agriculture, is for 

those interested in exploring agriculture 

without committing to a full-time 

training program. This 12-month 

program meets one weekend 

a month, with an additional 

service learning commitment of 

40 hours of hands-on farm work 

at Arcadia during 2017. Reserve 

Farmers receive hands-on training 

at Arcadia’s expanding farm in 

Alexandria, VA; visit working 

livestock, greenhouse, organic, 

and other farms on field trips; and 

receive classroom instruction on 

topics ranging from pest control 

to marketing and farm business 

planning. According to Arcadia, military 

veterans’ service experience involving 

leadership and independence but also 

collaboration and adaptation gives them 

the physical and mental toughness to be 

successful in the agriculture industry.

Laron Murrell is a U.S. Army veteran who 

has served two tours in Iraq. Murrell was 

a recent participant at the Arcadia Center 

for Sustainable Food and Agriculture 

as a full-time veteran farm fellow.

“I was doing a program at Arcadia as a 

part of a veterans and farmers program 

to learn more about agriculture. 

Agroforestry was something that I always 

took an interest in,” Murrell said.

Murrell is interested in vegetable 

production, agroforestry, high tunnel 

production and possibly some livestock, 

and they are all ways he can aid the nation 

in securing food. With his training from 

Arcadia’s Farmer Training Program, 

Murrell hopes to establish 

his own farm business 

in North Carolina.

Tony Colosimo left 

the military with a 

10 percent serviceconnected disability after 

serving eight years in 

the U.S. Army Reserve. 

Laron Murrell is a U.S. 

Army veteran who has 

served two tours in 

Iraq. Like Murrell, he 

Agroforestry Academy attendee 

Laron Murrell plants tomatoes. 

Photo by Katherine Collins.

I was doing a program at Arcadia 

as a part of a veterans and farmers 

program to learn more about 

agriculture. Agroforestry was 

something that I always took 

an interest in.
Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2 9

also became involved with agroforestry 

after leaving the military. 

Colosimo earned a nursing degree 

after serving in the military. While he 

and his wife both had careers in the 

city, they had a plan to retire when 

they turned 55 years old for a more 

engaging lifestyle that would bring 

them into contact with a community.

“Agriculture met our requirements, so 

we bought a piece of property that had 

been in my wife’s family since 1875 

and got started,” Colosimo said.

Starting out can be challenging, but 

there are many resources that can provide 

the help that a military veteran new to 

farming may need. Colosimo became 

interested in chestnut trees when he 

first started his research for his farm.

“The more we looked into it, the better 

it sounded. Planting trees also resonated 

with my inner Boy Scout,” Colosimo said. 

Colosimo and his wife will be celebrating 

25 years of marriage this year. They 

have planted 200 chestnut trees and 200 

pawpaw trees together. “Agroforestry has 

been a framework for me to analyze my 

property and draw up a plan to fulfill 

its full potential.” Colosimo said.

Both Murell and Colosimo have graduated 

from the Agroforestry Academy that is held 

each year by the University of Missouri 

Center for Agroforestry. Scholarships are 

available for military veterans. e

For more information on Arcadia’s 

Veteran Farmer Program, visit:

http://arcadiafood.org/veteranfarmer-program

For more information on the 

Agroforestry Academy, visit:

www.centerforagroforestry.

org/academy

8Common Characteristics 

 of Military Personnel 

1. Dependability

2. Integrity

3. Decision-making

4. Looking Out for Others

5. Initiative

6. Tenacity

7. Professional Presence

8. Adaptability
10 Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2

A New Lease on Life with Agroforestry

Matt Stannard, Farm Commons

For beginning farmers, the leasing process can be the beginning of an ongoing relationship 

with land and others who care about it.

With nearly 40% of all farmland under a lease, there’s a good 

chance that farmers entering the world of agroforestry will 

also enter the world of agricultural leases. Leases are private 

contracts granting a farmer-tenant the right to occupy and 

use a landowner’s property for agricultural purposes. In most 

instances, an agricultural lease isn’t terribly complex. The rights 

conveyed to the farmer-tenant are typically exclusive (only the 

farmer can occupy and use the property), and generally binding 

on future landowners. Leases are also usually transferable 

between farmer/operators. Of course, these and all other 

provisions can be modified if the parties want different terms. 

Leasing allows new farmers access to land—including land 

well-suited to agroforestry--that they could not otherwise 

farm without paying a great deal of money upfront. 

Nevertheless, while beginning farmers may be excited about 

the prospect of agroforestry, they may be much less excited 

about the prospect of negotiating and signing a lease. They 

may see the process as an unpleasant hurdle to overcome 

in order to get to the sweet spot of working the land. 

While it’s understandable to be put off by legal matters, there 

are benefits to framing the leasing process in a more holistic 

light. Rather than a legal formality, the lease can facilitate 

a deeper relationship between two parties connected to the 

land. More than just a legal agreement; an agricultural lease 

is a dialogue between landowner and farmer. There’s a good 

chance that both parties care about the land and have an 

interest in looking out for one another because of the longterm benefits agroforestry provides. In turn, agroforestry 

ventures are the perfect opportunity to foster a long term 

relationship with the landowner, via the lease agreement.

Understanding the landowner’s motivation for engaging 

agroforestry producers is the perfect starting point. A landowner 

may appreciate the ecological benefits of agroforestry or 

seek the aesthetic benefits of a more permanent agricultural 

landscape. A long-term lease gets the landowner a tenant farmer 

they can count on, and a supplemental source of income. The 

property’s value has potential to increase over the years due to 

the improved soil and ecological balance. By exploring in detail 

the motivations of potential landlords, lessees can build a solid 

foundation for a shared vision for an agroforestry venture. 

Since nature’s processes run longer than a few years, an 

agroforestry lease mirrors this long-term ecological view. The 

best lease for both landowner and producer often covers at least 

a few years and up to several decades. The success of such an 

enduring relationship rests on the details. Drafting rental rates, 

management provisions, and the division of risk between parties, 

to name just a few examples, requires careful consideration of the 

exact plants and animals involved. For example, a landlord and 

producer may need to agree on a penalty to be assessed against 

the landlord if the landlord cancels a long-term lease early. A 

fair penalty takes into account the investment the producer 

makes in the land. Someone planning to forage for mushrooms 

makes little to no investment so a small penalty is reasonable. 

A farmer with thousands of dollars’ worth of hazelnut plants 

intended for 50 years’ worth of production will expect something 

quite different if the landlord cancels the lease after 5 years. 

Just like any long-term relationship, a crafting a successful 

lease is time-consuming and requires mental energy. The 

parties must address questions like who pays for upfront 

purchases and expenses, how to account for return on 

investment over time, whether payment will be made through 

“cash rent,” crop share payments, or a combination of both, 

and how to account for the value of mature trees, land 

improvements made by the tenant at the end of the lease. 

Tough issues--including worst-case scenarios--will need to be 

discussed in the leasing process. But through that process, both 

parties will learn more about the land they are, in essence, 

sharing. Because agroforestry is long-term, placespecific, and dependent on living ecosystems, 

the leasing process is also an ecological 

education process, where both parties 

are dependent not only on one another, 

but on the ecological conditions and 

requirements of the leased land. 

A long-term lease based on, or 

inclusive of, agroforestry can give a 

Rather than a legal formality, 

the lease can facilitate a deeper 

relationship between two parties 

connected to the land. 

Kevin Wolz entered 

into two long-term 

agroforestry leases in 

the Midwest and 

aspires to enter 

more leases 

and other 

long-term 

collaborative 

agroforestry 

ventures in 

the years 

to come.
Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2 11

farmer access to affordable long-term tenure of land, providing 

a valuable alternative structure in a farming economy all-toofrequently based on tenuous short-term expectations. Added 

benefits include the opportunity to share the innovation of 

agroforestry practices with the landowner and others in the local 

farming network, and to promote greater levels of sustainability in 

agriculture. A long-term agricultural lease is truly a win-win for 

farmers, landowners, and the practice of sustainable farming. e

For more information, see:

Erin Hannum, Inspirations for Creating 

a Long-Term Agricultural Lease for 

Agroforestry: A Workbook, Farm Commons, 

June 29, 2016, available through: 

www.farmcommons.org

In Brief...

A periodic summary of agroforestry-related journal articles

John S. Weedon, Connecticut Farmland Trust

Expand or Not to Expand the Farm? 

Depends on Age

Using NASS Census of Agriculture data, Katchova and 

Ahearn (2016) looked at patterns in land ownership, leasing, 

and farm size over time with a cohort of 830,404 farms 

identified in the 2002, 2007, and 2012 census. Their analysis 

revealed that farmers of aged 35 and under, with 10 or fewer 

years of experience, were more likely to expand by buying 

and/or renting land. The authors suggest that these younger 

beginning farmers may be driven to expand in order to make 

more money so they can abandon their non-farm occupations. 

Older beginning farmers tend to buy small operations and 

settle in; farming is a second or third career and the desire 

to farm is motivated by a lifestyle choice or investment 

goals. The authors suggest that policy and outreach efforts 

differentiate between younger and older beginning farmers. 

Younger beginning farmers need capital to purchase more 

land and infrastructure; older beginning farmers need 

assistance to enter the field and maintain their operations. 

Agroforestry Implications: Selling agroforestry to 

beginning farmers may require different strategies based 

on farmers’ age. Younger beginning farmers may be 

attracted to agroforestry’s promise of a broad and deep 

income stream from multiple products over different time 

periods. Older beginning farmers, who are less driven 

by economic concerns, may respond to agroforestry’s 

other benefits such as aesthetics or conservation.

Katchova AL, Ahearn MC. 2016. Dynamics of farmland 

ownership and leasing: implications for young and beginning 

farmers. Appl Econ Perspect Pol. 38(2):334-350.

Farm succession planning: multigenerational 

farmers versus first generation farmers

The paper’s authors, Inwood and Bean (2013) observe that many 

efforts to recruit and retain family farmers and protect farmland 

fail to recognize that farmers are a heterogeneous population 

with differing economic and social values. Reviewing 269 farmer 

surveys and conducting 90 farmer interviews, the investigators 

examined how two subgroups of farmers – “multigeneration” 

and “first generation” - view farm structure and succession 

planning. Multigeneration farmers, young or old, will typically 

do “whatever it takes” to identify individuals to take over the 

farm. This may be because they grew up in households that value 

a strong attachment to the farm and farming as a way of life. 

With first generation farmers, that urgency to pass the farm onto 

heirs or others is weak as they often believe it is “too early to tell” 

if the operation will be sustainable enough to pass onto the next 

generation. This attitude many change over time; as some first 

generation farmers indicated in interviews, they were starting 

to think of their farm as a meaningful business enterprise.

Agroforestry Implications: Because many agroforestry 

production systems require long lead times, farm succession 

planning is important to help ensure an ongoing operation. 

Promoting succession planning requires customized outreach 

efforts based on differing values and attitudes of various 

farmer sub-groups.

Inwood S, Clark JK, Bean M. 2013. Differing values 

of multigeneration and first-generation farmers: their 

influence on the structure of agriculture at the ruralurban interface. Rural Sociol. 78(3):346-370.
12 Inside Agroforestry ] Volume 25, Issue 2

Inside Agroforestry VOLUME 25, ISSUE 2

USDA National Agroforestry Center

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May 12-13, 2017

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June 27-29, 2017

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July 12-14, 2017

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“Inside Agroforestry” is published by the USDA National 

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• Susan Stein, NAC Director

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accelerate the development and application of agroforestry technologies to attain more economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable 

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