The vast majority of farmland in America will change hands in the next twenty years as farmers age and retire. While many states are worried about how this will affect their communities, one new resource is helping Montana buck that trend by making new farmers better prepared to take over.
Farm Link Montana is a comprehensive online clearinghouse for beginning farmers and ranchers. The project seeks to provide new producers with the resources and tools to start successful, sustainable businesses. “We see a lot of new farmers getting started without much business knowledge,” says program director Annie Heuscher. “That may have worked 40 years ago, but the playing field in Ag is a lot tougher now than it used to be and if we want these farmers and ranchers to be successful, we have to help them with every tool we can.”
The new website includes resources on production, marketing, financial management, financing, risk management, land access and evaluation, and many other tools specifically geared towards Montana’s producers. In addition, the site includes three new programs to link new farmers with internships, mentorship, and land.
Farm Link is being launched in conjunction with farm business planning courses being offered across the state through a partnership with MSU Extension. Workshops will utilize a new curriculum developed for Montana farmers; the full curriculum is available online on the Farm Link site.
For more information, visit FarmLinkMontana.org.
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