KindHarvest summary: Affordable land remained the most difficult barrier for young and beginning farmers in the National Young Farmers Coalition’s 2022 survey. Rising land values compound other pressures, including access to capital, production costs, housing and health care.
What the survey shows
Almost 60% of respondents described finding affordable land as extremely challenging. More than 86% sold directly to consumers, leaving many to carry distribution costs as fuel prices rose, while 38% reported some student debt. Only about half had used a USDA program, with unfamiliarity and access barriers limiting participation.
The same farmers expressed a strong conservation commitment. The report said 97% considered their practices sustainable, more than 80% named conservation as a main motivation, and 88% linked changes in farm weather to climate change. Black and Indigenous respondents reported higher rates of difficulty using USDA programs.
Why it matters
Land access shapes who can enter agriculture, where they can farm and whether stewardship investments are financially realistic. The coalition’s recommendations included greater investment in land and credit access, better coordination within USDA and wider support for housing, markets, mental health and climate resilience.
Source and credit
This KindHarvest Team brief is based on reporting by Sarah Donaldson for Farm and Dairy, published 14 September 2022. Read the original article at Farm and Dairy.