Video: Wes Jackson Speaking at OUR LAND Symposium
New Food First Backgrounder Addresses Land Reform and Resistance in the United States
OAKLAND, Calif., May 1, 2014 – The disastrous effects of widespread land grabbing and land concentration sweeping the globe do not affect all farmers equally. The degree of vulnerability to these threats is highest for smallholders, women and people of color—the ones who grow, harvest, process and prepare most of the world’s food. A new […]
News of Our Land Symposium
Our first Symposium was a great culmination and jumping off point. The following is from Raj Patel. Thoughts on Land Reform Summits in San Francisco In San Francisco, from April 25-28, 400 people from across the country and around the world gathered to discuss an awkward problem – land reform in America. Land reform is […]
Settlement Allows Bullet Train, Creates Fund for Farm Preservation
The farmers in California’s Central Valley suing to prevent eminent domain from putting railroad lines through their farms settled earlier this month. As part of the settlement $5 million was put aside for farm preservation. Hm. In a state that has some of the most expensive farm and ranchland in the country, I can’t help […]
Local Food a Growing Trend for Land Trusts
Organizations and Individuals worldwide are recognizing land access and agriculture as a key piece of our secure future. Our Symposium this weekend will gather some of the best forward-thinkers, advocates, farmers and concerned everyday citizens. Be there yourself or stay tuned for the ground-breaking ideas that will undoubtedly come out of this great meeting. This […]
A Story: Open Spaces & Ranching
By Pamela Dewell, Executive Director of Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust from the Land Trust Alliance website Some friends of ours have a ranch that straddles a county road. Unpaved, the road draws traffic mostly in fair weather. In the spring, and after summer thunderstorms, they use their tractor to haul unknowing travelers out […]
News in Farm Justice from Agrarian Trust Advisor Elizabeth Henderson
Farmworker Organizations Give Strong Support to the Agricultural Justice Project By Elizabeth Henderson Unique among domestic fair trade claims, farmworkers and farmers negotiated directly with one another to hammer out the standards of the Agricultural Justice Project (AJP). The goal of these standards, which are the basis of AJP’s Food Justice Certified label, is to […]
Urban Shepherds Graze in the Commons
Another bold group has taken to public spaces, aiming to revitalize urban centers through agriculture. French group Clinamen is working in partnership with the city of Saint-Denis, Stade de France, the Ile-de-France and Cofely to redefine the public concept of urban spaces. (Clinamen is the word that 2nd century philosopher Lucretius used to describe the […]
New Farm Finance Options Guide: Affording Our Land
In April of 2013, Kendra Johnson, Severine Fleming, and Kristen Loria completed the guidebook “Affording our land: a farmers guide to farm finance options.” It has been at the head of our growing Resource List and is available for free to download. This guidebook is meant as a compilatory resource for farmers looking for land, […]
Considering Land Access — Nationally
Syndicated NPR show All Things Considered featured the creativity of young farmers earlier this week. Highlighting Maple Avenue Market Farm in Virginia and talked to Lindsay Lusher Shute of Hearty Roots Farm in New York. Listen, see pictures and read the story by Dan Charles at the NPR website.