Estate Planning, Planned Giving & Bequests
Including Agrarian Trust in Your Estate Plan
Making a provision for Agrarian Trust in your will or trust is a meaningful way to make an investment in the critical work necessary to build land access for next generation farmers, support the aligned stakeholders, and hold farmland and capital in commons.
Your final gift will protect farmland for regenerative agriculture and ecological stewardship to preserve its affordability for next generation farmers by buying, holding and conveying secure and equitable lease tenure to farms in communities across the country.
Types of Bequests for Your Will or Trust
The most common way to leave money or land to Agrarian Trust is by a charitable bequest from a will or trust. Here are the most common ways of doing that, along with suggested language that can be inserted into a will or trust:
You may choose to donate your land by will to Agrarian Trust, continuing to own and control your land during your lifetime, but assuring its protection as part of the Agrarian Commons after your death. In some cases, this strategy can be combined with a lease to Agrarian Trust to initiate the transition of the farm during your lifetime. Because land bequests require careful consideration and planning, we encourage you to contact Jean Willoughby to discuss your specific questions and goals.
Specific Monetary Bequest
A specific bequest names a particular dollar amount to be left to Agrarian Trust. Below is the text that can be inserted into a will or trust:
“I give and bequeath to Agrarian Land Trust, a California nonprofit corporation, Tax ID number 47-5508054, with offices at PO Box 86362, Portland, OR 97286, the sum of $ ___________ to be used for the general purposes of the organization (or to be used for a specific purpose).”
Percentage Monetary Bequest
A percentage bequest names a percentage of your estate to be left to Agrarian Trust. Below is the text that can be inserted into a will or trust:
“I give and bequeath to Agrarian Land Trust, a California nonprofit corporation, Tax ID number 47-5508054, with offices at PO Box 86362, Portland, OR 97286, ______% of my estate, to be used for the general purposes of the organization (or to be used for a specific purpose).”
Residuary Monetary Bequest
A residuary bequest first leaves specific amounts to family members, friends, or other charities, and then designates that all or part of what remains should go to Agrarian Land Trust. Below is the text that can be inserted into a will or trust:
“I give and bequeath to Agrarian Land Trust, a California nonprofit corporation, Tax ID number 47-5508054, with offices at PO Box 86362, Portland, OR 97286, all (or stated percentage of) the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to be used for the general purpose of the organization (or to be used for a specific purpose).”
Contingent Monetary Bequest
A contingent bequest names Agrarian Land Trust to receive part or all of your estate in the event your designated beneficiary or beneficiaries predecease you. Below is the text that can be inserted into a will or trust:
“If any beneficiary named in this will is not living at my decease, then I give and bequeath to Agrarian Land Trust, a California nonprofit corporation, Tax ID number 47-5508054, with offices at PO Box 86362 Portland, OR 97286, any bequest which other beneficiary would have received if he or she had survived me.”
Ask Us Your Questions About
Estate Planning, Planned Giving
& Bequests
Agrarian Trust is designed to protect farmland for sustainable agriculture in perpetuity and preserve its affordability for new and under-resourced farmers. Agrarian Trust offers a new tool for retiring farmers to partner with beginning farmers. Agrarian Trust holds farmland in trust- meaning that title is held as a common resource, in proxy for the community of investors/ donors. Use rights, or lease-hold is allocated to those who wish to farm but who can’t afford the increasingly high cost of entry.
As you consider gifting your land, Agrarian Trust, through our mission, offers you a new and creative partnership. By purchasing and holding farmland, Agrarian Trust is able to enter into long-term leases with new farmers, allowing them the security of long-term tenureship, and the ability to build a farm and home-equity without the burden of the high cost of land. Through leases and agricultural easements on the land it owns, Agrarian Trust can require sustainable farming practices, preserve affordability, help to revitalize rural communities, and ensure a new crop of farmers and rural entrepreneurs.
By working with willing sellers to recognize their needs and optimize their choices, Agrarian Trust helps to identify strategies for a successful sale. By use of a variety of tools, we can work with both retiring farmers and land sellers to assure a fair value for their transfer while identifying the strategies to achieve long-term goals of the landowner. Capital is raised in Agrarian Trust to facilitate the purchase of land that is then protected with perpetual easements. Oversight of easements is the responsibility of community members who serve on the board of the trust and monitor the easements.
Agrarian Trust is actively bringing land into the trust, through bequests, community-financed purchases, and other mechanisms. All donations to Agrarian Trust are tax deductible.
To find out more information about donating your farmland, please email Nathan Galaviz at [email protected].
Our thanks to the Sustainable Economies Economies Law Center (SELC) for supporting our work as a collaborator and partner.
Agrarian Trust is a Participating Member of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
