Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act

Beginning farmer D’Quinton Robertson

Beginning farmer, D’Quinton Robertson, working on Lehman Farms in Polk City, Iowa. Photo credit: USDA.

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher
Opportunity Act
(H.R.4316)

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2017 (H.R.4316), introduced on November 8, 2017 by Representatives Tim Walz (D-MN) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) lays out a national strategy that will break down barriers to entry and give real support to the next generation of farmers by:

  • Expanding beginning farmers’ access to affordable land.
  • Empowering new and veteran farmers with the skills to succeed in today’s agricultural economy.
  • Ensuring equitable access to financial capital and federal crop insurance.
  • Encouraging commitment to conservation and stewardship across generations.

Nearly 100 million acres of farmland (enough to support nearly 250,000 family farms) is set to change hands over the next five years – during the course of our next farm bill. To keep our agricultural economy strong, the next farm bill needs to facilitate the transfer of skills, knowledge, and land between current and future generations of family farmers.

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act will ensure that this transfer takes place, and that our next farm bill paves the way for the future of American agriculture. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is dedicated to ensuring that our beginning, aspiring, and veteran farmers have all the tools and resources they need to succeed. NSAC therefore supports this bill’s inclusion in the 2018 Farm Bill.

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