A New National Ag Statistics Survey of land ownership in the lower 48 states shows just over 2 percent of farmland will be available to beginning farmers and ranchers. Center for Rural Affairs Senior Policy Associate Traci Bruckner says land access has been a problem for some time for those just starting to farm but this report is really disturbing.
Bruckner says the land access problem needs addressing by Congress with policy changes to help those starting to farm.
She says part of the answer is contained in legislation to provide student loan forgiveness. She says however much more needs to be done.
Bruckner says even though land values have come down some, for a long period of time they’ve been rising to levels that make it impossible for beginning farmers and ranchers to acquire land.