Are you a beginning farmer looking to rent or purchase working farmland in the Midwest? Or are you an established farmer/landowner in the Midwest who is seeking a beginning farmer to purchase or rent your working farmland, or to work with in a partnership situation?
The Land Stewardship Project’s Land Access Land Legacy Team has simple application forms available for people seeking farmland or farmers. (You can find the forms to the right).
Once the form is filled out, the information can be circulated by LSP via the Land Stewardship Letter, LIVE-WIRE and through our various networks. For more information, contact LSP’s Karen Stettler via e-mail or at 612-767-9885; or LSP’s Robin Moore via e-mail or at 612-767-9480.
Listings included on this web page will be removed after 60 days. If you would like the listing to be renewed after 60 days, please e-mail Moore or Stettler. Below are our latest Seeking Farmers-Seeking Land Clearinghouse listings.
Other Resources
• LSP’s Farm Transition Planning Course
• Farm Transition Resources
A Clearinghouse Testimonial
“We were frequent visitors to the LSP Farmland Clearinghouse before we actually thought we were ready to buy a farm. We were in our second season of renting, thinking that we could continue renting where we were for another three-to-five years, when we saw our future farm listing on the Clearinghouse. As we left the farm we found on the Clearinghouse after that first visit, we knew we needed to try to buy it even if we weren’t totally ready; it was our dream farm.
“It took nine months to work through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan process. My advice for beginning farmers wanting to start a farm in general is always to start small and wait to buy land. Build a business that can support a loan payment before going into a huge amount of debt. Once you are ready to buy land, expect delays — the FSA doesn’t work quickly. If you are going to use an FSA loan program, be sure you meet the requirements before starting the process. Even though it took nine long months to close on our loan, I would still recommend it. The requirements are reasonable (if rigid), and the benefits and interest rates make it worth the hassle.
“Landowners that want to list on the Clearinghouse, I hope, will also know how long the FSA loan process may take, and will be willing to ride it out because they are committed to finding the right people to care for the land.”
— Les Macare, Racing Heart Farm, Colfax, Wis.