Reflecting on 20 years of growing farmland opportunity

This fall we gathered alongside colleagues, partners, farmers, landowners, and longtime supporters to mark Land For Good’s 20th anniversary. We were humbled by the great turnout, memories shared, and highlights of our 20 years of good work. The celebration also honored our co-founder and senior advisor Kathy Ruhf, as we took time to reflect on the past two decades of service.

Together we watched farmer interviews with the premiere our new impact video (see link below to watch now).

Land For Good (LFG) has put the topics of land access, tenure, and transfer “on the map” as key issues in need of support services. We got our start in 2004 as a farm succession service. The organization’s scope soon widened to address land access and tenure challenges by including farm seekers, owners and managers of agricultural land, agricultural service providers, and other organizations as our constituents.

In the past 20 years, the landscape within which LFG works has changed significantly. Twenty years ago, land access was not a common term. There was no service provider support, no public awareness, and no policy advocacy around land access and tenure. LFG has since produced dozens of publications including research reports, policy papers, guides, workbooks, and other educational materials. Today, succession is widely acknowledged as a critical national issue. In 2004 while only two farm link programs existed, today there are over 30 farm link or land access programs nationwide. We’re proud to say that we’ve raised awareness regionally and nationally around land access and tenure challenges, the importance and urgency of farm succession planning, and built capacity for literally thousands of farmers, landowners, service providers, community leaders, and policymakers.

Farmers like Mike Smolak, our first LFG client:

Congratulations for 20 years of exceptional work in helping to preserve and expand agriculture in both a local and regional level. By connecting farmland with potential farmers, you have helped to fill a gap that was the biggest impediment, along with weather and economics, to the survival of the family farm and farms in general.

My profound thanks goes out to Kathy Ruhf who has been one of those rare individuals who looked at the tsunami of pressures that face us all and said, “we can do this.” It is that can-do attitude that has propelled the two person operation to the fine organization that it has become.

I remember sitting with Kathy as LFG’s very first project. She very patiently listened and absorbed and came up with a plan. My situation was very complex and difficult. I honestly had a hard time seeing my way through. Had it not been for the wonderful support from Kathy and others in the organization, I am not sure that I could have charted a plan to move my transition along.

I look forward to the next 20 years with optimism and hope due in large part to the support I have been given.

With Sincere Gratitude, Appreciation and Admiration,

H Michael Smolak Jr

Since 2004, Land For Good has provided over 9,340 cases of support and education to farmers, landowners, and service providers. We have helped over 2,770 individuals advance their farmland goals, and we have impacted at least 107,264 acres for the farmers of today – and generations to come, keeping working farmland available for future generations!

Land For Good would not be here without YOU. Your partnership and support is fueling our work on the ground. We are making real change together to grow farming opportunity. Let’s keep it up!

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