Farm Finances

Trees are a long-term investment in a place

It takes a long-term commitment of money, time and infrastructure development for farmers and landowners to see the full benefits that agroforestry systems offer. Land access is a significant barrier for many beginning and historically marginalized farmers. The Savanna Institute works with farmers and communities to find affordable pathways to practicing agroforestry. We help farmers navigate short- and long-term needs, including the best ways to generate income from agroforestry systems.

Do You Have Access to Land?

Long-term land access is a key requirement of getting started in any type of perennial agriculture. Tree crops take time to mature, and it may be years before farmers turn a profit off their harvests. We know that accessing land is not easy. Our resources help beginning farmers navigate long-term lease options.

RESOURCE

Long-term Lease Interactive Guide

Download the guide to learn more.

Step-by-step advice for beginning a long-term lease negotiation
Breaks down legal jargon in an easy to follow format
Contents developed by legal consultants at Farm Commons

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Before you begin, ask yourself, "Who are my partners?"

Implementing agroforestry can be challenging, especially when it comes to transitioning land use, acquiring financing, and securing land access. We have compiled a series of videos and resources showing new kinds of partnerships between landowners, tree farmers, and investors or between landowners, community stakeholders, and investors to accelerate widespread adoption of agroforestry practices.

Explore the Videos

Hear more stories and see more farm videos from our Partnering for Agroforestry Playlist.

How Will You Pay for Trees?

The US Department of Agriculture offers financial assistance to help farmers afford to plant trees and shrubs on their land. Trees planted in windbreaks along field edges and in riparian buffers along stream edges are commonly supported practices. Many states also offer funding for trees planted in pasture, in fields in alley cropping systems, or in food forests supported by the community. Many programs account for past inequality in agricultural funding by providing additional assistance to historically underserved populations.

USDA Programs that Support Agroforestry

CRP – the Conservation Reserve Program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service within the USDA works with farmers to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production.
EQIP – the Environmental Quality Incentives Program within the USDA provides financial resources and technical support for farmers adding conservation practices to their land.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. Learn more about resources for historically underserved farmers and ranchers.

Resource

Opportunities for Diversified Farm Products

Are you an entrepreneur looking to sell your farm products?

This workbook will help you identify your strengths and assets and how much you need to earn per unit to make your farm sales viable. You’ll think about your farm relationships and your options to sell your products – whether they be value-added products direct-to-consumers or bulk shipments to wholesalers or aggregators.

Download the workbook to learn more.

Charting a Path to Sales Opportunities for Diversified Farm Products: A Producer’s Workbook