Maine Farmland Trust

Key Facts

Farmland: MFT works with farmland owners interested in protecting their land, with experienced farmers seeking more land, and with beginning farmers looking for their first farm.

· Donated & Purchased Easements: Farmland owners can sell or donate an agricultural easement to MFT that permanently restricts future non-agricultural development of their land. MFT can also purchase agricultural easements on farms that are in transition, helping to facilitate the sale of the land to a next generation farmer at a more affordable price.

· Buy/Protect/Sell: In some instances, MFT buys farms at risk of going out of production, protects the land with an easement, and finds new farmers for the land. These projects are intended to help farmers access farmland more affordably and protect vulnerable to being developed.

· Maine FarmLink: MFT operates a linking service that helps connect people who are seeking farmland with farmland owners (or their representatives) who are looking to sell, lease or work out non-traditional tenure arrangements based on their respective interests, needs and goals.

Farmers: MFT’s Farm Network programs support farmers in growing thriving farm businesses, helping farmers to plan and implement business goals, improve soil health and adapt to a changing climate, tackle PFAS contamination, plan for the farm’s future, and access resources.

· Stewardship: Farmland Stewards help farmers on easement-protected farm properties interpret the terms of the easement, steward their farm for the next chapter, and access support resources.

· Farm Business Planning: MFT offers a variety of programs and resources designed to help farmers make decisions about how to meet their farm goals, whether it’s improving profitability or planning for investments to increase efficiency and build equity.

· Climate Resilience: MFT provides resources and support to help farmers identify climate risks, develop resilience strategies tailored to their farm, and access financial resources to implement climate-smart strategies.

· PFAS: Any farm dealing with PFAS contamination can apply to the PFAS Emergency Relief Fund, jointly administered by Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), to help cover the cost of testing, income replacement, and more.

Future: Through grassroots organizing and advocacy, policy change, research, and storytelling, MFT is helping to create an environment that will support thriving, interconnected Maine farms.

Maine Farmland Trust is an accredited land trust.

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