A Farmer on Your Land: Land Linking in Virginia
It’s no secret that agriculture is a thriving industry in Loudoun County. With nearly 1,400 farms and booming wine production, Western Loudoun’s agribusiness is a crucial part of Loudoun’s economic makeup. With this success comes a new crop of young farmers who want to start their own business. At Loudoun Economic Development, we are committed to nurturing these future business owners and ensuring the success of our agricultural industry.
One of the main issues that beginning farmers face is affording land. Oftentimes farms take years before they become profitable, and many farmers cannot afford a large mortgage payment as they’re starting their business. On the flip side, there are many landowners in Loudoun who have had land in their family for generations that is not being fully utilized. Land linking was conceived as a way to bring these two groups of people together.
At the seminar, landowners and beginning farmers came together to learn from industry leaders about the region’s agricultural business landscape and to hopefully connect with someone who can meet their needs. The program was co-sponsored by Future Harvest, and Liana Przygocki offered an introduction and ran the “match-making” part of the program. Attendees heard case studies from farmers who have both searched out land, and who have leased land, including Cliff Miller of Mount Vernon Farm and Rachel Bynum of Waterpenny Farm.
Loudoun Economic Development’s Agricultural Development Officer Kellie Hinkle also outlined the services available from the county, while Jim Hilleary talked about resources from Virginia Tech Extension. At the end of the evening, farmers and land owners alike walked away with a new perspective on land and farming in Loudoun County.
“Loudoun has made great strides in creating a peer-to-peer network to grow new farmers,” Hinkle said. “Those new farmers need land to start their business. Knowing that the high cost of land is the biggest barrier to starting a farming operation, it is essential to connect beginning farmers with land that is out of production or to a farmer who is looking to transition out of full-time farming.”