Agrarian Trust

Author: Peter Sunnerberg

Short Summary

The Agrarian Trust is a non-profit organization that aims to create sustainable farmland that can be passed down from generation to generation. The Agrarian Trust believes working for racial and gender equity is an integral part of efforts toward environmental and climate justice. While the farmers work toward sustainable practices, the Agrarian Trust helps spread the word and supports them by helping them locate suitable agricultural land, providing funds for their farms, and offering useful information about sustainable agriculture.

Website address: https://www.agrariantrust.org

Location: USA

Profile

The Agrarian Trust helps to establish sustainable agriculture that can be passed down from generation to generation by leasing land for extended periods of time and having community members run and take care of the farms. There are around 15 board and team members and 50 contributors listed on the website, yet hundreds of farmers and community members across the United States work with the Agrarian Trust.

Agrarian Trust aims to help create better opportunities for marginalized people to begin farming sustainably and give future generations the same opportunities.

Their work is necessary because white people account for 96% of the owners, 97% of the value, and 98% of the acres of all private agricultural land in the United States. In addition, more than 60 percent of American farmland is leased, much of it on a yearly basis, and much of it on a handshake agreement.

Governance

An Agrarian Commons is a non-profit land-holding entity that is governed locally, with all decisions made by a board that includes representatives of Agrarian Trust, and local partners and stakeholders. It is centered in the community and dedicated to the preservation of farming, farmland, and localized food systems.

Each Agrarian Commons holds land in communities for:

  • Ecological, restorative agriculture and community building
  • Land access and land justice for next generation farmers
  • Long-term lease tenure and equity interest for farmers and ranchers
  • Stewardship and ecosystem investment
  • Viability of farms, ranches, and local agrarian economies
10 principles of the Agrarian Trust:
  1. Commons
  2. Transparency
  3. Equity for Farmers
  4. Dignity
  5. Opportunity
  6. Affordability
  7. Protect in Perpetuity
  8. Justice
  9. Innovation
  10. Food Security

YOUTUBE qhOPsxyyMmI "This 6 minute film tells the story of 80 acres of land gifted from a White couple to Black farmers, supported by Agrarian Trust in Virginia."

Projects

  • West Virginia Agrarian Commons: A statewide project, founded by New Roots Community Farm and community supporters committed to shifting agricultural land out of the commercial real estate market and ensuring its perpetual stewardship by West Virginia farmers, with the belief that decommodifying land can be an antidote to the extractive industries that have ravaged the state over two centuries. New Roots Community Farm is a diversified, women-led farm that has grown with community support and regenerative practices.
  • New Hampshire Agrarian Commons: A collaboration of diversified organic farms focused on regenerative land stewardship, soil building, food production for regional markets, and food access and land connections that are supported and engaged by the community.

Finances

The organization is funded through support from the following foundations:
  • Kalliopeia Foundation
  • Donner Foundation
  • Trisons Foundation
  • Namaste Foundation
  • Globe Trotter Foundation
  • Annenberg Foundation
  • New World Foundation
  • World Centric
  • Flora Foundation
  • New Priorities Foundation
  • The Claneil Foundation
  • The Chipotle Aluminaries Project
  • Patagonia Foundation
  • No Regrets Initiative
  • The You Have Our Trust Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
In addition, some of their finances come through donations from community members or other people from across the country who want to see the Agrarian Trust grow and thrive. On the Agrarian Trust SoundCloud profile, you can listen to multiple examples of donors explaining why they donated.

Origin Story

Two Agrarian Commons Creation Committees met, the first in 2019 and the second in early 2020, to co-create documents and agreements to guide the first cohort of Agrarian Commons. These committees brought together national leaders, innovators, local and regional stakeholders, and aligned organizations to ensure that broad and diverse perspectives and experiences informed the launch of Agrarian Commons.

As of 2022, there are 12 Agrarian Commons in varying stages of development, and the Agrarian Trust is continuing to grow.

See Also

  • Other commons categories that are related to this one's, or specific similar examples

Sources