Working together to ensure the presence of farms for the future.

Agriculture Census data has indicated that, over a 20-year period, Kentucky has lost 17,000 farms and 1.4 million acres of farmland. Those daunting figures led to the creation of the Kentucky Farmland Transition Initiative (KFTI), introduced by Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) in April 2024. For more than a year now, this initiative has made strides in protecting agricultural land in Kentucky.

Legislatively, House Bill 703 was introduced by State Representative Myron Dossett to make changes to the Kentucky Selling Farmer Tax Credit, making the credit work for more farmers and provide greater certainty for sellers. Provisions of this bill were included in HB 775, which received final passage and became law.

Nationally, the recent introduction of legislation by Kentucky U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, known as the Protecting American Farmlands Act (PAFA), will take farmland transition to a new level.

But with any program or project of this magnitude, a support network is incredibly important to its success, according to KFB President Eddie Melton.

“From the very beginning, it has been our intention that KFTI would be a collaboration of agriculture organizations and commodity groups coming together to help find solutions to this growing need to protect our valuable farmland for the future,” he said. “Success won’t be measured in days, weeks, or months, but in generations to come.”

A critical component to the initiative has been the creation of a network of support organizations to help farmland transition efforts. KFB Commodity Division Director Renee Carrico has been instrumental in putting that network together. Currently, 28 organizations, all of which have “skin in the game,” have agreed to participate in these efforts to keep valuable farmland in production.  

“As I speak to groups throughout the state, I regularly mention the KFTI Network and the ease of becoming a member,” she said. “The commitment is simple: share ideas and issues related to farmland transition with the network members on our group calls and agree to sharing information gained from the group to your organization members.”

Carrico added that the network members range from commodity organizations and agricultural lenders to universities and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

“It is the diversity of the group that makes it so impactful,” she said. “Many times, an idea from one end of the state can spur a thought on the other.”

Carrico noted a great example of this is when woodland owners suggested that landowners, not just farmers, be targeted toward educational efforts of the initiative since most tree farmers only harvest a crop once a decade at best.

“The mention of the word landowner started the ball rolling from the Soybean Association to target informational materials to out of town (or state) landowners who own the ground local farmers lease. It is this kind of collaborative thinking that leaves no rock unturned in an initiative challenged to tackle a large issue,” Carrico said. “Kentucky historically has had many successful initiatives and pieces of legislation that have positively impacted agriculture. We strive for the KFTI Network to be a collaboration added to that list and attributed to organizational cooperation.”

The word from some of the KFTI member organizations’ leaders
(editor’s note: More to come soon from other KFTI members in the KFB News magazine.)

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell,  the Kentucky Department of Agriculture

"No one can solve this challenge alone. That’s why being part of the Kentucky Farmland Transition Initiative network is so important. It brings together stakeholders from across the state to share ideas, resources, and solutions that help keep Kentucky farmland in production. Collaboration like this is how we make real, lasting progress. I want to thank Kentucky Farm Bureau for making this a priority and for spearheading the initiative—your leadership is helping protect the future of agriculture in our state."

"Good policy makes a real difference on the ground. Whether it's state-level efforts or national legislation, we’ve got to keep working together to move the needle. When agriculture has a unified voice, lawmakers take notice—and that’s how we get commonsense solutions passed that support farmland transition and secure our agricultural future."

 "If we’re serious about farmland transition, we’ve got to be just as serious about bringing the next generation back to the farm. Young people need to see a future in agriculture that’s viable, rewarding, and sustainable. Supporting beginning farmers and creating pathways for them to step into leadership is absolutely critical to keeping our ag industry strong for generations to come."

Mark Barker, Senior Vice President, Agricultural Lending, Farm Credit Mid-America

“Farmland transition is not just important; it is vital for the continued growth and longevity of agriculture in Kentucky.  As a cooperative that exists to secure the future of rural communities and agriculture, Farm Credit Mid-America is doing our part to participate in programs and initiatives that help farmland stay in the hands of Kentucky farmers for generations to come.”

“There is no one-size-fits-all solution to keeping as much farmland as possible in active production. It will take collaboration across Kentucky’s ag industry to identify and create solutions. We applaud Kentucky Farm Bureau for championing the cause, leading this collaborative effort and for inviting us to join this network of supporters.” 

“Agriculture benefits the most when we all work together toward a shared goal. There are multiple programs and initiatives that must happen to solve this issue, and we think it is great when our policymakers are willing to introduce legislation that will help. We’ve seen several other states passing legislation designed to help to lower the barriers to farmland ownership. We are proud to support such efforts in Kentucky.”

Niki Ellis, Executive Director, Kentucky Pork Producers Association

“Kentucky’s pork producers have a pillar of focus in their strategic plan titled “Farm Level Success”. This pillar focuses on the importance of creating successes for the longevity of farming operations as well as opening pathways for new and beginning farmers. Our producers have faced many trials including volatile markets and lack of access to working capital. These trials have put even more of an importance on transition planning. The entire agricultural community has securing the safety of farmland as top of mind. The annual increase in property pricing has increased the need for programs like the Farmland Transition Initiative. Swine farming families are proud to support an initiative that is in place to add longevity and offer opportunity for beginning farmers.”

 “The goal of preserving farmland isn’t the priority of one association, it’s the goal of Kentucky agriculture as a whole. Decreasing farmland is a problem for all production types, no matter the size. KFTI is an example of how Kentucky’s agriculture community is stronger together. Once that farmland is lost, it will not go back into production. No matter the situation, once you lose the presence it’s hard to ever get that back. Farming is one of the most inaccessible careers paths. The upfront cost is steep, and farmers’ success is dictated by markets that rely on factors as volatile as the weather. This makes it difficult to approach a lender with the intention to buy property and compete against a developer planning to build a housing development on the same acreage.”

“Working together can help farming families get further, faster. Standing united shows policy makers, the true strength of the agricultural community, and shows the need for urgency to get policy established. Our policy makers speak on the importance of farming and agriculture. By supporting or building policy to protect farmland transition, they can truly put action to their words and continue their support.”

To see a full list of KFTI Network members, go to https://www.kyfarmlandtransition.com/about.