Although the need for a long-term lease arises in many types of farm operations, it’s especially vital for agroforestry. Agroforestry is one branch of regenerative agriculture that focuses on mixing agriculture with forestry. It has significant ecological benefits and can be a profitable venture for farmers. Many other farming models are emerging that depend on being able to make a significant and long-term investment in the land’s capacity to produce. But, these arrangements can take 15, 30 or even 50 years to become profitable. Leases of this length come with a unique set of potential legal issues.
If you are just learning about agroforestry or other long-term farmland scenarios listen to our free Podcast Episode Ten: Introduction to Agroforestry (12min.) for an overview of the legal issues.
If you are on the hunt for agricultural land that will best suit your long-term goals, read our free Basics of Due Diligence on an Agricultural Parcel to help you conduct research with an eye for costs, responsibilities, and opportunities.
If you are ready to go further and create a lease for your agroforestry or long-term operation (or are considering whether leasing rather than purchasing land for your agroforestry operation would work) you’ll want our Long-Term Agroforestry Lease Workbook (73pgs.). This guide explores the legal issues in greater detail and offers solutions for minimizing risk, whether you own the land, are farming the land, or both. Helpful checklists, case studies, and a fully-annotated model lease round out the legal discussion in this workbook.
If you’d prefer step-by-step guidance that walks you through creating an agricultural lease that addresses your particular needs and goals use our Farmers’ Workbook for Creating an Agricultural Lease. This online, fillable workbook is chock-full of exercises, information, and prompts to help you clarify goals, work through tricky legal concepts, and value contributions as a tenant.
