Beginning Farmer Resources

A decision to become a farmer or rancher must be thoroughly evaluated, including thoughtful consideration and articulation of personal values, short and long term goals, assets, physical capacity, lifestyle preferences, and farming experience. A successful farmer is resourceful, persistent, and willing to put in long hours to produce agricultural products. Development of a business plan is critically important, although a farmer's ability to succeed is also determined by outside forces, including weather and economic markets.

Consideration of starting to farm could include the following steps:
  • Thoughtful articulation of why you want to farm - your values, what you love to do, and how farming plays a role in your future
  • What you want to produce and where you want to farm
  • Evaluation of assets, including farming experience, financial, equipment, etc.
  • Development of a well-researched business plan, including analysis of markets, production costs, land, and infrastructure 
  • Careful assessment of land access options - whether you want to lease or purchase, or other variations - and why you have chosen a specific route
  • Purchase and/or lease of land that will serve your production goals

Accessing land: to purchase or to lease? When considering access to farmland, it is important to consider the pros and cons of leasing compared to purchase. Whether through purchase or lease, secure, long-term land tenure is the foundation of a viable farm. Without long-term tenure, important capital investment to grow and sustain business will be challenging. What assets do you have access to? Are you ready to make a long-term commitment by purchasing land? Can you find a secure, long-term lease arrangement on land that will initially meet your needs? What is your capacity to handle debt? These and many more questions are important to consider when becoming a farmer.
Part of our mission at the conservation district is to support and preserve working farmland on our island. We can connect new farmers with farmland owners who wish to sell, lease, or transfer their farmland to a new farmer who will farm the land. Even if you've already been farming, we can help. A "new farmer" is defined by the United States Department of Agriculture as someone who has farmed for less than 10 years.

If you are a new farmer and would like to find farmland to farm on Whidbey Island, please contact us at 360.678.4708 or email shannon@whidbeycd.org.
Click a Tab Below for More Resources:
​Farmland access resources

Starting a Farm

Acquiring Land to Farm

  • ​​​​Acquiring Land to Farm Guide (Land for Good)
  • ​How to Present Yourself to a Landowner (California FarmLink)
  • Acquiring Your Farm (Land for Good): a free, online tutorial for aspiring, new, and beginning farmers - and others - preparing to access farmland. AYF contains lessons organized around seven topics and designed to provide a thorough introduction to the complex issues of farmland access and tenure. The only tutorial includes sessions on 1) Farmland Tenure Basics; 2) Financial Assessment; 3) Owning Farmland; 4) Finding Farmland; 5) Leasing Farmland; 6) Communications & Negotiation; and 7) Community Partners.​​

Leasing Land to Farm

Farmland conservation resources

Farm Succession & Transfer 

​Strategies

Farmland Conservation

Working with Land Trusts

Many land trusts throughout the country have protected farmland through 1) direct acquisition for future lease to a farmer; 2) purchase then protection through a conservation easement, then resale; and 3) simultaneous purchase together with a farmer, including protection through a conservation easement. Conservation easements may specifically address future farming, or be more general. However, recent studies have shown that agricultural conservation easements do not necessarily ensure that the land is available for future farming.
Funding resources
top resource organizations

Top Resource Organizations

The following is a list of organizations that offer workshops, resources, and other support for new farmers and farmland owners seeking to transfer their farms. This is not a comprehensive list, as there are many other organizations dedicated tot he goal of sustainable farming, including connecting new farmers to farmland. 

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(mailing) PO Box 490
(office location) 1 NE 4th Street
Coupeville, WA 98239
360-678-4708 |  888-678-4922
Office hours:
Monday - Friday
8 AM - 4:30 PM
WICD Board Monthly Meeting
  • Board meetings are held in the WICD conference room
  • Board meetings are open to the public
  • Past meeting minutes and agendas can be found here

Next Board meeting:
September 25, 2019
​9am-12pm
On Sept 24 at 10:00 am, members of the WICD Board of Supervisors will attend a Public Hearing of the Island County Commissioners. This will constitute a a special meeting of the Board.