American Farmland Trust Announces Learning Circles for Women Farm

Washington, DC -- Today, American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food®, announces plans to deliver conservation, land protection and farmland transition training sessions for women farmers and land owners in Montgomery County through its Women for the Land initiative. The Learning Circles provide women the opportunity to meet other land owners, share their farm successes and challenges, discuss their goals for their land and access advice and technical assistance.

Nearly three hundred and one million acres of U.S. land – about a third of the nation’s land in farms – are now farmed or co-farmed by women and at least eighty-seven million additional acres are in the hands of women landowners. Over the next 20 years, the numbers of women farming and or taking on a management role on farmland is likely to increase as three hundred and forty-million acres of farmland are expected to change hands when farmers retire or leave their land to the next generation.

“Women farmers and landowners demonstrate a strong commitment to the ethics of land stewardship focused on conservation, environmentally sound farming practices and farmland succession, all key to AFT’s mission. However, they face gender barriers, lack access to services and often are not taken seriously when looking to implement new farming practices on their land. These women cite lack of knowledge and confidence as impeding their ability to manage their farms and deal with a tenant farmer,” says Jim Baird, AFT’s Mid-Atlantic Director.

Jim continues, “The goal of the Learning Circles is to help women feel empowered and provide them the knowledge and skills to implement conservation and healthy soil practices, protect their land from development and transition their farms to the next generation.”

AFT Women for the Land Learning Circle post cards, flyers and announcements have just gone out state-wide. Enrollment is open and AFT is looking to pack the rooms for these highly sought-after sessions.

AFT plans to conduct Learning Circles, two sessions per program, as follows:

Montgomery County - Saturday, September 15, 9am-4pm in Dickerson MD and Tuesday, September 25, 9am-4pm in Derwood, MD

For further details and to sign up, women farmers and land owners can go to, register here.