Information about the impacts and effectiveness of LAPIs is limited. Our project aims to fill critical gaps by answering the following questions:
- Why were these programs created and how do they work?
- Who do LAPI programs help, what kinds of farms and farmers, on what scale?
- What impacts have they had?
- How do they affect landowners’ and New Gen farmers’ interactions?
- What barriers do they face?
- What lessons can be learned?
Through engaging LAPI program managers, surveys of beginning farmer and landowner participants in these programs, learning from non-participants, analyzing national data, convening advisory meetings with national land access experts, and key stakeholder interviews, we expect to accomplish the following:
Overarching Project Goal: Increase knowledge of the impacts and reach of LAPI approaches, and build capacity among ag service providers to help small and mid-sized beginning farmers and ranchers access land.
Research Goals
- Chronicle the history and patterns of LAPI policy development to inform design of future LAPIs
- Increase knowledge of who LAPI programs are helping, who they aren’t reaching, and their impacts on land transfer, land access, beginning farmer and rancher success, and rural prosperity
- Provide guidance on effective methods of outreach to increase LAPI utilization by landowners and beginning farmers
- Provide insights about positive LAPI outcomes and the limits of existing LAPIs to Farm Bill advocates and legislators in 2023
Extension Goals
- Sustain a Community of Practice to support service providers to facilitate farm transfer and improve land access for the next generation of producers
- Increase promotion and utilization of LAPI programs through service provider networks, conferences, and e-Extension