We offer a variety of educational materials, hands-on training experiences, and other resources for both beginning and experienced farmers across our Community Agriculture, Land Conservation, and GA FarmLink programs.
If you have any questions about these programs, you can reach us at 706-521-8403.
Williams Farm Incubator Progam
The Williams Farm Farmer Training and Incubator Program is a two-year apprentice program that provides access to land, training, and resources to beginning farmers who are American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Asians, Black or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and Veterans. The goal of the program is to help these farmers hone their skills and develop independent sustainable farm businesses.
The first year, incubator farmers will grow under the guidance of the Williams Farm Manager. Produce grown will be distributed weekly to Clarke County families through our free farm share program at least 30 weeks out of the year, to the West Broad Farmers Market from April to November, and to wholesale partners year-round.
Farm Business Education Program
The GA FarmLink Farm Business Education Program aims to enable Georgia farmers to strengthen the foundations of their farm businesses and increase their receipt of federal funding in order to ensure long-term resilience and sustainable profits.
Beginning in February of 2024, over the course of four years 30 Georgia farmers (six per 10-month session) will be guided by a team of professional consultants through a farm business curriculum that focuses on topics such as basic accounting, systems for data tracking, business & financial analysis, credit readiness, accessing federal programs and planning for growth. The program will also provide farmers opportunities to develop social capital and build a network through peer-to-peer mentoring and yearly on-farm educational events.
GA FarmLink
Georgia FarmLink is a web tool developed by Athens Land Trust that connects farmland owners with farmland seekers with the goal of preserving Georgia’s farmland for future generations.
Are you looking for land to develop your farm business? Do you have available land that you would like to lease and do you want to support sustainable agriculture? Our Land Match Program seeks to connect Farmers and Landowners who are either in need of access to land or have land available to lease.
Check out the new and improved GA FarmLink website!
Farmer Outreach
The Farmer Outreach Program is a collaborative effort with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to conduct outreach and educational activities for underserved groups in Northeast Georgia. The goal of the program is to increase the number of minority farmers and raise awareness of NRCS programs.
Agricultural Land Easements
The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program supports farmers and farming communities by purchasing conservation easements on working farms. Through the Agricultural Land Easement program, the landowner gets paid for keeping the country’s best soil and farmland in agriculture which keeps the nation’s future food supply more secure.
The ACEP-ALE program purchases 75% of a conservation easement value, which is funded 50% by Farm Bill support and 25% by a local match. The landowner donates the remaining 25% value of land through the easement, which could have federal tax benefits.