By leasing your productive farm or ranch land, you can help a beginning or expanding farmer overcome one of their biggest obstacles—access to land. Supporting agricultural businesses helps boost the local economy and increases your community’s access to local food and agricultural products. Additionally, a lease agreement can provide a source of income and help with the carrying cost of your land. 

Get Started

These resources will help you determine your goals and visions for the future of your land. They will also help you evaluate the type of agricultural production best suited for the land under possible zoning restrictions and for its soil type.

Find a Farmer

There are public and private organizations that help landowners find farmers for their land.

Agricultural Organizations

Agricultural organizations may maintain free online or print listings of farm opportunities. Contact local agriculture groups, farm trade newspapers and your State Department of Agriculture to ask about posting a description of your farm opportunity in their classifieds. Staff at these organizations, as well as farmland protection programs and Cooperative Extension offices, may also know of farmers in the area looking for land to lease.

Develop a Good Farm Lease

A written agreement can help clarify the goals and expectations you have in leasing your land as well as help ensure that both you and the farmer understand the terms of the lease.