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For Landowners

Every piece of land has a unique story and it's our business to get to know yours.  We want to learn about your land so we can match the best farmer to your situation.  Fill out the farmland application for landowners so we can get started.

The Service for Landowners

The Farmland Matching Service through the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) helps landowners find farmers who are looking for land. New Entry assists growers to get started or to expand the acreage of their agricultural business on available farmland in Massachusetts and surrounding Northeast states, and helps landowners keep their farmland in production or turn their land into active agricultural land.

New Entry maintains a database of available farmland, and currently uses it to serve as a liaison between land owners and farmers in the agricultural sector. Some landowners find us independently and others we found by identifying agricultural land through GIS (Geographic Information Systems) research and through connecting with local agricultural commissions.

New Entry can provide landowners with technical assistance for finding a farmer and signing tenure agreements. We are able to guide you through considerations you may encounter in a lease agreement and can help to evaluate the agricultural suitability of your land. We can also help connect you federal or state cost share-incentive or conservation programs to help you get your farmland back in use.

Landowners interested in leasing their land to farmers should remember that farming is a business.  Active agricultural land involves a variety of farm activities and structures that are important for a farmer’s business.  The building of hoop-houses, livestock shelters, or other agricultural structures is normal practice.  In addition, equipment such as tractors and implements are often stored on site.  Farm activities can be varied and depend on the season and be as diverse as tending to sheep during lambing season or installing irrigation or planting trees.  It is important to talk to potential farmers who will use your land to gain an understanding of the activities they’re planning for their business and your land.  Permitted and restricted activities can be outlined in your lease. 

We are currently developing more resources to help landowners understand the basics of making their land available to a farmer.  In the meantime, contact Becca Weaver, Farmland Matching Service Coordinator, at bweaver@comteam.org or 978-654-6745 with your questions.

It is best to get your goals for your land in order before starting to search for a farmer.  A good resource for helping you figure this out is the "Where To Start Guide" (pdf) from our partners at SEMAP.