EAST DUMMERSTON — The article states that the only way to affordably buy a farm is through the federal Farm Service Agency. That is not true: at least one other organization aids young farmers to obtain land they can afford.
That is the Vermont Land Trust, through its Farmland Access Program. This program works to find farmland at risk of development, which the trust buys and offers to young farmers, who have to provide a detailed business plan.
The trust locates retiring farmers who wish to sell their land. They also maintain a list of farmers who wish to buy land.
The program has helped nearly 40 farmers in the state, including the family who bought the Bunker Farm in Dummerston.