By Jamie Martin
American Farmland Trust (AFT) has awarded $896,600 in grant funding to 38 farmers and ranchers across Virginia to support soil health and farm vitality.
The funding comes through two new grants under the Brighter Future Fund, established in 2020 to help producers overcome market and climate-related challenges.
These Virginia awards represent nearly one-third of the $2.8 million distributed nationwide by AFT. The funding is part of AFT’s Regenerate Virginia initiative, which promotes regenerative agriculture, farmland protection, and stronger agricultural communities statewide.
Producers receiving grants will implement practices such as cover cropping, rotational grazing, and using biochar. They will also invest in equipment that supports biodiversity and soil cover, while some plan to pursue market certification like GAP to expand opportunities.
AFT’s Healthy Soils Grant, designed in partnership with the Virginia Soil Health Coalition, encourages innovation by funding soil-building practices often ineligible in other programs. The grant is modeled after a successful program in Maryland.
Another grant, the Farm Vitality Planning Grant, supports business planning, succession strategies, labor management, enterprise diversification, and land access, helping producers build more secure futures for their farms.
According to AFT, nearly 150 producers applied for the funding. The awarded projects reflect the creativity and diversity of Virginia agriculture.
“I am so grateful for the confidence placed in our farm. You cannot imagine how much of an impact this is going to have. With this investment, I can begin farming full time, finish up site work and fully engage in the Farm to School Program which is really taking off faster than I had expected. This is such a blessing,” said Nita Mensia of Winfield Farms.
These investments aim to ensure resilient and thriving farms across the Commonwealth.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-dmytro-diedov
Categories: National