Rhode Island has lost more than 80% of its agricultural land since 1940, dropping from approximately 300,000 acres in production to just 67,800 acres today—with less than 40,000 actively used for farming, according to the
Rhode Island Land Trust Council
.
To help address this crisis, Ocean Hour Farm, Aquidneck Island Land Trust, and Land For Good will host a
free workshop
for landowners on August 19, 2025, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. at Ocean Hour Farm in Newport.
The workshop, titled “Unlocking Your Land’s Potential: Leasing Land for Agriculture,” will explore how private landowners can make their property available for farming, whether it’s a small vegetable plot, livestock pastures, or large crop fields.
“New farmers struggle to gain secure and affordable access to the land they need to launch and maintain viable farms,” according to the workshop organizers. The challenge is particularly acute in Rhode Island, which has the most expensive farmland in the country, putting purchase prices out of reach for many beginning farmers.
The continuing loss of farmland threatens local food security, local economies, climate resiliency, and the rural character of Rhode Island communities. Many new and beginning farmers lack traditional farming backgrounds and the connections that typically come with them, making them dependent on the availability of farmland to succeed.
The workshop will help participants understand what farmers need, how to connect with interested growers, and how to create successful lease arrangements. Attendees will learn about the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of making land available for farming, and hear from other private landowners and farmers who have entered into such arrangements.
Registration is required for the workshop and can be completed at
landforgood.org/events
.
Land For Good is a New England-wide nonprofit organization that works to expand secure farmland access, tenure, and transfer. The organization has a field agent locally in Westport serving Rhode Island and southeastern New England, connecting farmers, landowners, service providers, communities, and policymakers to grow equitable farming opportunities and sustainably keep land in agriculture.
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