One of the main challenges that beginning farmers face is affording land. Farms can take years before they become profitable, and many farmers can't afford a large mortgage payment when they're starting out. On the flip side, many Loudoun landowners, who've had land in their family for generations, now own property that's not being fully used. The new land-linking program was conceived as a way to bring these two groups together. 

Charlie Case learned about the new land-linking program from an email sent out to the Blue Ridge Cattlemen's Association last year. He reports, "I was in dire need of land and Jim [Hilleary] got it for me."

Jim Hilleary runs the Loudoun office of Virginia Cooperative Extension, and was able to connect Case to Loudoun property owner Gene Scheel. Scheel had land and was willing to provide access to a producer who would invest in the soil and care for the property. To him, the ideal arrangement was a long-term written contract that specified the responsibilities and expectations of both the property owner and the producer leasing the property. 

A five-year lease was exactly what Case was looking for, too. "By getting a five-year lease, I'm able to put time and money into the ground." (A one-year lease is too short a time for most farmers to see the fruit of their efforts.)

As part of a coordinated effort to improve the rural economy by preserving the county's traditional agriculture, Loudoun Economic Development and Virginia Cooperative Extension are taking an active role to link property owners to producers. With this first match, Hilleary said, "We've scored a touchdown and want to put more points on the board." Anyone interested in the program should contact Hilleary at Jim.Hilleary@vt.edu .