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Across the United States, 11 million acres of farmland have been lost from 2001 to 2016. In Tennessee, we lost around 650,000 acres with an additional 1 million acres of land projected to be converted by 2040. Much of the loss comes from the conversion of land to subdivisions and large-lot housing development. Beyond just agriculture, farmlands can provide economic, cultural, and social benefits to our communities. And when stewarded well, farmland can provide environmental benefits. Farmland loss particularly impacts our small and mid-sized farms and farmers. These threats to our farmlands can impact us all.

In today's River Talk, we are joined by Brooks Lamb, Program Associate and Specialist Assistant to the President at American Farmland Trust. Brooks shares about the current threats to America's farmland and what that means for us right here in Tennessee. We talk about the impacts on small and mid-sized farmers, and how connecting new farmers to land and to sustainable agricultural best practices can be a win-win.

Learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode on our blog: https://cumberlandrivercompact.org/2022/08/23/farmland-under-threat-with-brooks-lamb-american-farmland-trust/