Entering farmers and ranchers face a shortage of on-farm housing in the Midwest and Plains

Brief report of findings: HOUSING SHORTFALL CALLS FOR POLICY RESPONSES Our study aimed to elicit how the land needs of incoming farm/ranch seekers align with what retiring farm/ranch owners are offering across 12 Midwest and Plains states. We focused on owners who expect to transfer real estate and other farm/ranch assets out of the family, as opposed to within family. Non-family transfers are becoming more prevalent, and most incoming farmers/ranchers need to go outside of family to secure land. There is strong consensus about the difficulties entering farmers and ranchers face in securing access to land, whether purchasing or renting. Housing is a critical part of the equation. Housing is often the most expensive aspect of farm access, and, as we demonstrate, under-available. This makes access to farm/ranch land not just an affordable farmland issue, but an affordable housing issue as well.