What happens to the land we love when farming stops making financial sense?
On this episode of the LandTrust Podcast, Nic sits down with Jace Young, founder and CEO of Legacy Farmer, to take a deeper look at the economics behind America’s farms and ranches, and why sportsmen should care.
Jace grew up on a large family farm in Western Kansas before working in agricultural banking. After seeing firsthand how financial stress, debt, and a lack of succession planning can threaten multi-generational farms, he eventually founded Legacy Farmer to help farmers and ranchers better understand the financial side of their operations.
In this episode:
- Why owning thousands of acres doesn't necessarily mean a farm or ranch is profitable
- The financial realities facing modern farmers and ranchers
- Why succession planning is one of the biggest challenges facing rural America
- What happens to land when the next generation isn't prepared to take over
- Why hunters and outdoor enthusiasts should care about the economic health of working lands
- How development and changing land ownership can impact rural communities and hunting access
- Whether hunting and outdoor recreation can help make keeping land intact more economically viable
Jace shares some powerful stories from his time in agricultural banking, including what he witnessed when a fourth-generation Kansas farm ultimately filed bankruptcy.
For sportsmen, understanding that side of the equation may be just as important as understanding the wildlife and habitat on the other side of the fence.
#LandTrust #LandTrustPodcast #Hunting #FarmLand #Farmland #Agriculture #RuralAmerica #LandManagement #HuntingAccess #LegacyFarmer
Chapters
00:00 – Intro: Why Hunters Should Care About Farmland
01:18 – Jace Young’s Story & Legacy Farmer
02:00 – Growing Up on a Multi-Generational Kansas Farm
05:00 – What Happens When Farm Economics Break Down
10:00 – The Financial Reality of Owning Farmland
14:00 – The Succession Planning Crisis in Agriculture
17:00 – What Happens When Farms Leave the Family
19:00 – Losing Farmland & the Impact on Hunting Access
23:00 – Why Farm & Ranch Ownership Is Often About Passion
25:30 – A Family Farm’s Bankruptcy Story
27:45 – The Challenge of Hard Family Conversations
32:00 – Building a Sustainable Future for Working Lands
36:00 – Can Hunting Help Keep Land Economically Viable?
41:00 – Farm Subsidies: Who Needs Them?
43:00 – What Sportsmen Should Take Away
44:00 – The Legacy of the Land
🔗 Follow:
The Legacy Farmer
Instagram: instagram.com/jace.d.young
Facebook: facebook.com/legacyfarmer
YouTube: youtube.com/c/jacedyounglegacyfarmer
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/legacy-farmer
Site: www.legacyfarmer.com
LandTrust
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Facebook: facebook.com/landtrusthunt
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/landtrustinc
Site: landtrust.com
