Farm & Ranch Protection Plan

Across Oregon, agricultural communities and their working and natural landscapes are navigating rapid change. Farm and ranch land is increasingly expensive and fragmented or lost to non-farm uses. Farmers and ranchers of many different backgrounds face barriers to land ownership and succession. And the productive fields and habitat on these lands are at risk of drought, wildfire, and development. At the same time, communities across the state are advancing innovative models to protect working lands and their natural resources and make them more affordable for future generations.

One tool for permanently protecting agricultural land and its associated habitat is a working lands conservation easement, which continues to be a central part of OAT’s farmland protection efforts. But farmland conservation is not only about protecting acres; it is about supporting farmers, rural communities, food systems, climate resilience, habitat, water resources, and our state economy. 

With this in mind, OAT is evolving to meet this moment by pairing permanent land protection with strategies that support farmers, strengthen local agricultural economies, and respond to the unique conservation needs found throughout Oregon.

In our updated Farm and Ranch Protection Plan, OAT is expanding our toolkit to:

• Customize regionally-tailored conservation strategies, 

• Increase land access and affordability, and

• Improve long-term agricultural viability.

OAT’s Farm and Ranch Protection Plan is a declaration of our commitment to partner with diverse organizations, producers, and other stakeholders to protect Oregon’s working lands and their habitat. We hope to learn from and work with you and your community in this effort.