The Carolina Farms Fund

Across the Carolinas, farms on the edges of cities like Charlotte are disappearing quickly — replaced by housing developments, warehouses, and data centers. More than 40 acres of farmland vanish every hour across the U.S., and the Charlotte region alone has lost 25% of its farmland in the past decade. As land prices soar and farmers age out of the profession, the next generation of growers faces steep barriers to finding and affording land. 

At the same time, demand for fresh, healthy, local food has never been higher. Thriving farms near cities are essential to meeting that demand — supplying schools, restaurants, and neighborhood markets while connecting people to the land that sustains them.

A New Model for Protecting Farmland 

The Conservation Fund is reimagining how local food systems can thrive through our innovative Farms Fund program. We move quickly to buy at-risk farmland before it’s lost to development. We then match it with skilled, next-generation farmers who are ready to get to work and ensure it will stay a farm forever through permanent conservation. 

Our innovative Buy–Support–Protect–Sell model makes this possible: 

• Buy farmland under immediate threat of development. 
• Support next-generation farmers with lease-to-own contracts, business training, and access to markets. 
• Protect each property through a conservation easement to ensure it remains farmland forever. 
• Sell the land at an affordable rate to the farmer, recycling the proceeds to save the next farm. 

This revolving fund model keeps conservation capital working — multiplying impact year after year. 

Building a More Resilient Food System 

By securing farmland around the fast-growing Charlotte metro area, the Carolina Farms Fund is fixing a broken food system — one farm at a time. We’re creating: 

• Expanded farmland conservation: Permanently protecting critically threatened farmland at risk of being lost to development. 
• Opportunities for diverse farmers: Committed to diverse farm businesses, products, and farmer owners  
• Stronger markets and communities: Connecting entrepreneurial farmers to local buyers and ensuring a steady supply of healthy food to nearby cities. 
• Climate-smart agriculture: Reducing food miles and supporting sustainable practices that improve soil, water, and community resilience. 

Be Part of the Solution

The Carolina Farms Fund preserves farms, builds a new generation of farmers, and creates a permanent source of fresh, healthy food for communities across the Carolinas. 

Together, we can grow a future where farmland, farmers, and communities all thrive across the Carolinas. Reach out today to learn more.