test - NWA Land Trust

Name*

Address*

Mobile*

Email*

Spouse or partner:

IS THIS PERSON A CO-APPLICANT?*

Yes
No

Applicant Voluntary Information:

Please complete as much of the following as you are willing to share. There is no penalty if you choose not to provide this information. Again, this section is voluntary and not mandatory to be considered for the program.

To which gender do you most identify?

Pronoun Preference?

To which race, ethnicity and national origin do you most identify?

Do you speak another language and if so which one

Or More

Are you a Military Veteran and if so which Service?

Are you differently abled and is there anything about how you may physically access land we should know?

Applicant Required Information:

Complete the following:

ARE YOU CURRENTLY OPERATING A FARM BUSINESS?*

Yes
No

If so, what is the name of the farm business?*

HAVE YOU FILED A SCHEDULE F IRS TAX RETURN ASSOCIATED WITH THE FARM BUSINESS?*

Yes
No

What tax years did you file a Schedule F?*

IF SO, PLEASE INCLUDE A COPY OF YOUR MOST RETURN TAX RETURN WITH THIS APPLICATION.

WHAT IS YOUR DEGREE OF FARMING EXPERIENCE CHECK ALL THAT APPLY?*

Some agriculture specific education
College Degree
Working on a farm (Paid staff)
Intern
Apprentice
Manager
Owner
Wholesale
Market

Describe the Primary Enterprise*

(FOR EXAMPLE: COW/CALF, HAYMAKING, MARKET GARDEN, FLOWERS, ORCHARDS, LIVESTOCK, DAIRY, TIMBER)

Describe secondary enterprise if applicable

How many years have you been farming?*

How many acres do you farm currently?*

How many acres do you have in fruit and/or vegetable cultivation?*

How many acres will you farm if your application is approved?*

Do you use greenhouses in your operation or plan to?*

Do you use high tunnels in your operation or plan to?*

PRIMARY PRODUCTION (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)*

Conventional
Organic
Certified Naturally Grown
Other

Have you ever received USDA-NRCS technical or financial assistance for conservation practices or farm loans from the USDA-Farm Service Agency? If so, please describe the practices and/or loans and when you received them.

FINANCING (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)*

Pre-approved financing with traditional lender
Self-financed
Family Financed
Investor Financed
Need Help with Financing

HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED A FARM OR PROPERTY (OR MORE THAN ONE) YOU WISH TO PURCHASE?

If so, provide address and parcel number if you have it.

Address

County

Parcel

Address1

County1

Parcel1

Additional Documentation (upload documents)

Provide all relevant materials, including, but not limited to:

1. Business plan, crop plan or farm plan, and your most recent farm business tax return. (If you need help developing a business plan for a farm, please contact info@nwafarmlink.org)

2. At least one letter of recommendation highlighting your farming experience, and general work experience.

3. If possible, include a pre-mortgage approval letter.

4. 750-word description as to how to the Farmland Access Fund will help you achieve your business and personal goals.

File*

File

Memorandum of Understanding

The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust (“NWALT”) is an Arkansas nonprofit corporation based in Fayetteville, Arkansas. NWALT is managing a grant of $350,000 (“Farmland Access Fund”) to be used to help farmers gain access to and purchase farmland or expand their farming practices specifically to grow fruits and vegetables (the “Program”). Applicants to the Program must be willing to focus on cultivating fruits and/or vegetables using best management practices to foster healthy soils for no less than a minimum of three years. Applicants must have a business plan that includes some wholesale production.

Once selected for the Program, Applicant agrees to place a portion of its farmland in an agricultural conservation easement to be held by NWALT. Agricultural/conservation easements are legally binding and permanently remove the ability to commercially develop the affected farmland property. In exchange for the granting of the easement, Applicant may benefit from possible federal tax deductions, compensation, and waived expenses through this program. Applicant shall retain the right to own and farm the parcel and may later sell the parcel at agricultural value, making it more affordable for other farmers to purchase. The easement specifics will be determined and customized in collaboration with the applicant while also taking into consideration the specific characteristics of the property under consideration.

Diversified farm plans are encouraged, and Applicant may engage in other farm enterprises in addition to the primary farm enterprise of growing fruits and/or vegetables, including small scale livestock or poultry production, agritourism and any other legal farm activities under the laws of the state of Arkansas. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicant is prohibited from engaging in the cultivation and sale of medical marijuana, which, while legal under the laws of the state of Arkansas, is still illegal pursuant to current federal law. In the event Applicant stops growing fruits and/or vegetables, NWALT shall have the right, but not the obligation, to lease the fruit and vegetable production of the property to another farmer.

The application process for this Program may take up to 12 months to ensure that both Applicant and the proposed property are a proper fit for the Program. Applicant is encouraged to seek advice from a tax professional and an attorney to review this opportunity throughout each stage of the process. Applicant’s agreement at this stage allows NWALT to continue to process Applicant’s application for consideration, including evaluating the conservation value of any potential properties Applicant may be interested in purchasing. Additional information will be provided as the application is reviewed and as the potential property Applicant is considering for the farm operation is evaluated. Applicant will also receive additional explanatory documentation prior to further committing to the Program, as well as the estimated value of the easement and grant funds necessary to complete the transaction. Further consideration of this application by NWALT does not guarantee that Applicant will be accepted as a participant in the Program.

I, Applicant, have read and understand the foregoing memorandum of understanding and wish to proceed with submission of my application.

Agree*

Signature*

Date(Date the form was submitted)*