Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-271) and index.

A quiet revolutionary -- A changing landscape -- An idea whose time had come -- The big ask -- Beginning the journey -- A new voice in American farm policy -- The 1981 Farm Bill: an early policy victory -- The 1985 Farm Bill: a transformation in American farm policy -- The IRS finally acts, and a land trust phenomenon -- Power at the center -- Helping farmers protect the environment: an emerging AFT mission -- Launching a new farm policy vision -- The 2008 Farm Bill: strategic research -- The power of research -- Institutional efforts -- Local food, local farms, and local farm communities -- A new regional presence -- Individual land projects: getting the job done, one farm at a time -- Communicating the message -- Fertile fields for development -- New leadership and new ideas -- A new vision for the future.

"America's farms are key to vital ecosystems and a stable climate. Yet farmers and environmentalists have not always seen eye-to-eye about the best ways to manage agricultural landscapes. Since 1980, American Farmland Trust (AFT) has been bringing people together to work for healthy land and a healthy food system. No Farms, No Food traces the development of this powerful coalition, responsible for landmark achievements in preserving farmland and promoting better farming practices. It all began with Peggy Rockefeller's determination to stop the inexorable urban sprawl that was threatening the nation's agriculture. From this singular vision grew a small but astute organization, and more importantly, a formidable constituency of farmers and environmentalists united around a common cause. With leadership from AFT, that constituency drove through Congress the first Conservation title in the history of the US Farm Bill; oversaw the development of agriculture conservation easement programs throughout the country; and advanced a more holistic view of agriculture -- connecting the land itself with the practices employed on that land, and the hardworking families who steward that land. No Farms, No Food takes readers inside the political and policy battles that determine the fate of our nation's farms. And it illustrates the tactics needed to unify fractured interest groups for the common good. No Farms, No Food is both an inspiring history of agricultural conservation and a practical guide to creating an effective advocacy organization. This is an essential read for everyone who cares about the future of our food, farms, and environment." --

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