This project will explore ways to bridge the gap between farmers and buyers to expand the market for agroforestry products, establishing a better use for challenging cropland that improves farm viability and water quality across the Great Lakes Basin.

Many producers are interested in shifting steep, flood-prone, or otherwise marginal cropland from corn and soy to tree crops, like chestnuts, which could reduce runoff, improve soil health, and provide long-term financial security for farmers. However, adoption remains slow, in part because producers face uncertainty about how, or whether, they’ll be able to sell what they grow.

During this design project, the team will test early buyer engagement strategies, explore producer interest, and map a path for scaling adoption. They will engage a range of stakeholders, including high-volume buyers, producers, technical service providers, grower organizations, and market analysts, to understand how to support land transitions. If successful, the project will lay the groundwork to connect early adopters with committed buyers and establish a replicable model for integrating tree crops on marginal lands across the Great Lakes basin.