What Oregon Agricultural Trust does

Oregon Agricultural Trust (OAT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agricultural land trust incorporated in Oregon on November 19, 2019, headquartered in Salem, Oregon. The organization permanently protects Oregon's working farm and ranch land primarily through the donation and purchase of working land conservation easements — voluntary legal agreements that remove development rights while allowing continued agricultural production — and complements land protection with direct business and succession advising services for agricultural producers. Its portfolio also includes the Donate-Protect-Transfer program (donating land to OAT, placing an easement, and reselling at agricultural value to a next-generation farmer), the Ag Forever Fund for time-sensitive land protection, and educational products such as the Plan & Protect Toolkit and the 'Dear Tess' column in Capital Press.

OAT serves Oregon farmers, ranchers, and agricultural landowners facing a generational succession crisis: 64% of the state's farmland is projected to change hands in the next 20 years, the average farmer is 60 years old, and 81% of farmers lack succession plans. It also serves beginning/first-generation farmers seeking land access and service providers (attorneys, accountants, appraisers) advising on ag land succession. Delivery is via a regional staff model covering four Oregon focal geographies (Willamette Valley, Columbia Gorge, North Coast, High Desert), workshops and webinars (52 events training 1,301 people in 2025), one-on-one advising, and partnerships with OSU Extension, multiple Soil and Water Conservation Districts, NRCS, and peer organizations.

The revenue model is diversified and nonprofit-typical: individual donations (monthly Cultivator program, planned giving, bequests), private foundation grants, federal and state government grants (ACEP-ALE, Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program), corporate sponsorships (Platinum tier includes AgWest Farm Credit, Wilco, Land O'Lakes, Tillamook), and modest fee-for-service technical assistance contracts to peer organizations and government. Services to farmers and ranchers are provided free of charge. 2023 operating revenue was approximately $1.5M with a 2027 projection of roughly $2.05M per the strategic plan; staff has grown from 1 to 8, and OAT achieved Land Trust Accreditation Commission accreditation in 2025.

Name

Oregon Agricultural Trust

Legal name

Oregon Agricultural Trust, Inc.

Website

https://oregonagtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Land Trust Services

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural land trust
• Conservation easements
• Farmland protection
• Farm succession planning
• Working land preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual giving program including monthly Cultivator donations, one-time gifts, and major gifts. Donors of $50+ receive member benefits including newsletter and annual webinar.
2. Planned & Strategic Giving: Bequests, IRA charitable giving, Donor Advised Fund contributions, gifts of real estate and stock.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship program with Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Friends tiers. Corporate partners include AgWest Farm Credit, Wilco, Land O'Lakes, Tillamook, and others.
4. Government Grants: Federal, state, and local government grants including ACEP-ALE program, Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program, and other conservation funding. 2023 revenue included government support.
5. Foundation Grants: Private foundation support for operating and restricted funds. M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust awarded grant for development department.
6. Fee-for-Service: Technical assistance contracts and consulting services to peer organizations and government agencies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Oregon Agricultural Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agricultural land trust that partners with farmers and ranchers in Oregon to permanently protect working farm and ranch lands through voluntary working land conservation easements. The organization also provides one-on-one farm and ranch business and succession advising, educational resources and workshops, and advocacy for farmland preservation policies. Supporting programs include the Donate-Protect-Transfer mechanism to transition farmland to next-generation farmers and the Ag Forever Fund for time-sensitive farmland protection.

Product overview

Oregon Agricultural Trust (OAT) is a nonprofit agricultural land trust offering a portfolio of programs and services centered on protecting Oregon's working agricultural lands. The organization's core service is the Working Land Conservation Easement program, which allows landowners to permanently protect their land from development while retaining ownership. Supporting services include the Donate-Protect-Transfer Program for land succession, one-on-one Farm and Ranch Business Advising, and educational resources such as the Plan & Protect Toolkit, Easement Resources guides, and the 'Dear Tess' advice column in Capital Press. OAT also operates the Cheers to the Land initiative supporting craft beverage makers using Oregon ingredients, and maintains the Ag Forever Fund for flexible farmland protection funding. The organization is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Working Land Conservation Easements
• Donate-Protect-Transfer Program
• Farm and Ranch Business Advising
• Ag Forever Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• 64% of Oregon agricultural land will change hands in 20 years, creating urgency for succession planning
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Land Trust Accreditation CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025National accrediting body for land trusts. OAT completed rigorous two-year process to achieve accreditation, demonstrating commitment to excellence and maintaining public trust in their work.
• Coalition of Oregon Land TrustscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide coalition of land trusts. OAT collaborates with COLT on advocacy for legislation and funding that increase working land preservation, including support for Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program funding.
• OSU Extension Small Farms ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for workshops on land leasing, succession planning, and farm business topics. Co-hosting events like 'Thinking of Leasing Out Your Farmland?' workshop.
• East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation district partner. Co-hosting webinar series on easements for service providers and helping secure conservation easements for partner organizations including Black Oregon Land Trust.
• Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation district partner. Co-hosting webinar series on easements for service providers working with farmland easements.
• American Farmland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational farmland protection organization. Co-hosting 'Your Farm's Future' succession planning workshops and collaborating on land transfer and succession strategies.
• Six Rivers Dispute Resolution CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDispute resolution organization. Partner for succession planning workshops helping families navigate succession conversations and conflict resolution.
• Black Oregon Land Trust (BOLT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity land trust focused on Black and Indigenous land access. Partnered on Agricultural Economies Tour and collaborated on farmland protection strategies for beginning farmers.
• Oregon Craft Beverage Industry (Cheers to the Land)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual collaboration with Oregon breweries, cideries, and beverage makers. Breweries create beverages using Oregon-grown ingredients, released on National Farmer's Day, with proceeds supporting OAT.
• Crosby HopsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHops supplier and Cheers to the Land sponsor supporting agricultural land protection through craft beverage industry partnership.
• Yakima Chief HopsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHops supplier and Cheers to the Land sponsor supporting agricultural land protection through craft beverage industry partnership.
• Coleman HopsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHops supplier and Cheers to the Land sponsor supporting agricultural land protection through craft beverage industry partnership.
• Earthworm FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational nonprofit transforming value chains. OAT Board Member Kimberlee Chambers works as Agriculture and Program Manager - US and Canada for Earthworm Foundation.
• Clackamas Small Business Development CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBDC partner providing Small Business Ranch & Succession Planning Program referenced in OAT's resource library.
• Organically Grown CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganic produce co-op and wholesaler. Featured stop on OAT's Agricultural Economies Tour showcasing Oregon's agriculture industry.
• Gorge Grown Food MatrixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal food organization in Columbia River Gorge. Co-hosting 'Your Farm's Future' succession planning workshop.
• Friends of Family FarmersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon organization supporting family farmers. Partnering on land leasing workshops and events.
• Oregon Cattlemen's AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOAT staff contributing articles to OCA Magazine on succession planning topics.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit operating land conservation projects across the U.S., including working land protection. Larger scale and broader mission than OAT, but overlapping in easement acquisition and government grant-funded land deals.
• Land Trust Alliance: National umbrella organization supporting 450+ accredited land trusts including OAT. Sets accreditation standards, advocates for federal funding, and provides shared services — directly comparable as the trade body governing OAT's operational framework.
• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global conservation organization with active Oregon operations including agricultural easement work. Overlaps with OAT on conservation easements and natural resource stewardship but with vastly broader scope.

Regional players

• Ecotrust: Pacific Northwest-focused nonprofit working on forestry, fisheries, food, and farms. Comparable in regional focus and agricultural sector engagement, though Ecotrust's mission is broader than OAT's land-trust focus.

Direct peers

• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on farmland protection and agricultural viability; OAT explicitly partners with AFT on succession planning workshops. Both pursue conservation easements and farm succession support with a similar combined land-protection-plus-business-advising model.
• Blue Mountain Land Trust: Regional Oregon land trust whose former Executive Director sits on OAT's board. Operates the same working land easement model in Oregon's Walla Walla/Blue Mountain region, directly comparable in service offering and nonprofit structure.
• Rogue Valley Farmland Trust: Southern Oregon land trust protecting agricultural land through easements and stewardship. Closely comparable in scope and services, also a member of the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts alongside OAT.
• Black Oregon Land Trust: Oregon-based community land trust focused on land access for Black and Indigenous farmers. OAT lists BOLT as an explicit partner; both pursue working land protection with overlapping target audiences.

Others

• Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts: Statewide coalition of Oregon land trusts including OAT. Functions as a peer association rather than competitor — supports advocacy, training, and coordination across member land trusts serving Oregon farmers and ranchers.
• Soil and Water Conservation Districts (Oregon network): Oregon's network of county-level conservation districts (e.g., East Multnomah, Tualatin SWCD) partner directly with OAT on easements and education. They function as ecosystem partners and referral sources rather than direct competitors.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oregon Agricultural Trust