Dan Douglas checks on cattle at his farm on Jan. 4, 2025, near Bentonville, Arkansas. Although he had doubts about selling his family land, Douglas says he now values his financial independence, which allows him to continue to farm in the area without fear of losing it all. (Photo by Arshia Khan for Investigate Midwest)
On a brisk October morning, two pickup trucks ground to a stop and parked side by side on a Northwest Arkansas dirt road. Dan Douglas, a cattle and hay farmer whose family has farmed in Benton County for 170 years, rolled down his window to chat with longtime neighbor Chris Harral. They spoke about the changes sweeping through their community: new subdivisions, soaring land prices, and the fading presence of a once robust farm community. After roughly 20 minutes…..