Farmland preservation

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Elsing Green in Virginia, which was granted an easement to preserve the land Elsinggreen.jpg
Elsing Green in Virginia, which was granted an easement to preserve the land

Farmland preservation is a joint effort by non-governmental organizations and local governments to set aside and protect examples of a region's farmland for the use, education, and enjoyment of future generations. They are operated mostly at state and local levels by government agencies or private entities such as land trusts and are designed to limit conversion of agricultural land to other uses that otherwise might have been more financially attractive to the land owner. Through different government programs and policy enactments farmers are able to preserve their land for growing crops and raising livestock. Every state provides tax relief through differential (preferential) assessment. Easements are a popular approach and allow the farms to remain operational. Less common approaches include establishing agricultural districts, using zoning to protect agricultural land, [1] [ circular reference ] purchasing development rights, and transferable development rights. [1] It is often a part of regional planning and national historic preservation. Farmland preservation efforts have been taking place across the United States, such as in Virginia, Minnesota, Maryland, Florida, and Connecticut.

Contents

History

New Jersey passed the Farmland Assessment Act of 1964 to mitigate the loss of farmland to rapid suburban development through the use of favorable tax assessments. The act dealt with how the land is assessed for taxes based of the productivity level of the land. [1] The thinking behind this act was that by helping cut the taxes on the farmland, local farmers would be more likely to stay in business. But by the late 1970s, the value of farmland had outstripped the tax benefits of the act, so the state purchased deed restrictions on farms through the Agriculture Retention and Development Act of 1981. Through the Agriculture Retention and Development Act of 1981, the State of New Jersey to purchase the easements along the farms thus preventing the construction and rezoning of these areas into industrial, commercial, residential, and/or otherwise areas. Per the State, as of 2022, the act has helped save some 2,800 farms amassing 247,517 acres. [2] Regional efforts in Monmouth County, New Jersey include the Navesink Highlands Greenway, a project of the Monmouth County Farmland Preservation Program, which, along with the Monmouth Conservation Foundation, purchased the development rights of the Holly Crest Farm in Middletown in September 2008 for US$2.5 million. Over 20 percent of county farmlands and open spaces are permanently preserved. This area is delineated as a land-trust which means that the land itself is publicly owned, so when purchasing a home, the purchaser is buying the building itself and also entering a long term lease with the land-owning entity. [3] The land trust covers some 665 acres and covers a variety of rural to urban communities. [4] Managed by an executive board and a board of trustees, they make decisions regarding land-use keeping in mind the principles of conservation and sustainability.

American Farmland Trust (AFT) was established in 1980 to preserve farmland and promote sustainable farming practices. Since its inception, the AFT has grown to be one of the largest farmland conservation groups in the nation boasting 7.1 million acres protected and $117 billion accrued through their efforts. [5] Their goal in doing all of this is that they will be able to keep farmers on the land by supporting them economically so the farmers can also adopt more conservation minded farming practices. By adopting conservation minded practices, they believe in the long-term success of the farms promoting a healthy ecosystem and water table that also produces adequate amounts of crops for the growing world population. [5] The Genesee Valley Conservancy was founded in New York in 1990. The Genesee Valley Conservancy is a public land trust [3] in western New York. The land-trust includes some 32,787 acres along the Genesee watershed. [6] The scope of the project is to protect habitats, open spaces, and farmland. In order to protect the land in the valley, they hope to add a nature preserve and expand upon existing ones. In order to increase their visibility and community understanding within the region they plan on providing educational and recreational opportunities. In order to increase and diversify funding they plan on outlining specific plans for funding of projects in hope that having defined goals will help bring on new support.

Farmland management

Conservation easement is one approach used to manage protected farms. There are different government programs that invest in conservation easement of farmlands, one program is run by the U.S Department of Agriculture. It is known by the abbreviation ACEP, which stands for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. The implementation of this program is to maintain current farms to preserve existing land for only agriculture uses. Through this program it protects grazing interests of livestock and the health of the land for the growing of agriculture. Groups through is program ca then be supplied funds to purchase Agriculture Land Easements. [2] ACEP can provide funds to different groups who want to preserve land such as non-profit organizations, local governments and Indian tribes. [3]

A transferable development rights program offers landowners financial incentives or bonuses for the conservation and maintenance of agricultural land. Land developers can purchase the development rights of certain properties within a designated "sending district" and transfer the rights to another "receiving district" to increase the density of their new development. [4] It provides more land for growing crops because it zones off plots of land to be growth zones. This allows for farmlands to not be sold for development and be preserved for agricultural. [5]

In addition, to different government programs there has also been several bills passed to preserve farmland. The Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) was a policy based to make sure federal funded programs do not develop land designated for crop growing or other agriculture purposes. The FPPA protects farmland from federal funded construction and other government projects that require the acquisition of property. [6]

There are many programs for farmland management, there are also government programs to help the land that the crops grow on. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) trades a year rental payment to remove certain parts of the land in order for the soil to improve. This program helps farmers take care of their land by getting support to help improve water and soil quality. It manages the health of the farmland. [7]

Preservation efforts

Virginia

In 2019, Virginia's Office of Farmland Preservation allocated matching funds to local programs that purchased development rights of farmland. [8] That year, the program was able to preserve 14,163.99 acres by matching $12,085,163.61 to funds raised by local programs. The Elsing Green is a 2,254 acre historic, Colonial Virginia plantation that granted the Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission a preservation easement in 1980. [9] This easement will ensure that the green and its surrounding areas will be protected from demolition, inappropriate development, and any future commercial development. The green was also placed on the Virginia Landmarks Registry (VLR) on May 13, 1969. [10] Similarly, the Oatlands Historical House and Gardens is a 263 acre plantation that was donated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation by the daughters of its final owner. [11] The site was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. [12]

Maryland

The largest of this land was located in Kent County, where 1,365 acres where preserved through $5,850,144.98 worth of easements. The Hampton Historical Site is a 63 acre preservation that includes the historic Hampton Mansion, gardens, historic farm buildings, slave quarters, and a family cemetery. [13] In the face of suburban expansion and farming becoming less viable, the Ridgely family decided to sell the remaining property to the National Park Service. [13] The site was restored before reopening in 1950. [13] In 2023, the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation was able to permanently preserve 4,600 acres of farmland by using $16,76732.23 in easements. [14]

Minnesota

The Minnesota Land Trust has been able to preserve approximately 79,421 acres that span across 698 projects. [15] The largest deal made by the trust was in 2021, with the purchase of 4 parcels valued at $4.2 million. [16] Upon purchase, the land was donated to St. Louis County, who will manage the land for recreation, wildlife, and sustainable time harvest. [16] In 2024, the Krueger Christmas Tree Farm completed easements that would preserve 36 of the 46 acres on their farm. [17]

Florida

In 2023, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson helped secure $300 million in funding for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP). [18] The program intends to provide funds easements for these farms, which in turn serve as a buffer to the Florida Wildlife Corridor. [19] The Department of Agriculture released rankings of 257 farms and placed Trailhead Blue Springs at first, which is a 12,098 acre cow ranch. [19] The largest of these project is the Adams Ranch in Osceola County, which is 24,027 acres and is used for cattle production. [19] In a joint effort by Conservation Florida and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, easements were placed on the XL Ranch Lightsey Cove that helped protect 527 acres along the Florida Wildlife Corridor. [20] This ranch is also located within the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape, which covers nearly 1.7 million acres and homes parts of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. [20]

Connecticut

In Connecticut, the Farmland Preservation Program has preserved over 45,300 acres of land across 373 farms. [21] This includes the historic Maple Bank Farm, which was offered an easement to preserve 51 of the 80 acres that the farm is found on. [22] In 2009, the program engaged in a three-way deal with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture to preserve Winsneke Farm. [23] The deal was the first in the history of the program to include the State of Connecticut, a land trust, and a federal agency. [23] After a 3-year application process, the town of Southington and the Farmland Preservation Program split the purchase of development rights to Karabin Farms in 2021. [24] This purchase protected over 1,000 acres in farmland and ensured that the farm would still remain operational. [24]

Partial list of preserved farms

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation easement</span> Type of legal arrangement applying to land

In the United States, a conservation easement is a power invested in a qualified land conservation organization called a "land trust", or a governmental entity to constrain, as to a specified land area, the exercise of rights otherwise held by a landowner so as to achieve certain conservation purposes. It is an interest in real property established by agreement between a landowner and land trust or unit of government. The conservation easement "runs with the land", meaning it is applicable to both present and future owners of the land. The grant of conservation easement, as with any real property interest, is part of the chain of title for the property and is normally recorded in local land records.

Land trusts are nonprofit organizations which own and manage land, and sometimes waters. There are three common types of land trust, distinguished from one another by the ways in which they are legally structured and by the purposes for which they are organized and operated:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Trustees of Reservations</span> Preservation and conservation nonprofit organization in MA, US (established 1891)

The Trustees of Reservations is a non-profit land conservation and historic preservation organization dedicated to preserving natural and historical places in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is the oldest land conservation nonprofit organization of its kind in the world and has 100,000 member households as of 2021. In addition to land stewardship, the organization is also active in conservation partnerships, community supported agriculture (CSA), environmental and conservation education, community preservation and development, and green building. The Trustees owns title to 120 properties on 27,000 acres (11,000 ha) in Massachusetts, all of which are open to the public. In addition, it holds 393 conservation restrictions to protect an additional 20,000 acres (8,100 ha). Properties include historic mansions, estates, and gardens; woodland preserves; waterfalls; mountain peaks; wetlands and riverways; coastal bluffs, beaches, and barrier islands; farmland and CSA projects; and archaeological sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Battlefield Trust</span> Nonprofit preserving battlefields

The American Battlefield Trust is a charitable organization whose primary focus is in the preservation of battlefields of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War, through the acquisition of battlefield land. The American Battlefield Trust was formerly known as the Civil War Trust. On May 8, 2018, the organization announced the creation of the American Battlefield Trust as the umbrella organization for two divisions, the Civil War Trust and the Revolutionary War Trust, which was formerly known as "Campaign 1776".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oatlands Historic House & Gardens</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

Oatlands Historic House and Gardens is an estate located in Leesburg, Virginia, United States. Oatlands is operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark. The Oatlands property is composed of the main mansion and 415 acres of farmland and gardens. The house is judged one of the finest Federal period country estate houses in the nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Land Conservancy</span>

The American Land Conservancy was an American non-profit organization whose goal was to protect the natural environment.

Development-supported agriculture is a nascent movement in real estate development that preserves and invests in agricultural land use. As farmland is lost due to the challenging economics of farming and the pressures of the real estate industry, DSA attempts to reconcile the need for development with the need to preserve agricultural land. The overall goal of DSA is to incubate small-scale organic farms that co-exist with residential land development, providing benefits to farmers, residents, the local community, and the environment.

The Agriculture Retention and Development Act was created as part of New Jersey's efforts to counteract the loss of farmland in the state. The legislation formed the basis needed for the state to purchase the easements of New Jersey farms in order to ensure they remain as farms, and could never be sold for housing or for non-farming commercial development. The effect was to slow farmland loss in the state. The farmland preservation efforts made in New Jersey have effectively kept the farms as private land with a public legacy of permanent farm status. As of July 2022, New Jersey has permanently preserved 2,800 farms covering 247,517 acres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah Open Lands Conservation Association</span> Nonprofit in the United States

Utah Open Lands Conservation Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust conservation association in the United States.

The Blue Ridge Land Conservancy (BRLC), formerly known as the Western Virginia Land Trust (WVLT), is a non-profit land trust and conservation organization headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia that seeks to preserve the wilderness and farmlands in the western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia from excessive commercial development. BRLC's service area contains ten counties: Bedford, Botetourt, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Montgomery, and Roanoke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slocum's River Reserve</span>

Slocum's River Reserve is a 47-acre (19 ha) open space preserve co-managed by the land conservation non-profit organizations The Trustees of Reservations and The Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust. The property includes 3,000 feet (910 m) of frontage along the tidal Slocum's River in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, 2 miles (3.2 km) of trails, woodland, agricultural fields, and pasture. The reserve is open to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County</span> Nonprofit organization in California

The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County (LCSLO) is a non-profit land trust organization that has been operating in San Luis Obispo County, California since 1984. The LCSLO is dedicated to the voluntary and collaborative preservation and improvement of lands that hold significant scenic, agricultural, habitat, and cultural values. Their work aims to benefit both the local community and wildlife that depends on these lands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montgomery County, Maryland Agricultural Reserve</span>

The Agricultural Reserve is a designated land use zone in Montgomery County, Maryland. The 93,000 acres (380 km2) zone was created in 1980 by the Montgomery County Council to preserve farm land and rural space in the northwestern part of the county. The farmland protection program has been characterized as "the most famous, most studied and most emulated" program of its kind in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust</span> U.S. nonprofit organization

Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust, or Joshua's Trust, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) land trust operating in northeast Connecticut. Joshua's Trust was incorporated in 1966 to help conserve property of significant natural or historic interest. As of 2011, the Trust protects more than 5,000 acres, maintains 42 miles of trails that are open to the public, holds educational outreach programs, and publishes the Joshua's Tract Walkbook.

Preservation development is a model of real-estate development that addresses farmland preservation. It shares many attributes with conservation development, with the addition of strategies for maintaining and operating productive agriculture and silviculture, often in perpetuity. A preservation development is a planned community that allows limited, carefully designed development on a working farm, while placing the majority of productive land under a system of easements and community governance to ensure a continuity of farming and environmental stewardship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilton Simpson</span> American politician (born 1966)

Wilton Earl Simpson is an American politician who has served as the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture since 2023. From 2012 to 2022, he served as a member of the Florida Senate, representing areas around Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco Counties. He was elected Senate President for the 2020–2022 legislature.

Scenic Hudson is a non-profit environmental organization in New York that was founded in 1963 to oppose a hydro-electric power project in New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Connecticut</span> Overview article

Agriculture played a major role in the early growth of Connecticut as one of the original 13 colonies that would form the United States of America, particularly in the Connecticut River valley which provides fertile soil, temperate climate and easy access to markets. As the Industrial Revolution helped focus capital on mercantile centers in the 19th century, Connecticut farmers over time ceded their relative economic and political influence.

The Land Trust for Tennessee is a non-profit conservation organization working to protect Tennessee's natural, scenic, and historic landscapes and sites. Since 1999, The Land Trust has conserved more than 135,000 acres (550 km2) of land across 65-plus Tennessee counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Sur Land Trust</span> Non-profit located in Monterey, California

The Big Sur Land Trust is a private 501(c)(3) non-profit located in Monterey, California, that has played an instrumental role in preserving land in California's Big Sur and Central Coast regions. The trust was the first to conceive of and use the "conservation buyer" method in 1989 by partnering with government and developers to offer tax benefits as an inducement to sell land at below-market rates. Since 1978, with the support of donors, funders and partners, it has conserved over 40,000 acres through conservation easements, acquisition and transfer of land to state, county and city agencies. It has placed conservation easements on 7,000 acres and has retained ownership of over 4,000 acres.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Montgomery County, Maryland Agricultural Reserve".
  2. 1 2 "Agricultural Conservation Easement Program - Florida | Natural Resources Conservation Service". www.nrcs.usda.gov. 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  3. 1 2 3 "Agricultural Conservation Easement Program". National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  4. 1 2 "Transfer of Development Rights; Fact Sheet" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: American Farmland Trust. April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-01-16.
  5. 1 2 3 "Transfer of Development Rights". FIC. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  6. 1 2 "Farmland Protection Policy Act | Natural Resources Conservation Service". www.nrcs.usda.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  7. ↑ "Conservation Reserve Program". national-content. 2020-09-23. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  8. ↑ "Farmland Preservation". Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  9. ↑ "About Elsing Green". Elsing Green. Elsing Green. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  10. ↑ "Elsing Green". Department of Historic Resources. Commonwealth of Virginia. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  11. ↑ "History of Oatlands". Oatlands. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  12. ↑ "History". Oatland. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 "History and Culture". Hampton National Historic Site. National Park Service. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  14. ↑ Curtis, Sean (5 October 2023). "Over 1,700 Acres of Eastern Shore Farmland Permanently Preserved" . Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  15. ↑ "Our Impact". Minnesota Land Trust. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  16. 1 2 Seitz, Greg (31 March 2021). "Over 4,000 acres of Potlatch land transferred for public use" . Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  17. ↑ Devine, Mary (4 February 2024). "'Trying to do our part': Lake Elmo tree farm puts land in permanent protection" . Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  18. ↑ Schorsch, Peter. "Hundreds of family farms chosen for land protection program". Florida Politics. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  19. 1 2 3 "2023 RFLPP Projects Rankings". Florida Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  20. 1 2 "Conservation Florida, NRCS Permanently Protect 527-Acre XL Ranch Lightsey Cove within Florida Wildlife Corridor". 22 May 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  21. ↑ "Farmland Preservation Overview". Connecticut Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  22. ↑ Koerting, Katrina (17 September 2020). "One of CT's oldest farms now permanently protected in Roxbury". Newstimes. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  23. 1 2 "Wisneske Farm, Norwich and Franklin". Connecticut Land Trust. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  24. 1 2 McGrath, Kaitlyn (12 January 2021). "Karabin Farms in Southington Now Permanently Protected" . Retrieved 19 February 2024.
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