Why is farmland disappearing

Application period closes Jan. Program information and applications are available on our website www. Want to learn more? You can reach us by phone at or by email at amy. We would be happy to answer any questions or help you with your application. Donations accepted and matched. By Keyword By topic By state. The leading states have a comprehensive suite of programs and link them strategically to simultaneously protect land, support farm viability, and transfer land to the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

AFT is taking decisive action to slow the loss of farmland to development and to permanently protect vulnerable land with agricultural conservation easements. And to do it all with a priority focus on our best agricultural land—the most productive, versatile, and resilient. And while private development drives much of the conversion of agricultural land, the federal government plays an important role.

She said tax incentives have gone a long way to slow down farmland development in the Northeast. When land is no longer used for agriculture, a conversion tax is paid. More than easements or preferential taxation, the recession significantly slowed the development of farmland. But Hill said farmers still wanted to protect the legacy of their land. Map: Kane County, to Slide the white bar in the middle left or right to see how this portion of northern Kane County has changed in the last 30 years.

Residential development is especially evident on the right side of the map. Clearly, farmers and ranchers benefit from easements and tax breaks for agricultural land use. Gottlieb said for urban and suburban residents, farmland and open spaces are an amenity.

Beyond crop production, farmland provides protection against congestion, traffic, cultural grounding and access to local food. Kane County continues to evolve its strategy around farmland protection. Hill said these short-term plans are ideal for fruit and vegetable producers who operate on smaller farms than traditional row crop farmers. Hill said the county has even opened up some of its public land for animal grazing, realizing that preserves and parks may have better use than simply large swaths of grass.

There is an important distinction to make, Hardee said, when it comes to defining LDR development in those kinds of situations.

Agricultural land is a limited resource. Once removed to another use, it highly unlikely to be returned back into the production of food and fiber. Rural land is also attractive to developers because it represents a way to cut costs, said Evan Davis, Farmland Preservation assistant director.

Other than simply being open land, farmland is targeted for development because by definition it has been maintained and cared for prior to developers moving in. Farmers may have implemented conservation practices such as erosion control to protect their land, which makes moving into that space much easier for developers than needing to clear out forests or other vegetation themselves.

That problem is exacerbated by a general lack of zoning laws in many counties across the state, said Laura Brookshire, Farmland Preservation document specialist. Gaps in those regulations — or the lack of any regulation at all — make it easy for developers to snatch up prime agricultural land for residential or commercial use.