Agricultural Land Preservation
in the United States: Fundamental Approaches and Resources
Agricultural lands provide many types of
value to landowners, private citizens, communities,
and society at large. The general public
prefers guided or managed growth to maintain
multifunctional land values for future generations.
Managed growth is also a part of responsible
governance to protect working agricultural
landscapes and ecological integrity. As of
2003, more than 1.3 million acres of agricultural
land had been protected from conversion to
non-agricultural uses (Farmland
Information Center) using various mechanisms,
including purchase of conservation easements.
What land should be preserved and for what
purposes? What level of private and public
resources should be made available for purchasing
conservation easements? How should priorities
be set to protect critical and sensitive
areas with limited private and public funds
to achieve best results? Both private and
public institutions will have to address
these questions and concerns.
Agricultural land preservation constitutes
sensible resource management for sustainable
agriculture. It also stands on its own as
a local, state, or national policy goal to
mitigate land fragmentation and haphazard
development. Various tools, resources, and
model programs are available to facilitate
agricultural land preservation. Each individual
and community has unique goals, challenges,
and collective knowledge that will determine
the appropriate mix of tools to guide its
private and public actions in crafting effective
local land-use management and policy.
Flexibility and knowledge in local conditions
are the most pervasive features of successful
programs to preserve lands for multiple functions
meeting agricultural operations, managing
land use, and achieving environmental, social,
and economic vitality objectives. Scientists
and educators at the land-grant universities
provide research-based information, analyses,
and educational programs that will help facilitate
this process at the local and state levels.
Continue to What
the Public Values About Agricultural Land
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