creating hope—one rural county at a time

New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future

Farmland Preservation

WHY PRESERVE RURAL FARMLAND?

 

In the fifteen years between 1982 and 1997,

the population of the US grew by 17 percent –

but the amount of land developed increased by 47%!

Between 1992 and 1997, the US LOST to development

an area of farmland

equal to the size of the state of Maryland (6 million acres)!

Worse, PRIME agricultural land

disappeared 30 percent faster than more marginal farmland.

 

Here in Kentucky, in the same 15 years,

we lost almost 600,000 acres of cropland and pasture to development,

and of those, almost half (283,000 acres) were PRIME agricultural land.

Kentucky is still losing farmland at the rate of 140 acres per day!

 

New Pioneers Farmland Preservation Committee is promoting two programs to help local farm families make the commitment to preserve quality farmland from development:

 

· Register farmland as a KY Agricultural District—cost-free and simple

           (Info:  www.conservation.ky.gov, click on Programs)

 

· Donate development rights for significant tax savings

          (Info:  www.irs.gov:  IRS Notice 2007-50)

           (Info: www.stevesmall.com/uploads/1.pdf)

 

For more information about either of these programs or to volunteer to help promote farmland preservation in central Kentucky, contact us by email or phone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Pioneers Farmland Preservation Committee members:

      Rick Greenwell                                       J. Stephen Smith

      Attorney Susan McCain                          Joseph Tapp

      Richard Medley                                      Martha Young, Chair

                                        Claire McGowan OP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Joseph Tapp, Grundy Homestead Farm