Agenda - 11-05-1979 - Laserfiche WebLink

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IL CTSHEET LEGISLATION iaG� National Assoclatlon of Counties 1735 New York Ave-N.W.Washington, D.C,20004(ZOZ) 785-9577 Bemard F.Hillenbrand,Executive Director AGRICULTURAL LAND PROTECTION ACT, H.R. 2551 FARMLAND PROTECTION ACT S. 795 BACKGROUND The Soil Conservation Service has reported that 3 million acres of all types of farmland are being converted to non-farm use annually and that 1 million acres is It farmland. Loss of agricultural land requires increased energy use to trans- port foodstuff. There has been a significant loss of topsoil in some major farming areas and growth in the yield per acre in the United States has peaked and leveled off. The continued loss of agricultural land will have major consequences for local and U.S. food supplies, world food needs and America's balance of trade. H.R. 2551 and S. 795 Both bills are an modest attempt to address the consequences of federal actions on ,agricultural land. H.R. 2551 as approved by the House Agriculture Subcommittee on the Family Farm, Rural Development and Special Studies, and S. 9795 as introduced would: (1) Require federal agency actions to be consistent or compatible with local, coun- ty and state agricultural land protection programs. It would require that federal agencies give agricultural values consideration along with enconomic, technical, and environmental factors in making decisions affecting farmland. This is an important approach for coor- dinating actions of local, state and federal governments. (2) Authorize the Department of Agriculture to provide technical assistance and demonstration grants to local, county and state governments to develop and carryout agri- cultural land protection programs. H.R. 2551 authorizes 50% matching grants at $15 million the 1st year, $25 million the 2nd, and $20 million the 3rd year; S. 795 authorizes 25% matching grants at $9 million the 1st year, $25 million the 2nd, and $15 million the 3rd. The purpose of the demonstration program is to test the new application of known methods; to develop combinations of methods, and to develop new methods such as new tax approaches, purchase and lease back, compensable regulation, and programs for strengthen- ing local agricultural economies. The choice of the farmland protection method, and the policies and elements of state and local programs would be decided by local and state elected officials. H.R. 2551 li- mits the program to funding not more than 2 projects researching any single method for retaining agricultural land. (over)