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<br />Page 4 July - August 2001
<br />farmland preservation report
<br />Nation's Top 12 Local Farmland Preservation Programs
<br />Rank
<br />County
<br />Total
<br />preserved
<br />acres
<br />Ag
<br />program
<br />acres
<br />Ag program
<br />gain
<br />(since 8-00)
<br />Other
<br />preserved ag
<br />acres`
<br />$ available for
<br />ag program
<br />(in millions)
<br />1
<br />Montgomery (MD)
<br />532503
<br />51,444
<br />2,434
<br />2,086
<br />$6.5
<br />2
<br />Lancaster (PA)#
<br />432701
<br />35,481
<br />4,843
<br />8,220
<br />$28
<br />3
<br />Chester (PA)
<br />402701
<br />14,300
<br />3,600
<br />26,401
<br />$15
<br />4
<br />Sonoma (CA)
<br />393932
<br />37,873
<br />7,313
<br />2,059
<br />$49
<br />5
<br />Carroll (MD)#
<br />372394
<br />34,676
<br />2,156
<br />2,718
<br />$7
<br />6
<br />Marin (CA)
<br />332338
<br />30,338
<br />631
<br />3,000
<br />$9
<br />7
<br />Baltimore (MD)
<br />312438
<br />18,528
<br />389
<br />12,910
<br />$7,3
<br />8
<br />Harford (MD)#
<br />302976
<br />27,843
<br />1,157
<br />3,133
<br />$2
<br />9
<br />Burlington (NJ)#
<br />26,548
<br />16,926
<br />2,613
<br />9,622
<br />$4
<br />10
<br />York (PA)
<br />24,560
<br />20,924
<br />2,647
<br />3,636
<br />$3.47
<br />11
<br />Berks (PA)
<br />232913
<br />21,221
<br />5,676
<br />2,692
<br />$30
<br />12
<br />Howard (MD)#
<br />23,065
<br />19,665
<br />1,577
<br />3,400
<br />$15
<br />Table A
<br /># Counties using installment purchases
<br />Includes land under easement through other entities or programs; lands are predominantly agricultural.
<br />In Maryland counties, figures may be actual acquisition cost per acre through the state program only.
<br />"` USDA figure shows how many acres are in agricultural use countywide.
<br />Sources: Interviews with county program administrators and land trusts, July 2001, and, USDA 1997 Census of Agriculture.
<br />FARMLAND PRESERVATION REPORT
<br />7th ANNUAL SURVEY:
<br />PROGRESSIVE LOCAL PROGRAMS
<br />How localities qualify for the survey
<br />This survey looks at a locality's progress in farm-
<br />land preservation in terms of 1) Number of acres
<br />permanently preserved; 2) political leadership and
<br />administrative skill; and, 3) significant commitment
<br />of funds. While the ranking itself considers only
<br />number of acres preserved, to be included in the
<br />survey all localities must meet the other criteria,
<br />How counties are ranked
<br />The survey considers a locality's total farmland
<br />preservation effort, including the activities of other
<br />entities and programs, such as land trusts, and,
<br />Maryland's Rural Legacy Program, If preserved
<br />acres are agricultural land. For example, Baltimore
<br />County has five Rural Legacy Areas, but one of the
<br />areas is completely forested and preserved acres
<br />there are not counted.
<br />New in this year's survey
<br />This year Table B confines rankings to northeast-
<br />ern states and traditional purchase and transfer of
<br />development rights programs funded by state and
<br />local government. Also, Table A now shows ag
<br />program gains.
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