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July - Aug. 2004 farmland preservation report Page 3
<br />Nation's Top 12
<br />Rank County
<br />Local
<br />Total
<br />Preserved
<br />Acres
<br />Farmland
<br />Ag
<br />Program
<br />Acres'
<br />Preservation Programs
<br />Current
<br />Ag Other Funding
<br />Program Program Available
<br />Gain Ag Acres3 (millions)4
<br />Market
<br />Value of
<br />Ag Products
<br />(millions)
<br />1
<br />Montgomery (MD)
<br />61,394
<br />55,315
<br />11953
<br />61079
<br />5
<br />41.6
<br />2
<br />Lancaster (PA)
<br />55,784
<br />45,175
<br />n/a
<br />101609
<br />8.8
<br />798.3
<br />3
<br />Chester (PA)
<br />48,519
<br />17,908
<br />n/a
<br />30,611
<br />28
<br />376.7
<br />4
<br />Carroll (MD)
<br />44,726
<br />391570
<br />21376
<br />51156
<br />10
<br />68.9
<br />5
<br />Sonoma (CA)
<br />43,022
<br />39,207
<br />1,156
<br />31815
<br />22
<br />571.7
<br />6
<br />Baltimore (MD)
<br />41,267
<br />22,042
<br />1,200
<br />19,225
<br />1.6
<br />62.1
<br />7
<br />Berks (PA)
<br />40,740
<br />37,813
<br />4,773
<br />2,927
<br />9.7
<br />286.9
<br />8
<br />Harford (MD)
<br />37,400
<br />33,568
<br />2,383
<br />31832
<br />8
<br />26.0
<br />9
<br />Marin (CA)
<br />37,237
<br />35,112
<br />21632
<br />2,125
<br />3
<br />43.0
<br />10
<br />Burlington (NJ)
<br />35,750
<br />18,973
<br />1,279
<br />16,777
<br />n/a
<br />83.2
<br />11
<br />York (PA)
<br />32,626
<br />27,561
<br />n/a
<br />5,065
<br />2.2
<br />147.6
<br />12
<br />Frederick (MD)
<br />28,303
<br />211239
<br />11623
<br />7,064
<br />n/a
<br />96.7
<br />TOTALS:
<br />5061768
<br />393,483
<br />16593
<br />113,285
<br />98.3
<br />2.6 billion
<br />Notes
<br />1 Ag program acres may include acres preserved through state or county programs, and may include acres under contract but not yet
<br />settled. In Montgomery County, lands protected through TDR make up the majority of ag program acres. 2 No gain noted indicates
<br />acres adjusted for errors or contracted acres unavailable at presstime. 3Other programs include the Maryland Rural Legacy Program,
<br />local land trusts that protect farmlands, TDR programs not operated by the county, and other local programs that permanently set
<br />aside agricultural land and allow agricultural use. 4Current local funds available or committed for one or more years. All localities
<br />receive, or are eligible to receive, federal Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program funds.
<br />Source: Interviews with county personnel and private organizations, July 2004.
<br />Other sources of preserved acres, by county Source of funding, by county
<br />Montgomery Md. Rural Legacy Prg, MET
<br />Lancaster Lancaster Farmland Trust, municipal TDR
<br />Chester
<br />Brandywine Conservancy, Natural Lands Trust (1,979)
<br />Carroll
<br />Rural Legacy, MET, Carroll County Land Trust
<br />Sonoma
<br />Sonoma County Land Trust
<br />Baltimore
<br />Md. Rural Legacy Prg, MET, local land trusts
<br />Berks
<br />Berks County Conservancy
<br />Harford
<br />Md. Rural Legacy Prg, MET
<br />Marin
<br />Marin Open Space District
<br />Burlington
<br />Pinelands Development Credit Bank
<br />York
<br />Farm & Natural Lands Trust
<br />Frederick
<br />Md. Rural Legacy Prg, MET, ISTEA
<br />About the FPR Annual Survey of Local Programs
<br />Local general fund; state programs
<br />State program; local general fund, municipal TDR
<br />Bonds; state program; municipal match
<br />State programs; local general fund
<br />Dedicated 1/4 percent sales tax
<br />State programs; local bond
<br />Local bond issue
<br />State programs; local real estate transfer tax
<br />State grants; private grants; fundraising
<br />Dedicated property tax; regional & local TDR
<br />State program; local general fund; twp tipping fee
<br />State programs; local general fund
<br />How localities qualify for the survey This survey, conducted every July, measures farmland preservation by
<br />1) number of acres permanently preserved; 2) political leadership and administrative skill; and, 3) significant funding.
<br />While number of acres determine ranking, inclusion in the survey requires meeting the other criteria. At least 200
<br />localities in the U.S. are using, or have used, agricultural conservation easements and many more qualify for assistance
<br />to do so under state and federal programs. How counties are ranked The ranking considers a locality's total
<br />farmland preservation effort, including activities of other entities and programs, such as land trusts, open space
<br />districts that use easements, other state programs that hold easements on agricultural land, and easements assisted
<br />with a combination of funding sources. Acres reported are expected to include natural areas that are part of a
<br />property under agricultural use. Lands preserved primarily for environmental protection are asked to be excluded.
<br />Use of this table: Subscribers are permitted to use this table in a press release. Otherwise, reproduction of this table for use
<br />outside of a subscriber's agency is prohibited. It should not be reproduced or transferred to another location or agency. Questions
<br />about the survey should be directed to the publisher at 410 692 -2708 or email: bowerspub @hotmail.com.
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