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Farmers plant idea for future <br />http : / /www. charlotte. com/ observer / local /catawba/docs /farmland0903.htm <br />Famil <br />or getting stuck behind a tractor on their way to work. <br />Faith <br />Gardening <br />Home <br />plus, if the state wants to build a road through a farm or the <br />Entertainment <br />government wants to condemn and purchase farmland for a school, it <br />Just Go - <br />must go through the farmland preservation committee first. <br />Arts <br />Book reviews <br />"The general idea is to give the farmer a bigger voice in proceedings <br />Travel - <br />that affect him directly," Cassavaugh said. <br />RESOURCES <br />Story search <br />Farmers haven't had much of a voice in government because they are a <br />Site index <br />minority. But they own what is becoming the county's most valued <br />City Guide <br />Contact us <br />property open space - and their land will be called upon to produce <br />Feedback <br />food for more and more people in future years, Cassavaugh said. <br />charlotte.com <br />The Caldwell County commissioners have authorized the creation of a <br />ft <br />26 ef r <br />steering committee. The committee, which will have representatives <br />from different the types of farmers in Caldwell County, land <br />"'° <br />development and farm credit, will begin meeting this month to draft <br />i <br />'CREDIT � t� :k <br />- <br />FILL C-11-IT AN <br />the program' s bylaws. <br />. <br />The program won't preserve the farms forever, but it will encourage <br />farmers to stay in the business, Cassavaugh said. <br />S, '. 1 !! <br />5 <br />Farmland and open space preservation is a hot issue across the region. <br />3�, Y� <br />8 <br />Ten N.C. counties have similar programs to the one Caldwell is <br />Y <br />considering, and some counties have launched more aggressive <br />campaigns. <br />In York County, S.C., a county - funded group called York County <br />Forever is dedicated to preserving one acre of open space for every <br />acre that becomes a strip mall or parking lot. <br />But the project has become somewhat controversial. The group wants <br />to focus on purchasing development rights or easements from farmers. <br />A farmer who sells development rights still owns the land but can't sell <br />it to a developer. The York County Council has balked at the idea of <br />spending tax money on land it wouldn't own. <br />An environmental group in Cleveland County has had a couple of <br />community forums to educate farmers on selling development rights, <br />said Bill McCarter, county planning director. "Our older adults who <br />were large landowners are getting to the point where they're looking at <br />what their options are for estate planning," he said. "Many are not <br />aware of how to go about preserving the farm and being able to obtain <br />the same revenue." <br />While John Thuss, chairman of the Caldwell County commissioners, <br />said the county would pursue the idea of purchasing development <br />rights, Nagy was quick to point out that this preservation project is not <br />about buying easements. <br />1) 11 9/6/2000 1 :07 PM <br />