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44 FEATURE ARTICLE ................................................... :................................ ............................... ............................, ous blocks of farmland, located on prime soils. PDR contracts usually set minimum land requirements for entry, for example, 25 -acre blocks in mountainous regions and 501acre blocks in flatter climes. Local organizations usually determine the amount of tillable land needed to keep agriculture a viable part of the county economy. For example, Baltimore County, Mary- land has set a goal of preserving 80,000 acres of farmland, while St. Mary's County, Maryland has set a more conservative goal to protect 17,000 acres of farmland. In the American Farmland Trust's "model" of an ag district con- tract, those who join must agree to a 10 -year "no development" schedule, even though they have not yet received payment for development rights. The AFT says the10 -year period is necessary in order to give the county/state time to raise ade- quate funds to buy development rights in the district. (In North Carolina the existing Voluntary Farmland Preservation district statute does not contain this pro- vision. Landowners are permitted to leave an agricultural distract if they so desire.) To entice farmers to join agricul- tural districts, AFT suggests that other incentives be established, such as offer- ing additional right -to -farm protec- tions, tax rollbacks /credits and protection from municipal annexation. Establishing trust is foremost in creating a successful agricultural dis- trict and increasing membership. Farmers must trust the process and be permitted to play a role in opera- tion of the district. For this reason North Carolina is examining an ag district model that involves the local Soil and Water Conservation Dis- tricts (SWCD.) This could be a plus because many farmers are familiar with, and currently involved with these county organizations. The local SWCD can work with landowners, farm organizations and county governments to set up agri- culture districts, promote farmland preservation throughout the county and approve funds spent on PDR. Additionally, the SWCD could approve soil and water conservation plans for land included in conserva- tion easements and work with local planners to ensure targeted farmland is protected. Another suggestion for North Carolina is use of the "open space" subdivision idea. Open space subdi- visions leave a portion of the devel- opment in open space and an easement is placed over protected farmland. Last year Governor Hunt indicated he would like to see a mandatory requirement that devel- opers use this concept in preserving at lease 20 percent of all develop- ments. Currituck and Orange Coun- ties have open space subdivision ordinances. Land preservation groups have suggested that North Carolina dedi- cate $20 million a year for an ideal statewide effort. The North Caroli- na Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has requested $1 million for farmland preservation in their 2001 budget request. Also, the Governor's Advisory .Committee on Agriculture is developing recommen- dations to apply $5 million in tobacco settlement money to farmland preservation efforts. The Million Acre Initiative Former Governor Hunt's Mil- lion Acre Initiative, encompasses two types of programs that acquire inter- est in property. The first is a tradi- tional, fee simple acquisition program that purchases land directly or acquires donated lands. Such land 7 is then placed into public (federal, state or local) ownership. Some examples include parks, greenways and state forests. These require vari- ous government bodies to become land managers and stewards. The second type program involves conservation easements, through which an interest in land is acquired through purchase of devel- opment rights, while keeping the land in private ownership. Under this type program the private landowner retains title to the land and can continue to use land produc- tively. A conservation easement plan serves the public interest because stewardship and oversight remains in private hands. State taxpayers could not afford to purchase and manage all lands needing protection and local communities also support this type program because protected land remains on local tax roles. Preserving farmland through purchase of conservation easements is one way to promote accomplish- ment of the million acre initiative. In addition to providing food and fiber for society, working agricultural land serves to benefit rural and state economies, providing open greenspace and wildlife habitat on property with approved soil and water conservation plans. Although farmland preservation represents an important part of any initiative, it must be viewed in a wider context. To be successful in the long term, such programs must be coupled with efforts to sustain and promote North Carolina agriculture, creating more export markets, rural economic development, financial opportunities and expanded public education of the importance of agri- culture to North Carolina. m NC FARM BUREAU NEWS — FeaRuARY 2001