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<br />The planning effort was funded primarily by two state grants. In 1999, the county received
<br />$200,000 to increase public awareness about farmland and natural area protection, conduct a
<br />countywide inventory of farmland and natural areas, and prepare a protection plan. The county
<br />provided about $50,000 of in -kind services to carry out those tasks. A second grant of $93,500
<br />in 2001 allowed county planners to reach out to landowners, investigate funding options and
<br />provide assistance to Dakota County cities and townships to protect priority farmland and
<br />natural areas.
<br />For more information:
<br />Jill Schwartz,
<br />AFT's director of marketing,
<br />(202) 331 -7300
<br />ischwartz@farmland.org
<br />The county hopes to implement key strategies such as PDR to protect productive farmland in
<br />Linda von der Heide,
<br />Rensselaer County
<br />contiguous blocks next to natural areas and promote the use of existing metropolitan'. "agricul -
<br />tural preserves" that offer farmers tax credits in exchange for eight years of continued farming,
<br />principal planner,
<br />Tools for cities and townships might include 1/40 acre agricultural zoning, - exclusive agricultural
<br />(518) 270 -2921
<br />zoning and special building restrictions for the most productive soils. The county commis_ signers.,.:, �� .. `Kurt
<br />approved the strategies in January but have not yet begun implementing them..;::;?
<br />Chatfield,
<br />Dakota .County
<br />"We tried to balance farmland protection with a need for the county to grow,'. Chatfield says ` :.
<br />Principal planner,
<br />By protecting farmland near natural areas, "the two gals can'com complement each other..iri a "r
<br />[9 , p
<br />(.952) 891 -7022
<br />symbiotic relationship."
<br />KURT.CHATFIELD@co.dakota.mn.us
<br />At least a decade before Rensselaer and Dakota counties embarked :u on 16 ca ":'r p p .
<br />tion plans, Yolo County, California, officials adopted a precedent -sgWng blueprint to guide the
<br />John Bencomo,
<br />area's growth. Yolo planners wanted to ensure that the California: growth 'machine didn't swallow
<br />their county, tucked between the San Francisco Bay region and-Sacramento :.:County
<br />Yolo County's director for
<br />planning and public works,
<br />officials
<br />approved a general comprehensive' plan, including an, optional '.'agriculturai. °element':' that
<br />(530) 666 -8045
<br />provides guidance on all land use decisioris that impact,agricultu,ral resources.- In Yolo County,
<br />approximately 90 percent of the land covered by its general: plan -is designated as agricultural.
<br />"We're heavily invested in agr1iculture;' that's.'our base,. ,says-, ohn:. Bencomo; rYolo's director for
<br />y.,,J•...
<br />; .
<br />planning and public works. "My mantra is that it. happened:in Ventura County, San Jose County
<br />and Monterey, and it's not going to.happen here.,
<br />The county's plan calls for agricultural zoning�ninimurn acreage requirements of 80 acres in
<br />"agricultural
<br />preserve" zoned land: Yolo also approved, county /city tax- sharing agreements that
<br />make it possible to direct .growth toward the. county's cities: A farmland mitigation ordinance,
<br />an unusual rule, requires.developers'who win a: zoning change from agriculture to "mitigate"
<br />for each acre of farmland :..they.build,upon by permanently protecting one acre of equal or
<br />better quality land someplace; else.;in.:the county. Typically, the new land is put under conserva-
<br />tion easement.
<br />Today, Yolo officials are poised.to update their general plan. High on the list is the agricultural
<br />element, something not required under state law but a continued high priority for Yolo County
<br />commissioners as they-,* a'tc'h growth drive, literally, along the 1 -80 and 1 -5 corridors that angle
<br />through the county..:'.VVe're trying to get in a 'ready' position and to direct growth to those areas
<br />where there are less p rime soils and fewer agricultural resources," Bencomo says. V.B.
<br />Total mandatory spending in Farm Bill* ....................................... ............................... $457.8 billion
<br />Ratio of commodity to conservation spending (Total 10 yrs.) .............. 3.S: 1
<br />Far
<br />mland: Protection Pro • `���•� � � �```
<br />`..� . ..:.. .. ......:. ... ram.. FPP :fur>Idin million
<br />5pendin 1996= 200.7`•' r
<br />'.
<br />,.::;: �.!......,.... ..,:: $52 million.'
<br />Autftorized• 2002 -2007 ;'
<br />........... , ; °,'$597:.million
<br />Pirojecto 008
<br />��,:.1 Pik.. twr \,Yn. " `Y(''�'��.J�c^r-.rta�- r^nx�'r'n� •. �• :. ;... ,. .,. _:r i .. .,•r+ .,—..K ,.,.- -...�. n.
<br />: .. ...... ... f% � ('N!'wr'1F1?:ti1:t4!T�fCfl•..'M m!llTiYaGR.:M1nvRlawu.�llk ..++wr'^.M:•. �r:+n�it _ ..n-r.+r`•. :. .�..��.s :w ..-.. ...r- .._.�_ ,.... .
<br />- I•. - ��_,:c��t71:,a':l.•'',w r�...a��. S' .. 'r..6 ::.4.F j.J. rn't±•.h -- �. `•��^:- L %''Ii hf vL
<br />x .i�v 1 "u111:Lai•..':Fa� r 4.+'s �.•.•. tr1:
<br />Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002
<br />I Source: Congressional Budget Once H.R. 2646 Estimate of Budget Authority, 05103102
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