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. 72 t &'Awl 1 :::::::: : ::;:::::;>:::::::: >:::::::>::>::>::>;::<: ::::: ::::::.:: ::::>:; :::::::::4 : ::>: :>::::: ::::::: •::; 1::: 1.111.:<:::> [RUC American Farmland Trust is a private Although a rural acre with a new house will conservation organization that works to stop the undoubtedly generate more total revenue than an loss of productive farmland and to promote farming acre of cows or corn , such simplistic arguments do practices that lead to a healthy environment . We not provide communities with a realistic bottom act on our mission through policy development , line . Especially where farming and forestry are demonstration land projects and public education to still important industries , the claims do not consider protect the best farmland for future generations and the real property tax contribution of privately to encourage good stewardship of our vital owned natural resources . While they may be lower farmland resources . However , AFT is neither a revenue generators , farm and forest lands require pro -growth nor an anti-growth organization . minimal public infrastructure and services . Our regional office in Northampton , Mass . Of these claims , AFT is most concerned about covers the Mid-Atlantic States and New England those used to oppose laws and statutes that benefit from Delaware to Maine . Although this is a highly farmland , most notably use - value or current-use urbanized region and much of our agriculture is on assessment , agricultural districts and zoning , and the urban- edge , there are also some extremely rural purchase of conservation easement programs . What areas . Three of the most common claims we hear particularly concerns us is that despite these claims , when we work at the local level are : no basis in fact exists for opposing farmland retention programs to solve fiscal problems . Use- 1 . Residential development will lower property taxes by increasing the tax base ; value assessment programs were designed to 2 . Farmland gets an unfair tax break when it is encourage landowners to keep the working assessed at its actual use for agriculture instead of landscape in production . Typically , these programs its potential use for development ; and assess farmland and forestland at the value, of their 3 . Open lands , including productive farms and current use instead of at the value of their potential forests , are interim uses awaiting conversion to use for development . their " highest and best use . " 1