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ODA announces
funding for local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program
Funding through Darke County SWCD is $291,749
REYNOLDSBURG, OH (Nov. 09, 2016) – The Ohio Department of Agriculture
today announced that nine land trusts, four counties, one township and
11 Soil and Water Conservation Districts will receive funding to help
preserve farmland across the state. These organizations will
receive allocations from the Clean Ohio Fund to select, close and
monitor easements under the Local Agricultural Easement Purchase
Program (LAEPP).
LAEPP sponsor organizations will accept applications from Ohio
landowners interested in selling an agricultural easement on their
farms. A total of $8,000,000 will be made available in this
funding round. Local sponsors have been certified to accept
applications in 58 counties. Interested landowners should contact
the certified local sponsor in their county for application details.
The program allows landowners to voluntarily sell easements on their
farms to the state of Ohio. The easement requires the farm remain
permanently in agriculture production. Selected farms must be 40
acres or more, actively engaged in farming, participate in the Current
Agricultural Use Valuation program, demonstrate good stewardship of the
land, have the support of their local government and not lay directly
in the path of development. Landowners may use the proceeds of
the easement in any way they wish, but most reinvest it in their farm
operations.
Funding for the program is derived from the Clean Ohio Conservation
Fund, approved by voters in 2008. When combined with easements from all
programs, 380 family farms in 55 counties have collectively preserved
more than 63,000 acres in agricultural production.
For more information on Ohio’s farmland preservation effort visit:
http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/FarmLand/.
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