April 30
is the closing date for Farmland Legacy Program Applications
April
30, 2012, is the closing date for the second round of 2012 ranking
for the Farmland Legacy Program (FLP). The FLP takes applications
throughout the year and scores them twice a year in order to rank
them for available funding for purchasing development right(s).
April 30, 2012, will be the closing date for taking applications
to be ranked for the second half of 2012. Applications already submitted
and are not yet funded will be placed back into the ranking unless
applicants have given other notice. The two times during the year
that applications are ranked are after an April 30th and October
31st closing date. If you have any questions please contact Kendra
Smith, Program Director, (360) 419-3303.
Purpose
The
Skagit County Farmland
Legacy Program is a county initiative that purchases agricultural
easements on Skagit
farmland, and works to support policies, programs, and plans that
enhance the protection of farmland. Funding comes from the conservation
tax and is often leveraged with federal and state grants and private
donations.
Contact
Kendra Smith, Executive
Director (360) 419-3303 kendras@co.skagit.wa.us
Linda Christensen, Administrative Assistant
(360) 419-7620lindac@co.skagit.wa.us
Responsibilities
The
Skagit County Conservation
Futures Advisory Board is responsible for administering the Farmland
Legacy Program, which purchases development rights and places perpetual
conservation easements on agricultural lands.
Program Concept
Purchase of Development
Right (PDR) programs have been established in many localities across
the country as a means of protecting farmland for long-term agricultural
use. PDR is a voluntary program which enables property owners
to sell their development rights to the County while holding fee simple
title to their land and continuing to farm. The easement places permanent
restrictions on future use and development of the land in order to
protect its agricultural character and productivity. Easements are
held by the County in perpetuity. The property owner continues to
own the land and may sell or lease the farm if he or she chooses but
the development restrictions run with the land. The intention is to
maintain the farmland in a productive manner allowing uses that support
that goal.
Related links:
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Approval
of the recommendations of the Conservation Futures Advisory Committee
and initiating a purchase of development rights program for
farmland preservation. This report presents the recommendations
of the Conservation Futures Program Advisory Committee on design
of a purchase of development rights PDR program to preserve prime
agricultural lands and critical areas in Skagit County to be funded through the County
recently enacted Conservation Futures Tax.
Meetings
Next
meeting: June 13 at 8:00 am
CFAC
meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 8:00 a.m. at 1800 Continental Place in the Skagit Room unless otherwise noted
Related
links: www.skagitionians.org;
Agricultural
Advisory Board
Conservation Future
Advisory Committee (CFAC):
History
of the Legacy Program
- 1996
The Farmland Legacy
Program is established by the Skagit
County Board of Commissioners, enabling use of the Conservation
Futures taxing mechanism authorized by the state legislature for
easement purchase.
- 1998
The Farmland Legacy
Program is awarded a federal matching grant of $450,000 for farmland
protection by the United States Department of Agriculture.
- 1999
The Conservation Futures
Program purchased development rights and placed easements on over
500 acres in its first full year of operation.
- 2001
The Conservation Futures
Program obtained 25 properties under easement, representing 2,300
acres.
The Farmland Legacy
Program is awarded a federal matching grant of $304,800 for farmland
protection by the United States Department of Agriculture.
- 2004
Skagit County hosted the 2004
Washington Agricultural Summit, expanding the “Western Washington
Ag Summit” to include the whole state, and drawing over 150 people.
The Conservation Futures
Program protected a 400+ acre dairy farm immediately north of the
City of Burlington.
Keynote speaker, United States Congressman Rick Larsen, helped celebrate
the protection of this most strategically important property to-date.
- 2006
The Conservation Futures
Program protected over 5,000 acres.
- 2009
Nearly 7,000 acres protected;
the largest grant to date offered from USDA for $720,000; Received
State RCO grant for $319,000 awarded to Smith farm, which won the
top ranked project in the state; and partnered with The Nature Conservancy
for the first time and Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland for the second time.
Farmland Legacy Today
Interest in the Conservation
Futures Program has outpaced program budget capacity, thanks in part
to the word-of-mouth of the Skagit County
farmers who are committed to maintaining and enhancing the Skagit agricultural
landscape. The Conservation Futures Advisory Committee, comprised
of farmers and representatives from Skagit
Land Trust and Skagit Conservation
District, estimates that the Conservation Futures Program could protect
at least 3,000 acres annually with adequate staff and resources.
“Protect an Acre
of Farmland” Donations
This
is a wonderful opportunity to help protect farmland and its tax deductable.
For every gift of $2800 approximately 2 acres of farmland can be saved.
This money is leveraged with other grants, which doubles value For
more information on “Protect an Acre’
please contract Kendra Smith at kendras@co.skagit.wa.us
or (360) 419-3303.
The
Farmland Legacy Program looks forward to continuing our valued partnerships
and working with the Skagit
County community.
Thank
you for your support.
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