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June 19, 2013
The Ohio Valley Conservation Coalition Announces Farmland Preservation Funding Opportunities
The Ohio Valley Conservation Coalition (OVCC), a Jackson, Ohio-based land conservation organization, is pleased to announce that it has been qualified to receive $136,683.00 in funding from the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Office of Farmland Preservation through its Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program for the purchase of agricultural easements in Jackson, Gallia and Lawrence Counties. This represents the first State of Ohio agricultural easement funding awarded to these counties. According to Joel Wood, OVCC’s Chairman, “We are proud to bring this opportunity to Jackson, Gallia and Lawrence Counties. Farming is an important part of our heritage and local economy and OVCC is proud to be able to help protect and perpetuate that tradition.”
An agricultural easement is where a farmland owner sells their development rights through a legal document to a third party nonprofit conservation organization such as OVCC. The farmland owner retains ownership of the property and is able to continue farming it. Agricultural easements require that the current owner and all future owners of the property use the land mostly for farming, in perpetuity.
An agricultural easement may be perfect for farmers who need or want a cash infusion, but who also want to continue owning and farming their land and who wish to see their property remain a farm or natural area forever. Lands eligible for an agricultural easement include, but are not limited to corn and soybean farms, orchards, hay fields and sustainable forestry operations (as long as the forest is in CAUV). And, depending upon the landowner’s financial situation, they may also qualify for additional income tax benefits in conjunction with an agricultural easement.
OVCC will be seeking applications from landowners interested in selling an agricultural easement to OVCC. Interested landowners must submit a Screening Form to OVCC by July 15th. OVCC will then work with eligible landowners to complete the full application and, at that time, OVCC can provide an approximate estimate of what your agricultural easement may be worth so that you can determine whether or not to proceed with the process.
Screening forms and additional information can be found at OVCC’s website at www.ohiovcc.org. Additional information can also be found at the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Office of Farmland Preservation at http://www.agri.ohio.gov/farmland/. Additional questions, including whether or not your property might qualify, can be directed to Joel Wood at OVCC.
