Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program
The Lucas SWCD is now a local sponsor of the Clean Ohio Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program (LAEPP) with ODA's Office of Farmland Preservation. This program provides funding to farmland owners for placing an agricultural easement on their property. Funds are issued for up to 75% of the appraised value of a farm’s development rights. A payment cap has been set at $2,000 per acre, with a maximum of $500,000 per farm. A limited number of funds are available each year, so contact us soon if you are interested and to be put on a waitlist.
All easement transactions are recorded on the property deed and transfer with the land to successive owners. An agricultural easement is a voluntary and legally-binding restriction placed on a farm. The easement limits the use of the land to predominantly agricultural activity. The land remains under private ownership and management and stays on the tax rolls under Current Agricultural Use Valuation (CAUV). The farmland can be sold or passed along as a gift to others at any time, but the restriction prohibiting non-agricultural development stays with the land. Those enrolling their property may also be eligible for a tax incentive through the IRS.
Review the resources below for more information on the Local Ag Easement Purchase Program:
Through a partnership with the American Farmland Trust, mini-grants are available to help cover costs of establishing a farmland transition/access plan or agriculture easement. Any farmland owner interested in learning more about these opportunities should contact Matt Browne at the Lucas SWCD.
All easement transactions are recorded on the property deed and transfer with the land to successive owners. An agricultural easement is a voluntary and legally-binding restriction placed on a farm. The easement limits the use of the land to predominantly agricultural activity. The land remains under private ownership and management and stays on the tax rolls under Current Agricultural Use Valuation (CAUV). The farmland can be sold or passed along as a gift to others at any time, but the restriction prohibiting non-agricultural development stays with the land. Those enrolling their property may also be eligible for a tax incentive through the IRS.
Review the resources below for more information on the Local Ag Easement Purchase Program:
Through a partnership with the American Farmland Trust, mini-grants are available to help cover costs of establishing a farmland transition/access plan or agriculture easement. Any farmland owner interested in learning more about these opportunities should contact Matt Browne at the Lucas SWCD.
American Farmland Trust - Great Lakes Farm Navigators
The Lucas Soil & Water Conservation District is a Farm Navigator in the Great Lakes Farm Navigator Network, providing direct support to farmers and farmland owners on land access, farm transfer, and conservation planning.
One in three farmers in the Great Lakes region will likely be transferring their farms in the next 15 years. These farms, and conservation investments farmers have put into them, are at risk of being converted to real estate development. At the same time, women, People of Color, and LGBTQIA+ people are increasingly becoming the next generation of farmers and farmland owners. This new generation has historically been underserved by conservation programs and often are not likely to inherit farms.
These massive challenges present opportunities to promote conservation through successful farm transfers and create more equitable paths to land access in the Great Lakes Watershed. Our organization aims to be part of the solution, working in partnership with a network of Farm Navigators to offer an integrated approach to farm transfer and conservation farming practices. Through this project, The Lucas Soil & Water Conservation District will offer microgrants and technical assistance to beginning farmers and landowners in the Great Lakes Watershed to implement conservation and transfer plans.
The Great Lakes Farm Navigators project is an initiative led by American Farmland Trust, and supported by the Great Lakes Protection Fund, to support the ecological health of the Great Lakes while sustaining a viable agricultural economy and communities.
One in three farmers in the Great Lakes region will likely be transferring their farms in the next 15 years. These farms, and conservation investments farmers have put into them, are at risk of being converted to real estate development. At the same time, women, People of Color, and LGBTQIA+ people are increasingly becoming the next generation of farmers and farmland owners. This new generation has historically been underserved by conservation programs and often are not likely to inherit farms.
These massive challenges present opportunities to promote conservation through successful farm transfers and create more equitable paths to land access in the Great Lakes Watershed. Our organization aims to be part of the solution, working in partnership with a network of Farm Navigators to offer an integrated approach to farm transfer and conservation farming practices. Through this project, The Lucas Soil & Water Conservation District will offer microgrants and technical assistance to beginning farmers and landowners in the Great Lakes Watershed to implement conservation and transfer plans.
The Great Lakes Farm Navigators project is an initiative led by American Farmland Trust, and supported by the Great Lakes Protection Fund, to support the ecological health of the Great Lakes while sustaining a viable agricultural economy and communities.
