Farmland Trusts
www.farmland.org
The issues
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America is losing 1.2 million acres of
farmland annually (farmland.org)
Most of which is very productive and near
were most people live (farmland.org)
Government supports agro-business
rather than farmers or crops that need
help the most- this also decreases the
diversity of food we eat and contributes to
unhealthy, inhumane farming practices
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Reduction of local farmland
increases the carbon footprint of the
food we eat
Bottom line- small farms can’t
compete and sell off land to
developers
Why is saving Farmland Important?
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US farming system contributes $1 trillion to the
economy and 13% of GDP. Saving farmland is a
good investment for the country (farmland.org)
Farmland provides food and cover for wildlife,
helps control flooding, protects wetlands and
watersheds and maintains air quality,
etc.(farmland.org)
Quality of life in communities… healthy food,
landscape, jobs, recreation, supports local
ecosystems
Fiscal Stability for Local Governments
(farmland.org)
The list goes on…
What is a farmland trust?
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Farmland Trusts are like any other land trusts
which “are organized as charitable organizations
under federal tax laws, are directly involved in
conserving land for its natural, recreational,
scenic, historical and productive values. Land
trusts can purchase land for permanent
protection, or they may use one of several other
methods: accept donations of land or the funds to
purchase land, accept a bequest, or accept the
donation of a conservation easement, which
permanently limits the type and scope of
development that can take place on the land. In
some instances, land trusts also purchase
conservation easements. “ (Land Trust Alliance)
What is a land easement?
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“A conservation easement (or
conservation restriction) is a legal
agreement between a landowner
and a land trust or government
agency that permanently limits uses
of the land in order to protect its
conservation values. It allows you
to continue to own and use your
land and to sell it or pass it on to
heirs.” (Land Trust Alliance”
Con’t
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“a conservation easement can be
essential for passing land on to the next
generation. By removing the land's
development potential, the easement
lowers its market value, which in turn
lowers estate tax. Whether the easement
is donated during life or by will, it can
make a critical difference in the heirs'
ability to keep the land intact.” (Land
Trust Alliance)
Other Farmland Trust functions
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Advocacy
Education
Lobbying
Policy reform
Changing the Farm Bill and the structure of
subsidy program
 (want to talk about this in terms of
subsidies as a commons all by itself??)
Conclusion
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Farmland/land trusts are fantastic
templates when exploring
management options of other
common assets
Farmland trusts are essential to the
wellbeing of the environment,
animals, and future generations
References
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American Farmland Trust
Farmland.org
The Land Trust Alliance www.lta.org
Capitalism 3.0
Vermont Land Trust