Farmland Protection | Food Systems

The functional plan focuses on farmland preservation in the context of land use and growth management. It highlights the farmland preservation and agriculture development goals, objectives, and policies adopted as part of the county’s growth management guide, focusing on three areas: 

• Encouraging the purchase of development rights on farmland;
• Assisting municipalities in developing land use programs to promote farmland preservation and agricultural use retention; and 
• Developing programs and practices to retain and develop an active agricultural industry. 

The plan examines all agriculturally relevant planning and zoning activity in each of its constituent jurisdictions. It describes the county’s current farmland preservation efforts, establishes 5- and 10-year acreage goals for county farmland preservation, and details the financial and administrative aspects of farmland preservation by the county. Finally, it addresses the economic impacts and aspects of farming in the county.