Massachusetts Farmland Preservation Programs Ensure a Future for Agriculture

In partnership with: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources

Massachusetts is home to some of the best farmland in the world, and to keep that industry thriving, protecting land from nonagricultural development is crucial, which means a focus on farmland preservation opportunities.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has developed several programs to help with farmland preservation: the Agricultural Preservation Restriction Program (APR), the State-Owned Farmland Licensing Program and the Farm Viability Enhancement Program (FVEP). The state’s Farmland Action Plan provides goals and a framework for the programs.

Together, these efforts address different aspects of land preservation to help producers, consumers and the state benefit.

“We can all make the connection that farms provide food. COVID-19 really put a spotlight on this and the importance of local food security,” says Dave Viale, MDAR’s APR agricultural lands programs supervisor. “Farms also provide jobs, contribute to the economy and add environmental benefits. Having that land in its open, undeveloped condition is really important.”

See more: What’s Growing? Massachusetts Produce Calendar

Making Land Accessible

Viale says the APR program is a first of its kind in the U.S. To date, the program has protected almost 1,000 farms and just over 75,000 acres.

“Land values for agriculture have continuously increased, and that makes access difficult for farmers,” Viale says. “APR is a voluntary program that pays farmers the difference between the fair market value and the agricultural value of their land, in exchange for a permanent deed restriction that protects the land for future agricultural use and limits resale value to agricultural value.”

Viale explains that fair market value is generally equal to how many houses can be developed on the land, whereas agricultural value is purely what the land is worth when used only for farming. The program protects land from development while giving the farmer a fair price.

Ian Allen of Balsam Hill Farm in Sheffield is one farmer who has taken advantage of the APR program. Allen and his father, Morven, milk about 400 cows at their Sheffield dairy and about 130 cows at a second dairy in Egremont.

“My father grew up on a small dairy in Scotland,” Allen says. “After he graduated from college, he came to the U.S. with a dream to own his own farm. He was able to do that through the APR program. If we had to pay the same amount for land as someone who wanted to build a $12 million home, it just wouldn’t be feasible. We can’t sing the program’s praises enough because it gives us the ability to have purchasing power and keep farmland open.”

Allen says the family owns close to 500 acres, with 80% of it being land protected through APR.

“The program is so necessary,” he says. “Without it, there would be very few farms left. There definitely wouldn’t be any new ones.”

In addition to Balsam Hill Farm, other businesses that have used APR include landscape nurseries and four Massachusetts food banks. The program also provides access to historically underserved communities, which may face challenges acquiring land.

A Win-Win Deal

Alongside Massachusetts farmland preservation, other MDAR programs assist farmers through methods that help them keep their operations viable.

“Through the FVEP, established farms receive business planning and technical assistance, then place a short-term covenant on their property to keep land in agricultural use for a specific term, either 10 or 15 years,” says Melissa Adams, FVEP coordinator. “In return, they receive grant funds to be used for farm improvement projects.”

Since the program’s creation, 466 farms have received grant awards, protecting a total of 45,805 acres through covenants.

See more: Massachusetts’ Top 10 Ag Products (Infographic)

Protecting Land for All

Viale says these programs are important, but they’re not the only option for people wanting to conserve farmland. Land trusts and programs through the Natural Resources Conservation Service can help.

MDAR has also created a Massachusetts Farmland Action Plan, which will outline key goals and recommendations through 2050 to overcome land preservation challenges.

“The agriculture sector is ever-changing,” Viale says. “We will continuously adapt our programs in real time to make sure they stay effective.”