California’s Land Resource Protection Division at

Department of Conservation

Ag Easements: the Advantages Can tie together much

of what Blueprint Process trying to accomplish.

Protect farmland; open-space benefits

Keep urban areas separate and distinct.

Used strategically, can channel growth

Mitigation for conversion of ag land due to projects

Habitat mitigation Protect ag economy Floodplain growth

McConeghy Ranch

About the Project Permanently shields

300 acres of prime farmland from development

High-profile land along the I-80 corridor between Davis and Dixon at Kidwell Road exit

Solano Land Trust, cities of Dixon and Davis hold easement

First step in building ag buffer between those communities

Land is farmed in hay, sunflowers and tomatoes

Cooperative effort DOC California

Farmland Conservancy Program: $2.2 million

USDA Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program: $720,000

City of Davis: $507,500

City of Dixon: $150,000

UC Davis: $77,500 Total: $3,692,500

Farmland forever Landowner Jean

McConeghy, left, had this to say: “That land is very meaningful to me and my family … I think what we’ve done would have made my parents very happy.”

Ebey-Laughtin Property

About the Project 146 acres north of I-80 in Solano County Local farming families purchased the easement-

protected property and will expand agricultural operations

Second major step in creation of an ag buffer between cities of Davis and Dixon

Solano Land Trust, cities bought easement 2 new property owners envision establishing an

agricultural showcase -- sell to & teach the public

Cooperative effort DOC/California

Farmland Conservancy Program: $971,500

City of Davis: $810,000

Solano Land Trust: $115,000

City of Dixon: $20,000

Sellers contributed $75,000 of the appraised easement value through a bargain sale

Total - $1,991,500

A Bright Future Rich Collins, who

bought some of the land under easement, said: “We intend to honor the property’s agricultural past while enhancing and maximizing its productive future…”

Sacramento Bee photo

Escano farm

About the project Shields 237 acres of

prime farmland from development

Expands existing greenbelt between fast-growing communities of Dixon and Vacaville

Grows wide variety of field crops

Solano Land Trust purchased 152 acres in ‘03, 85 acres in ’06

Sold to Tom Galindo with easement in place, making land more affordable

Reduces pressure from rural ranchette development

Cooperative effort Both the California

Department of Conservation’s California Farmland Conservancy Program and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service contributed $462,500.

Planning grants Much of the work leading to completion of these

easements facilitated by CFCP planning/technical assistance grant to SLT

CFCP provides these grants to land trusts and local governments

Can be used for creation & expansion of land trusts, developing strategic farmland conservation plans, developing projects or facilitating landowner outreach efforts

Williamson Act

Easement Exchange Project

in Lathrop, San Joaquin County

Mainstone Property

About the project Nearly 17 million acres

protected under Williamson Act

Williamson Act exchange projects are more beneficial than straight cancellations

In Lathrop, 308 acres of farmland taken out of Williamson Act to be developed

In exchange, 927 acres of farmland permanently shielded from development

Only 5th Williamson Act easement exchange since program began in 1998

Largest in terms of acreage

Template for future projects on farmland?

Cooperative effort City of Lathrop,

Richland Planned Communities, San Joaquin County, Central Valley Farmland Trust and DOC all involved.

Secretary Chrisman: “A win-win project”

Senator Michael Machado and DOC Director Bridgett Luther.

Farmland Mapping & Monitoring

DOC’s Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP) produces maps and statistical data used for analyzing impacts on California’s agricultural resources. The maps are updated every two years.

Land-use change in the Fresno area from FMMP. Areas in yellow represent urban growth from 1990-2004. Irrigated farmland is shown in green.

Critical FMMP Data In the last two

decades, FMMP has mapped loss of more than 1 million acres of farm/grazing land

That’s an area larger than Sonoma County

Biggest component: Prime farmland

Upcoming report shows largest drop in prime farmland in program’s history

Our hope: new report will help local governments grasp need to direct future development away from prime farmland

New construction in the Livermore Valley

Challenges Our job is to protect CA’s premier ag

lands, which are finite and irreplaceable. With our current knowledge of the

environment, what would we do differently?

How do we work together?

ConclusionsMy department has the information decision-makers need. We are here to help you with you farmland planning with:•Planning grants, •Mapping and •Conservation funding.