Making Land Available for Farming: A Planner’s Role

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Presentation outline

Land Access ChallengesKathy Ruhf

Integrating Agriculture into Community Planning

Mary ChicoineThe Role of Conservation Organizations

Jamie PotternTools for Assessing Farmland

Kathleen Doherty

Kathy Ruhf, Land for Good

Mary Chicoine, Franklin Regional Council of Governments

Jamie Pottern, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust

Kathleen Doherty, MassLIFT-AmeriCorps 2015-2016

Land Access ChallengesKathy Ruhf, Land for Good

Of the state’s 523,000 acres of farmland, only about 1/7 is permanently protected.

Source: Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan 2015

Strong economic viability of farms is one of the greatest protections against farmland

loss.

And from 2005 to 2013, an average 13 acres of farmland per day was developed, resulting in a loss of 38,000 acres in less than a decade.

Quick Facts

Of the state’s 523,000 acres of farmland, farmers age 65+ own or manage almost one-third of it.

And over 90% of farmers age 65+ do not have a young (under 45) farm operator working with them.

Source: Keeping Farmers on the Land. American Farmland Trust and Land for Good, 2016.

Across New England, 30% of farmers are likely to exit farming over the next 10-20 years.

*Excludes Rhode IslandSource: Keeping Farmers on the Land. American Farmland Trust and Land for

Good, 2016.

And the 1.4 million acres they manage will change hands one way or another.

86% of farmers are age 45 or older.

Source: Keeping Farmers on the Land. American Farmland Trust and Land for Good, 2016.

And the number of farmers 45 or younger has declined

16% since 2002.This may be due in part to the high cost of land – 4th highest in the nation!

Integrating Agriculture into Community PlanningMary Chicoine, Franklin Regional Council of Governments

The topic of land figures prominently in the 2015 MA Local Food Action Plan Access to land was identified as one of the most significant barriers to increasing food productionPlanners were identified as an important resource to help address land access and protection

Integrating agriculture into local and regional planning could include many different facets of planning:

• land use and zoning • economic development• natural resources, climate

change• social equity• public health

and many more!

Urban Agriculture as Green Infrastructure: Urban farms provide important ecological services amidst vast expanses of impermeable surfaces. Some cities are exploring quantifying those benefits and providing compensation to farmers for them.

Model Conservation Restrictions (CR) and Rivers: Farms that are located along rivers can help steward water quality through their practices. Planning agencies can work with land trusts to develop CRs for use on agricultural land which calculate the value of leaving riparian buffers undisturbed so they can serve as a floodplain, and are determining ways to provide financial incentives to farmers who do so.  

Land Use and Natural Resources: Planners can explore innovative ways to provide farmers with incentives for providing ecological services related to the land and water, such as carbon storage and water protection.

Land Use and Zoning: Planners can use various zoning strategies to help protect farmland and encourage infill develop.

Agricultural Overlay District:  Agricultural overlay districts and other zoning tools to can help protect farmland.

Large-Scale Solar Siting and Regulation: Towns need guidance around solar development, including size and siting. Some arrays and installation techniques minimize the long-term impact on agricultural resources and use existing infrastructure or marginal land for siting.

Transfer of Development Rights (TDR): The MA Food plan calls for a statewide TDR program, which would require enabling legislation. Absent that, planners can provide interested communities with technical assistance on how to implement TDR in their town or municipality.

Other Zoning: Open Space Residential Design, Cluster Commercial, and Back Lot Development with Farmland Set-Aside (Buckland)

Data and Mapping: Use GIS mapping and data analysis to improve your ability to track farmland protection and access – and to work with farmers to mitigate the impact of climate change on their land and livelihood.

River corridor mapping: In the wake of Tropical Storm Irene and other climate disruptions, planners can work with farmers and other land owners on the vital role their land plays for the river natural functions. Mapping and analysis is needed on a regional and/or watershed scale.

Farmland mapping and data collection: The MA Food Plan calls for statewide mapping and data collection on farmland. RPAs could collaborate on:• Establishing a system for tracking acres of

farmland in production over time• Defining measurable goals and benchmarks

related to farmland protection, retention, and access

Food production on public land: The MA Food Plan also calls for access to public land for food production. Planners can work on the local level helping municipalities to identify suitable municipally-owned land, including parks, schools, and open land, for food production. Land leasing:  Planners can assist municipal officials on creating mutually beneficial lease agreements with farmers, both commercial and not-for-profit. Where needed, planners can help develop model contracts and leases that municipalities can use to lease city-owned land for farming.

Technical Assistance: Help municipal officials to understand the value of farms and farmland to their community and to partner with organizations for food production.

Benefits of agriculture:  Planners can assist town and municipalities in assessing the value of agriculture in terms of job creation, the multiplier effect/economic impact, rural character and property values.

Community Preservation Act: CPA funds are a source of funding for preserving farmland. Planners can help municipal officials understand how CPA funds can be used to support farmland protection in combination with other funding.

Other Planning Activities: As we work on projects and reports, add an emphasis on farmland if there is none, and improve existing templates to prioritize farmland.

Technical Assistance: Help municipal officials to understand the value of farms and farmland to their community and to partner with organizations for food production.

The Role of Conservation OrganizationsJamie Pottern, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust

What is a Land Trust? A non-profit, charitable organization that works to conserve, acquire, or steward land.

◦ 150+ in Massachusetts◦ Many are small, all-

volunteer LTs◦ Some are larger, regional

land trusts with greater capacity

Most Land Trusts:◦ Protect and/or acquire land (forest, farms, trails, parks, etc) & Promote sound stewardship◦ some, but not all, protect farms

◦ Educate the general public, especially kids

◦ Provide technical assistance and added capacity to landowners and local organizations

◦ Have long-term relationships with landowners, towns, community groups, planning agencies, and other regional organizations.

◦ Many have been around for ±30 years.

Murdock Dairy Farm, Winchendon, 172 Acres

Protected in 2009

Our mission is to protect significant natural, agricultural, and scenic areas, and encourage land stewardship in Massachusetts for the benefit of the environment, the economy, and future generations.

Since 1986, Mount Grace has helped protect more than 31,000 acres, including over 50 farms.

Challenges Conserving Farmland & Making it Available for Future Farmers1. Limited funding for farmland conservation

(especially “hilltown” farms)2. Lack of data: Don’t know where the farms are!

Who owns the farms? What are the resources? What are the threats?

3. Lack of farmland succession planning: older generation has land (but not a plan)—younger generation struggling to find (and afford) farmland

4. Lack of ability of even protected farms to survive in the context of a broken food system: e.g., expense of infrastructure, distribution challenges, cost of production, getting outcompeted by subsidized (“cheap”) food, etc.

Mount Grace Farmland Conservation Strategy

1. PROTECT a diversity of farms across the region and make some permanently more affordable (with affordable infrastructure & housing)

2. IDENTIFY farms through a farmland inventory

Johnson’s Farm and Sugarhouse, Orange,

73 acres, Protected in 2002

3. UTILIZE farmland data for:◦ Strategic planning for farmland conservation

◦ Priority Ranking of most threatened/important farms (for internal farm conservation planning)

◦ Farmland Aggregation Projects: e.g. Landscape Partnership Grant—aggregating farmland together that would be too hard to protect on a one-off basis

◦ Identify best sites for conserving “whole farms” (land & infrastructure) & addressing farm affordability e.g., Red Fire Farm (shared ownership model)

◦ Provide accurate farmland data and Priority Ranking toolkit to towns & planning community for open space planning

◦ Partner with diverse service providers, including Planning Commissions & conduct outreach to farmers to provide them with resources on:◦ Estate Planning & Tax advisors◦ Conservation◦ Forestry & Farm technical assistance◦ Farm Succession Planning (LFG)◦ Leasing to farmers (e.g., Just Roots/Greenfield Town Farm)

Petersham, MA

Warwick, MA

Greenfield, MA

4.REBUILD the local food system through food systems planning

◦ Coordinate the Greater Quabbin Food Alliance, a regional network to share information & resources across sectors and geographic boundaries ◦ Facilitate Working Groups to tackle specific projects that address gaps in the food system

◦ Conduct Community Food System Assessments that identify challenges, pose solutions, and empower the community

Tools for Assessing FarmlandKathleen Doherty, MassLIFT-AmeriCorps 2015-2016

Tools for assessing farmland1. Farmland inventory – where are the farms?2. Priority ranking tool – which farms are

most threatened?3. Community food system assessment –

what can we do to build a strong food system?

Case study: Mount Grace

Land Conservation Trust

Potential applicationsOpen space planningMaster planningFood system planningStrategic planningTool for landowner outreach

There may be different outcomes for different audiences!

Pilot regionMount Grace Land Conservation TrustFarmland inventory2015-2016

Montachusett Regional Planning Commission

Central Mass Regional Planning

Commission

Franklin Regional Council of Governments

Pioneer Valley Planning

Commission

Warwick

Orange

Athol

Petersham

Barre

Hardwick

Farmland inventory: Research questions

How much farmland do we have?◦ How much of each “farm parcel” is

actually a field?◦ How has land use changed over time?

What farm products are being produced?

How much prime soil is there?◦ How much of that soil is being used

for growing crops and pasture? How much farmland is protected?

Farmland inventory: Data collectionSECONDARY RESEARCH

Assessor’s data for tax parcel shapes, Chapter 61 enrollment

Land use data for cropland, pasture, and orchard

NRCS data for prime and statewide important farmland soils

PRIMARY RESEARCH

Farm products Farm name Farm infrastructure Leasing info Conservation status Succession planning info Updated landowner mailing info

Priority ranking tool What are your priorities?

◦ Which farms should be conserved first?◦ Which town-owned parcels could be leased to farmers?

◦ Which landowners could be targeted for an estate planning workshop or other resources?

◦ Which farms might be included in a local food brochure?

◦ Which landowners could benefit from outreach about Chapter 61?

Priority farms for conservation“Large farms with lots of prime soil that produce a diversity of products and are important to the community”

Warwick

Orange

Athol

Petersham

Barre

Hardwick

Community Food System Assessment“A tool for analyzing and assessing the assets and barriers related to local food production and consumption in a community or region”

Graphic from Food Well Alliance, http://www.foodwellalliance.org/

Partnering with townsSharing data

Landowner outreach events

Tools for assessing farmland: Lessons learned1. Land trusts can partner with towns to

improve access to farmland and conserve the most important farms first

2. A community-based approach to research yields deeper findings

3. A Community Food System Assessment can be a useful tool for communities to see beyond farmland to the entire food system

Thank you Kathy Ruhf, Land for Good

◦ kathy@landforgood.org Mary Chicoine, Franklin Regional Council of Governments

◦ maryc@frcog.org Jamie Pottern, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust

◦ pottern@mountgrace.org Kathleen Doherty, MassLIFT-AmeriCorps 2015-2016

◦ kathleen@bear-paw.org