A Nationwide Survey of Land Trusts that Protect Farm and Ranch Land

1. A Nationwide Survey of Land Trusts that Protect Farm and Ranch Land “

2. Purpose • Identify organizations that actively protect farm and ranch land for agriculture • Quantify the amount of agricultural land they have protected

3. Survey Methodology • Started with LTA’s list of land trusts • Narrowed to those who said agricultural land was a priority • Added selected non-respondents and FRPP participants • Final list included 763 organizations • Developed Web-based survey • Asked about land protection activity, partnerships, easements provisions, and activities to support agriculture • Distributed in April 2012; follow up through September • 36% response rate

4. Land Trusts Protected 3 Million Acres

5. 5 Million Acres Saved

6. LTs Protected More Ranchland than Cropland • 75% of the protected agricultural land is ranchland • Less than one third of land protected by state PACE programs is ranchland

7. Small Subset Did Most of the Work • 52 land trusts had protected 5,000 acres or more; they accounted for 95% of acres protected • 55 land trusts had acquired at least 25 easements; they accounted for 87% of easements held • 70 land trusts had acquired at least 25 easements OR protected at least 5,000 acres

8. Donations Drive Activity

9. Easement Provisions Support Ag • 92% include explicit right to use the land for agriculture • 78% reference productivity or viability in purpose statement • 90% permit agricultural structures; 81% allow farm houses • Majorities permit activities that enhance income reduce expenses: • Equine facilities (57%) • Ancillary businesses (55%), • Energy generation for on-farm use (55%) • Structures for marketing agricultural products (53%)

10. Other Activities Support Farmers & Farming • 78% offered at least one additional activity • 120 land trusts assist with conservation planning or the implementation of conservation practices • 70 land trusts engage in local planning • 47 land trusts help farmers with succession planning

12. Dozens Work to Improve Access to Land • 67 land trusts lease land to farmers or ranchers • 76 land trusts plan to lease land in the next five years • 19 include provisions to protect future affordability

13. Challenges • Most active land trusts are located in states with PACE programs • Many land trusts rely on donations • A few land trusts use restrictive easements

14. Farmland Information Center www.farmlandinfo.org (800) 370 – 4879