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Indicators: Farm, Forest, WetlandFarmlandWithout substantial acceleration in the pace of preservation, Connecticut’s agricultural goals will not be met.
The graph titled "Connecticut Farmland" illustrates the total acreage of land in Connecticut farms, as counted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (DOA). The inventory is conducted every five years. The 2007 inventory is expected to show a loss of several thousand acres. To preserve land for future agricultural use, the state DOA purchases the development rights to farmland from volunteer sellers. This keeps the land in private ownership with severe restrictions on future nonagricultural development. As illustrated by the graph, "Acres Preserved by the CT Department of Agriculture," preservation has slowed significantly. No farms were preserved in 2003. Nine farms totaling about 1100 acres were approved for preservation funding in 2004, six farms comprising 666 acres in 2005, and eight farms comprising 968 acres in 2006. If the development and preservation rates of the last eight years continue, Connecticut will never meet its preservation goal. (This goal is based on the amount of land needed for food production needs, but non-food crops including potential biofuel crops could cause the goal to be raised.) Simple projections show the goal being reached in the late 22nd century, but by the end of the current century there will not be that acreage of agricultural land remaining in the state. Public Act 05-228, the Community Investment Act (PDF file), is expected to generate up to five million dollars per year for agricultural programs including land preservation. | |
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