RALEIGH, N.C. — Over the last 20 years, the landscape of North Carolina has changed. And, according to the latest report on farmland loss in the United States, the landscape could change even more dramatically over the next 20 years.
In July 2022, theĀ American Farmland Trust, a national nonprofit advocating for the preservation of farmland across the country, released its latest report entitledĀ Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future. This report builds on their farmland loss report in 2020 and provides a projection of farmland loss in the United States by the year 2040.Ā Watch the NC Farms Under Threat webinar now.
In this report, North Carolina ranks second in the nation in potential agricultural land lost by the year 2040.
- Based on current development rates, 1.1 million acres of agricultural land in the state will be converted in the next 20 years.
- If development increases in suburban and rural areas, North Carolina could lose as much as 1.6 million acres.
- To curb this loss of agricultural land, action is required at all levels of government. Smart growth strategies, such as more dense urban development, can mitigate some of the agricultural land loss.
There is a lot of work to do, and theĀ North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer ServicesĀ serves a critical role in supporting agricultural lands in the state.
The Farmland Preservation Division of the NCDA&CS works to preserve farms and forests throughout North Carolina.
One of the most important tools in preserving farms is a conservation easement. The conservation easements through the Farmland Preservation Division remove the development rights from the property to ensure that the land remains in agricultural production or as a working forest.
Landowners can be compensated for the purchase of development rights through a grant by the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation (ADFP) Trust Fund. The ADFP Trust Fund provides grants to county governments and non-profit organizations to work with private landowners to record conservation easements on farms and forests.
Landowners interested in how to preserve their working farm or forest may complete a Landowner Inquiry Form atĀ www.ncadfp.orgĀ and a staff member will contact you.Ā – Evan Davis, Director, Farmland Preservation, NCDA&CS
Click > Landowner Inquiry Form. A staff member will contact you.
—Annie Baggett, NCDA&CS