DDA Reminds Farmers of Preservation District Enrollment Deadline

DOVER, Del. (October 25, 2023) – The Delaware Department of Agriculture reminds any farmers who have yet to enroll their property as a farmland preservation district that October 31, 2023, is the deadline to be eligible for 2024 preservation funding.

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation received $10 million to preserve farms in the current fiscal year and voted to extend the district application deadline at their September 2023 meeting. This extension provides extra time to agricultural landowners who are interested in preserving their land. Enrolling as an agricultural district is a 10-year voluntary commitment to continue farming, and land must be enrolled in a district before an owner can sell a permanent preservation easement. Owners who enroll their land may submit an offer to permanently preserve their land as early as next year as part of the Foundation’s Round 28 in 2024. Applications are available online at https://de.gov/aglands.

Delaware farmers interested in preserving their farms should be sure that they meet the following eligibility requirements:

Property must be zoned for agriculture and not subject to any major subdivision plan.
The property meets the minimum Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) score of 170. LESA is a process that attempts to estimate the farm’s long-term viability based on the farm’s soil productivity, land use, and agriculture infrastructure on and around the farm. Scores range from 0-300. Aglands program staff calculate the LESA score when applications are received.
The property must be working farmland with at least $1,000 in agricultural sales annually and generally have at least 10 acres of cropland.
Farms of 200 acres or more constitute an agricultural district.
Farms under 200 acres can enter the program if it is within 3 miles of an existing agricultural district. With 1,212 farms already preserved, it is rare that a farm under 200 acres does not meet these criteria.

Entirely forested properties in managed timber production can also enroll in the Forestland Preservation Program, which purchases Forestland Preservation Easements similar to Aglands Preservation.

For more information or to obtain applications related to the Delaware Aglands Preservation Program, interested landowners can visit https://de.gov/aglands or call (302) 698-4530.

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees includes representatives from agriculture and state agencies. Trustees are Mark Collins, chairman; James G. Vanderwende, vice-chairman; Janice Truitt, treasurer; William H. “Chip” Narvel Jr., secretary; Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse; State Treasurer Colleen C. Davis; Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Shawn Garvin; Peter Martin; Theodore P. Bobola Jr.; Robert Emerson; and H. Grier Stayton.

###

Delaware Aglands Hits Milestone Permanently Preserving Over 150,000 Acres

DOVER, Del. (September 20, 2023) — With the announcement of the 27th round of easement selections by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation, Delaware has reached a new milestone, permanently preserving 151,257 acres of farmland.

“Preserving farmland protects Delaware’s agriculture heritage and its number one industry. That’s why we allocated $20 million in last year’s budget to help preserve farms from the ground up,” said Governor Carney. “This year’s process was very competitive. After a review of 121 offers submitted, the Foundation selected 60 farms encompassing 5,353 acres to purchase the development rights, with an average discount rate of 47%, up 3% from the last round. I want to thank the Aglands team at the Department of Agriculture, the members of the General Assembly, and all who work to preserve this important part of Delaware’s history and economy.”

Four farms in New Castle County, 16 in Kent County, and 40 in Sussex County were preserved in this round.

“I want to thank the Governor and members of the General Assembly for increasing the funding for Aglands in last year’s budget to $20 million,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “It allowed us to greatly expand the program and permanently protect over 151,000 acres of Delaware farmland.”

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation selects those farms approved for easement purchase using an impartial discounted ranking system that maximizes benefits for taxpayers. The Foundation does not own the land but purchases landowners’ development rights and places a permanent agricultural conservation easement on the property. Landowners must first voluntarily enroll their farm into a 10-year preservation district and are eligible for permanent preservation the year after they apply. In addition to more than 151,000 acres in permanent easements, Delaware’s Aglands Preservation Program has more than 45,500 acres of land enrolled in 10-year farmland preservation districts.

Along with the state funding, Delaware’s success in preserving farmland would not be possible without the assistance of the county governments and federal partners, such as the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program (REPI).

“Sussex County is proud once again to join in protecting farms and preserving our great agricultural heritage by taking part in the Delaware Aglands Program,” Sussex County Administrator Todd F. Lawson said. “Ag is the No. 1 industry in Sussex County, and it’s important now, more than ever, with a growing population and increased pressure on the agriculture industry, that we work hard to keep ag as the centerpiece to Delaware’s economy. The County Council’s contribution to Round 27, totaling nearly $1 million, is the most ever, and it’s the boldest statement yet of the County’s unwavering commitment to ensuring agriculture remains a part of the landscape for generations to come.”

County governments can partner with the state program and add county funds to select properties in their areas, leveraging state resources for the greatest impact. In today’s announcement, the county governments provided over $1.6 million to help purchase 22 easements in this round.

Levy Court President Terry L. Pepper said, “Kent County Levy Court is once again pleased to participate in Farmland Preservation in conjunction with the State of Delaware. We are pleased to announce that Kent County contributed $200,000 in this round. Levy Court has helped to preserve over 75,019 acres of farmland since we have been participating in this program, not including this year’s 1,451 acres preserved in Round 27.”

Delaware’s statewide program made its first round of easement purchases in 1996 and has since preserved 22.6% of New Castle County farmland, 41.9% of Kent County farmland, and 21.7% of Sussex County farmland.

“New Castle County is dedicated to the preservation of open space and set an ambitious goal of preserving over 7,000 acres,” said County Executive Meyer. “Preserving the Dempsey Farm, which is a high-quality farm in the Level 4 growth area, is an efficient use of funds and will get us 3% closer to the County’s open space goals.”

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation Easements are available for viewing through an online dashboard at https://de.gov/agdashboard.

At their last meeting, the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation voted to extend district enrollment until October 31, 2023, to any agricultural landowners who want to preserve their farms. These landowners will have the opportunity to apply for Round 28 in 2024. Before the landowner can submit a bid to sell an easement, the farm must be enrolled in a preservation district.

Delaware farmers interested in preserving their farms should be sure they meet the following eligibility requirements:
• Property must be zoned for agriculture and not subject to any major subdivision plan.
• The property meets the minimum Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) score of 170. LESA is a process that attempts to estimate the farm’s long-term viability based on the farm’s soil productivity, land use, and agriculture infrastructure on and around the farm. Scores range from 0-300. Aglands program staff calculate the LESA score when applications are received.
•The property must be working farmland with at least $1,000 in agricultural sales annually and, in general, have at least 10 acres of cropland.
• Farms of 200 acres or more constitute an agricultural district.
• Farms under 200 acres can enter the program if it is within 3 miles of an existing agricultural district. With 1,212 farms already preserved, it is rare that a farm under 200 acres does not meet these criteria.

Entirely forested properties in managed timber production can also enroll in the Forestland Preservation Program, which purchases Forestland Preservation Easements similar to Aglands Preservation.

For more information or to obtain applications related to the Delaware Aglands Preservation Program, interested landowners can visit https://de.gov/aglands or call (302) 698-4530.

###

Delaware Aglands Permanently Preserves 3,800 Acres; Largest Number of Inland Bays Easements Ever Selected

HARRINGTON, Del. (July 28, 2022) — During a stop at the Delaware Agriculture Education & Commodities Building at the Delaware State Fair, Governor John Carney announced an additional 3,827 acres on 54 farms are now permanently preserved for future generations.

Map of Delaware depicting all the agricultural easements, 2022 marks the 26th consecutive year of easement selections by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation. In this round, three farms in New Castle County, 26 in Kent County, 23 in Sussex County were preserved, and two easements for forestland preservation.

“Preserving Delaware’s farmland is a priority and Delaware Aglands have helped keep farms in production,” said Governor Carney. “The Department of Agriculture has a big year ahead with $20 million allocated to preserve Delaware farms from the ground up. With this year’s average discount rate at 44%, there is no better time for farmers to consider preserving their farms for future generations. I want to thank members of the General Assembly for seeing the importance of protecting agriculture here in our state.”

Along with the state funding, Delaware’s success in preserving farmland would not be possible without the assistance of many county and federal partners. The Delaware Aglands Preservation Foundation has partnered with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Sussex County Council, and Kent County Levy Court to purchase easements in this round. New Castle County provided funds this past winter to preserve a New Castle County farm that was not originally selected in Round 25.

“Farmland preservation is not just about preserving Delaware’s number one industry. It’s ensuring our residents have access to Delaware-grown food; that our next generation has a career in agriculture — no matter whether it’s on the farm, working in agribusiness, teaching agriscience to our youth, or developing the latest technology; and the heritage, culture, and beauty of rural Delaware can be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “In this round, nine easements in the Inland Bays watershed were selected, encompassing 486 acres. This is the most Inland Bays easements we have selected in one year and the most acres in the last twenty years. This is a big deal to ensure these communities have local farms providing them healthy food into the future.”

Since 1995, Delaware has preserved 6,873 acres of farmland in the Inland Bays watershed, costing $16.75 million. The easements selected in this year’s round have an estimated cost of $1.7 million. The only round with more acres preserved in this area was Round 5, announced in 2000.

“For the second year in a row, we have been able to accept every offer made by landowners to preserve their farms,” said Aglands Administrator Jimmy Kroon. “This is a significant change from several years ago when the process was much more competitive. Combined with increasing appraisals, we are paying more to preserve farmland, and we’re happy farmers are benefitting from that.”

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation selects those farms approved for easement purchase using an impartial discounted ranking system that maximizes benefits for taxpayers. The Foundation does not own the land, but rather purchases landowners’ development rights and places a permanent agricultural conservation easement on the property. Landowners must first voluntarily enroll their farm into a 10-year preservation district and are eligible for permanent preservation the year after they apply. In addition to nearly 147,000 acres in permanent easements, Delaware’s Aglands Preservation Program has more than 34,000 acres of land enrolled in 10-year farmland preservation districts.

County governments can partner with the state program and add county funds to select properties in their areas, leveraging state resources for the most significant impact.

Delaware’s statewide program made its first round of easement purchases in 1996 and has since preserved 21 percent of New Castle County farmland, 38 percent of Kent County farmland, and 18 percent of Sussex County farmland.

Delaware farmers interested in preserving their farms should be sure they meet the following eligibility requirements:
• Property must be zoned for agriculture and not subject to any major subdivision plan.
• The property meets the minimum Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) score of 170. LESA is a process that attempts to estimate the farm’s long-term viability based on the farm’s soil productivity and the land use and agriculture infrastructure on and around the farm. Scores range from 0-300. Aglands program staff calculate the LESA score when applications are received.
• The property has to meet the state’s Farmland Assessment Act (10 acres or more which generate at least $1,000 in agricultural sales annually; farms under 10 acres which create at least $10,000 annually in agricultural sales).
• Farms of 200 acres or more constitute an agricultural district.
• Farms under 200 acres can enter the program if they are within 3 miles of an existing agricultural district. With over 1,154 farms already preserved, it is rare that a farm under 200 acres does not meet these criteria.

For new farms interested in preservation, the deadline to apply and be eligible for Round 27 is October 31, 2022. For more information, visit https://de.gov/aglands.

###

Five-year Discount Trend Shows It’s A Great Time To Preserve Delaware Farmland

DOVER, Del. (September 16, 2021) – A steady downward trend over the past five years in the landowner discounts of permanent agricultural conservation easements selected for purchase in Delaware shows it’s a great time for landowners to preserve their farms.

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation is accepting agricultural preservation district applications through October 31 from landowners who want to preserve their farms. These landowners will have the opportunity to apply for Round 26 in 2022. Before the landowner can submit a bid to sell an easement, the farm must be enrolled in a preservation district.

“For anyone who hesitated to enroll their farm or submit a bid because of high discounts, this is a great time to participate in our program,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “The Aglands Preservation program received $10 million for the current fiscal year, and we anticipate receiving significant federal funding from USDA-NRCS. We also plan to continue working with all three counties to preserve farms they are interested in protecting.”

Since the program began in 1996, Delaware has preserved more than 1,100 farms with more than 143,000 acres and has over 180,000 acres of land enrolled in farmland preservation districts.

According to Aglands Program Administrator Jimmy Kroon, “Increased funding for Aglands Preservation in recent years has reduced the competition during our annual selection process for permanent preservation. The average discount has steadily decreased from 74 percent in 2018 to 54 percent in 2021, and over the last three years, 90 percent of bids to sell a permanent easement have been accepted.”

This line graph depicts the average landowner discount rate from 2016-2021 with a downward trend from 73% in 2016 to 54% in 2021. The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation selects those farms approved for easement purchase using an impartial discounted ranking system that maximizes benefits for taxpayers. The Foundation does not own the land but instead purchases landowners’ development rights and places a permanent agricultural conservation easement on the property. Landowners must first voluntarily enroll their farm into a 10-year preservation district before they can sell an easement.

Delaware farmers interested in preserving their farms should be sure they meet the following eligibility requirements:
• Property must be zoned for agriculture and not subject to any major subdivision plan.
• The property meets the minimum Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) score of 170. LESA is a process that attempts to estimate the farm’s long-term viability based on the farm’s soil productivity and the land use and agriculture infrastructure on and around the farm. Scores range from 0-300. Aglands program staff calculate the LESA score when applications are received.
• The property has to meet the state’s Farmland Assessment Act (10 acres or more which generate at least $1,000 in agricultural sales annually; farms under 10 acres which create at least $10,000 annually in agricultural sales).
• Farms of 200 acres or more constitute an agricultural district.
• Farms under 200 acres can enter the program if they are within 3 miles of an existing agricultural district. With over 1,100 farms already preserved, it is rare that a farm under 200 acres does not meet these criteria.

Entirely forested properties in managed timber production can also enroll in the Forestland Preservation Program, which purchases Forestland Preservation Easements through a similar process as Aglands Preservation. The Delaware Agricultural Preservation Foundation may spend up to $1 million of the $10 million appropriation on Forestland Preservation easements.

Landowners interested in preserving their farm can find information and application forms online at https://agriculture.delaware.gov/agland-preservation-planning/ or contact the Aglands Preservation Program at 302-698-4530.

###

Delaware Has Preserved 143,000 Acres of Farmland After 25th Round

DOVER, Del. (July 21, 2021) — Delaware announced its 25th consecutive round of easement selections by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation. With the preservation of 3,695 acres, Delaware has permanently preserved more than 143,000 acres of farmland for future generations.

“Delaware’s Aglands Preservation Program has been critical to keeping our farms in production,” said Governor Carney. “We can all agree through the pandemic we learned how important family farmers are to ensuring food including fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and meat are readily available. Preserving farmland is not just about passing a farm down to the next generation. It’s about making sure future generations have food grown locally available to feed their families.”

In this round of easement selections, there were 23 farms in Kent County and 22 farms in Sussex County preserved. The Delaware Aglands Preservation Program has successfully preserved nearly 27 percent of Delaware’s farmland.

“We take pride in having one of the country’s most effective farmland protection programs. With today’s announcement, 3,695 acres have been permanently preserved, including 45 farms through the AgLands Preservation Program and four forested parcels through the Forestland Preservation Program,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “There are a lot of partners who play a role in Delaware’s success preserving farmland, from the county level up to federal agencies by providing matching funds.”

“Each easement that is placed on productive agricultural land protects the long-term viability of our food supply by preventing conversion to non-agricultural uses,” said Kasey Taylor, Delaware State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS). “Coupled with conservation activities, land preservation is vital to improving soil and water quality and enhancing wildlife habitat. NRCS is honored to contribute to this tremendous effort.”

Since the beginning of the program, landowners have donated, on average, 59 percent of their development rights value – that is, they received 41 cents on the dollar of their farm’s development rights value to preserve their farm. The average discount (donation) for Round 25 is 53.57 percent.

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation selects those farms approved for easement purchase using an impartial discounted ranking system that maximizes benefits for taxpayers. The Foundation does not own the land but instead purchases landowners’ development rights and places a permanent agricultural conservation easement on the property. Landowners must first voluntarily enroll their farm into a 10-year preservation district before they can sell an easement. In addition to more than 143,000 acres in permanent easements, Delaware’s Aglands Preservation Program has over 41,000 acres of land enrolled in farmland preservation districts.

County governments can choose to partner with the state program and add county funds to select properties in their areas, leveraging state resources for a more significant impact.

Delaware’s statewide program made its first round of easement purchases in 1996 and has since preserved 22 percent of New Castle County farmland, 39 percent of Kent County farmland, and 19 percent of Sussex County farmland.

Kent County Administrator Michael Petit de Mange said, “Levy Court is pleased to once again provide financial assistance toward the preservation of an additional 1,082 acres of valuable farmland in Kent County as part of the Delaware Aglands Preservation Program in Round 25. It’s important for us to preserve and protect agriculture in Kent County since it’s so vital to our local economy, our food supply, and the rural character of our working lands in Central Delaware.”

“Sussex County Council has made it a priority to support the Delaware Aglands Program by providing significant funding to ensure working farms are preserved,” Sussex County Administrator Todd F. Lawson said. “Ag continues to face tremendous pressure in the 21st century, and it is imperative that we take necessary steps — like purchasing these easements — to ensure this vital industry remains productive in our State and our County.”

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation Easements are available for viewing through an online dashboard at https://de.gov/agdashboard.

Landowners interested in preserving their farm can contact the Aglands Preservation Program at 302-698-4530 or find information and application forms at agriculture.delaware.gov. The Aglands Preservation Program received $10 million in the state budget on July 1 for selecting easements in Round 26, expected to be announced in late Spring 2022.

The Foundation’s Board of Trustees includes representatives from agriculture and state agencies. Trustees are Mark Collins, chairman; James G. Vanderwende, vice-chairman; Janice Truitt, treasurer; William H. “Chip” Narvel Jr., secretary; Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse; State Treasurer Colleen C. Davis; Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Shawn Garvin; Peter Martin; Theodore P. Bobola Jr.; Robert Emerson; and H. Grier Stayton.

###