REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Agriculture added 139 acres to its Farmland Preservation Program.
The first two commitments of 2024 are the Swingle Family in Medina County with 47 acres and the Boeck Family in Greene County with 92 acres.
Agricultural land is a key part of Ohio’s landscape, and preserving this land is essential, according to the ODA. An agricultural easement is a voluntary agreement between the landowner and the ODA, in which the landowner agrees to perpetually maintain the land predominately in agricultural use.
In exchange, the landowner is either compensated or may be entitled to a tax deduction.
In partnership with Ohio Department of Agriculture, local sponsors Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Tecumseh Land Trust respectively played significant roles in securing these agreements.
Since the Office of Farmland Preservation began in 1998, 711 farms totaling 105,997 acres have entered into agreements.
Funds from the purchase of these easements are invested in the local economy by the landowners who use them by expanding their farming operations, purchasing new equipment, reducing debt, adding conservation practices, planning for retirement, sending their children to college or for other purposes.
