REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Agriculture announced multiple new additions to its Farmland Preservation program:
• Michael S. Bentley, Fayette County —191 acres
• Linda J. Hudson, Madison County —152 acres
• Benjamin J. Watkins, Delaware County — 100 acres
• Timothy George Moss, Huron County — 131 acres
• David A. Felumlee, Licking County — 61 acres
• Patricia A. Walrath, Licking County — 116 acres
• Robert A. Barker and Dorothy V. Barker, Morrow County — 160 acres
• Bean Bros, LLC, Clinton County — 46 acres
In 2023, 29 farms joined the program. An agricultural easement in Farmland Preservation is a voluntary agreement between the landowner and Ohio Department of Agriculture, where 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 ODA, local sponsors Fayette Soil and Water Conservation District, Madison County Commissioners, Delaware County Commissioners, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Licking Soil and Water Conservation District, Morrow Soil and Water Conservation District and Clinton Soil and Water Conservation District respectively played significant roles in securing these agreements.
Since the Office of Farmland Preservation began in 1998, 709 farms totaling 105,856 acres have entered into agreements.
