By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Urban sprawl has taken its toll on rural communities in Ohio. But thanks to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Agriculture Easement Purchase Program (AEPP), more than 6,279 acres from 37 farms will be preserved, using the first of four installments from the renewed Clean Ohio Fund.

The Clean Ohio Fund bond initiative won support from Ohio’s voters last month to preserve farmland and green space, improve outdoor recreation and to encourage redevelopment and revitalize communities by cleaning up brownfields.

“Ohioans have proven that preserving our state’s farmland and green space is important by their consistent support of the Clean Ohio Fund,” Gov. Ted Strickland said. “The AEPP helps sustain our important agricultural industry and ensure that Ohioans are able to enjoy and utilize our state’s valuable land for generations to come.”

An agricultural easement is a voluntary and legally-binding restriction placed on a farm. The easement limits the use of the land to predominantly agricultural activity.

The farmland can be sold or passed along as a gift to others at any time, but the restriction prohibiting non-agricultural development stays with the land.

The AEPP provides funding to assist landowners and communities in preserving Ohio’s farmland. This year, the Ohio Farmland Preservation Advisory Board reviewed 205 applications from 40 counties competing for the limited money available through the Clean Ohio Fund. Farms from 18 counties were selected to receive Clean Ohio funds.

Applicants had the opportunity to earn up to 150 points based on a two-tiered scoring system.

Section One (worth 100 points) focused on development pressure, soils, proximity to other agricultural land, use of best management practices and local comprehensive land-use plans. Section Two (worth 50 points) included narrative questions regarding the farm and its unique appeal to the AEPP.

“Ohio’s fertile soils have always been essential to feeding a growing population, and are also called upon to meet a booming demand for renewable energy,” said ODA Director Robert Boggs.

“At the same time, nearby competing land uses often exert incredible pressures upon these farms to convert to non-agricultural uses.”

According to Boggs, farmland protection activities ensure the scenic views and heritage of Ohio’s countryside are maintained for future generations.

“They also benefit our environment and provide critical habitat for local wildlife populations,” Boggs said. “The Clean Ohio program also helps family farms transition to the next generation and protects the economic foundation of Ohio’s largest industry.”

Since 2002, the original Clean Ohio Fund has distributed $25 million toward farmland preservation, which ultimately preserved 135 farms totaling 26,813.88 acres. Boggs was quick to point out the food and agriculture industry generates more than $98 billion annually to the state’s economy and provides jobs to one in seven Ohioans.