DOVER, Del. - The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation has announced that the state has passed 150,000 acres of lands preserved.
“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.”
These lands include 40 farms in Sussex County.
“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 Department of Agriculture says that farms are selected for easement purchased using a ranking system that maximizes benefits to tax payers. They note that the foundation does not actually own the land, they own the development rates for that land.
“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.”
The department says that that county governments can partner with the state to add county funds for the preservation, helping statewide funds cause the greatest impact. They say counties have 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.”
The program has made its first round of easement in 1996, and has since preserved farmland all across the state.
“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.”
Enrollment for farm-owners who wish to preserve their farms can enroll for a preservation district to do so through Oct. 21, says the department. They will then have the opportunity to round 28 of easements in 2024.
- 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.
For more information or to get applications related to the Delaware Aglands Preservation Program, interested landowners can visit https://de.gov/aglands or call (302) 698-4530.
