Georgia farmers are now using a new tool in the conservation toolbox meant to permanently protect Georgia’s farms from development.
This week, the Georgia Department of Agriculture notified 6 Georgia farm families that their agricultural acres have been selected for conservation through the new Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund Program (GFCFP). The program opened its inaugural application cycle earlier this year to great success: 25 landowners applied from across the state, requesting over $13 million in monetary support for conservation. With these 6 tentatively selected projects, nearly 1000 acres are on track to be conserved as working lands.
The GFCFP is a voluntary program that provides Georgia farmers with a financial incentive to conserve their lands in perpetuity through an agricultural conservation easement. If selected, private landowners agree to a one-time purchase of the development rights for their property, allowing them to retain ownership and continue farming or pursuing other conservation activities on the property. This type of program, often called a PACE program (Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement), has been enacted and funded in at least 29 other states, including South Carolina, Florida, and Texas.
Georgia Conservancy utilized its research on Georgia’s rapidly developing landscape from the organization’s Georgia Now and Forever Initiative to make the case for Georgia to establish its own farmland protection program. Together with state leadership, Georgia Conservancy spearheaded legislation establishing the GFCFP, which passed the General Assembly in 2023. It is thanks to the leadership of Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper, Speaker Jon Burns, Sen. Russ Goodman, Rep. Robert Dickey, and many others that this bill and this program are now expanding conservation opportunities for our agricultural community.
“Georgia Conservancy is proud and delighted that nearly 1000 acres of our state now have protection from development pressures thanks to this program,” says Georgia Conservancy President Katherine Moore. “It is important to keep working lands in working hands, supporting our family farms which comprise the backbone of our agribusiness industry and securing long-term conservation of our landscape and natural resources. We thank the Georgia General Assembly and state leadership for their support of the program, and we look forward to working with them in securing additional funds to keep this program’s impact moving forward.”
Preserving Georgia’s agricultural lands is crucial to the livelihoods of Georgians, as these bountiful acres are needed to fuel the people and economy of the state’s 159 counties.
Georgia Conservancy’s research revealed that approximately 2.6 million acres of crop, hay, and pasture land have been converted since 1974, most often to development. Protected working lands can continue to serve agriculture or timber purposes; or, over the span of time, can become wild lands or recreation lands should the owner choose but will forever be protected from the threat of development.
Georgia Conservancy is grateful for the leadership of our Board of Trustees and our supporters, whose steadfast confidence in our mission have allowed us to continue to advocate for the needs and value of Georgia’s land.
For more information about the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund Program, please visit: https://www.agr.state.ga.us/georgia-farmland-conservation-fund-program