August 12, 200618 yr From the 8/12/06 PD: Boaters' new launch comes at farmers' cost ConAgra closing grain elevator Saturday, August 12, 2006 Molly Kavanaugh Plain Dealer Reporter Huron - The east bank of the Huron River supported one way of life for years. Now farming is being pushed aside to allow another lifestyle to flourish. The closing of the ConAgra Foods grain elevator and its purchase by the state's Department of Natural Resources will be a boon for boaters when the state builds a free boat launch with easy access to Lake Erie. The ramp could be open by spring 2008. But farmers who for years took corn, wheat and soybeans to the grain elevator are scurrying to find other outlets and methods to sell their crops without spending a lot of money on trucks and fuel. "In the big picture of things, the closing is small. But it's another indication of the low priority agriculture has in the United States," Huron farmer Gordon Hahn said. ......... http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1155371766275120.xml&coll=2
August 25, 200618 yr A press release from the Ohio Department of Agriculture: Landowner donates largest ag easement to ODA The ODA has a program to cease development on land used for agriculture. Published on 08/24/2006 REYNOLDSBURG A Morrow County landowner, Thomas Weiler, recently donated a permanent agricultural easement on his 399-acre farm in Harmony Township to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), to help assure that the farm will never be developed for non-farm purposes. This is the first easement donation from Morrow County and is the single largest donation of an agricultural easement to the department. The Weiler farm, which is located outside of Mt. Gilead, raises hogs, corn, soybeans, and wheat. The Morrow Soil and Water Conservation District will monitor the agricultural easement to ensure the land is used for agriculture. "Preserving Morrow County farmland assures the continuation of a strong agricultural industry," said Weiler. "People need to understand that our viable, productive farmland is an irreplaceable natural resource and is already economically developed." ..... To date, landowners have donated agricultural easements on 24 farms totaling 3,085 acres statewide. More information on the departments Agricultural Easement Donation Program is available by calling 614-728-6210, or by visiting www.ohioagriculture.gov/farmland . http://www.ofbf.org/page/NWAN-6SYLJD/?OpenDocument
August 29, 200618 yr From the Times-Reporter, 8/29/06: Commissioners approve farm preservation program By ZACH LINT, T-R Staff Writer Tuscarawas County farmers looking to preserve their way of life and their land can reach for a helping hand from county commissioners and township trustees. Commissioners passed a resolution Monday establishing the county’s Agriculture Security Area program, a new farmland preservation tool to protect farmland acreage from nonagricultural development. The program, opened up to local governments through state legislation in March 2005, aims to promote agricultural retention by creating special areas in which agriculture is encouraged and protected for a 10-year period through an agreement with township trustees and commissioners. “It’s a voluntary program, and it will cost farmers very little,” Commissioner Kerry Metzger said, noting an application fee pays for advertisement of a public meeting before a 10-year protection can be granted. “Any money left after that goes back to the farm or farmers applying through the program.” ... http://www.timesreporter.com/index.php?ID=57811&r=6&Category=5
September 2, 200618 yr From the 8/31/06 Dispatch: PHOTO: Urban development is encroaching upon many Ohio farms, including this farmland at Alton & Darby Creek Road near Roberts Road on the Far West Side. GRAPHIC: Of concern FOOD FOR THOUGHT Many Ohioans think states farmland at risk, survey shows Thursday, August 31, 2006 Monique Curet THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH A new survey suggests the farming industry is increasingly moving away from its roots. Consumers in growing numbers are worried about the loss of farmland to urban growth, mad-cow disease and problems associated with large-scale livestock farms, according to a statewide survey of residents by Ohio State University. Despite concerns, survey participants overwhelmingly said, "Farming positively contributes to the quality of life in Ohio." Jeff Sharp, the survey director and an associate OSU professor, said a high level of support for agriculture has been a consistent finding over the years. Still, a growing sense of unease about some agricultural issues reflects the changing nature of the industry. ....... http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/08/31/20060831-F1-00.html
September 7, 200618 yr From the 9/6/06 Toledo Blade: Federal funds to preserve farm in South Toledo A family farm in South Toledo that could have become another strip mall can be preserved using more than $3 million in federal funds, officials announced yesterday. The Keil Family Farm, 154 acres of row crops, greenhouses, and outbuildings at Reynolds Road and Hill Avenue that represents one of the last operating farms within city limits, had been put up for sale by the family. With the intention of saving the farmland from the likely fate of being developed into a strip mall, U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D, Toledo) and Toledo Area Metroparks Director Jim Spengler said yesterday the Trust for Public Land has obtained an option to buy the Keil farm using federal funds. .......... http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060906/NEWS16/609060406/-1/NEWS
September 13, 200618 yr City accepts U.S. funds for farm TOLEDO BLADE September 13, 2006 TOLEDO - Toledo City Council voted yesterday to accept $514,000 in federal funds to acquire the first 40 acres of the Keil family farm in South Toledo. The grant, from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, would go toward the $6 million price tag on the 154-acre farm at Reynolds Road and Hill Avenue. The land is being acquired by the Trust for Public Land, a national conservation group in San Francisco, which would then transfer the land to the Toledo Area Metroparks. U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) has been working since the late 1990s to acquire the land, which is one of the last working farms in the city limits. ...... http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060913/NEWS16/609130383/-1/NEWS
October 4, 200618 yr From the 9/26/06 Xenia Daily Gazette: Tecumseh Land Trust Preserves 10,000 acres Upon completion of its current projects, the Tecumseh Land Trust will soon have preserved more than 10,000 acres in cooperation with Clark and Greene county landowners. This success has been aided significantly by several government programs, including Clean Ohio, that provide funding for the purchase of permanent conservation easements. Landowners can donate or sell a conservation easement on their prime farmland, significant natural areas or historic sites, permanently limiting certain types of development that would diminish its conservation values. The protected land can then be used for specifically permitted purposes -- often including agriculture and a personal residence -- and can be sold or passed on to heirs. ..... The local landowners funded this year through the Clean Ohio Agricultural Easement Purchase Program were: ¥ Baldwin, Eugene & Carolyn, 173.00 acres near South Charleston in Clark County ¥ Kavanagh, Gene, 994.00 acres near Jamestown in Greene County ¥ Spahr, James and Mary, 227.00 acres near Jamestown in Greene County ¥ Spears, Martin & Carolyn, 361.22 acres near South Charleston in Clark County. ...... If you are interested in learning more about the programs mentioned above, about recently passed tax incentives for easement donation or in supporting the Tecumseh Land Trust, contact (937) 767-9490, e-mail [email protected] or visit the web site at www.tecumsehlandtrust.org. http://www.xeniagazette.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=152280&TM=55198.13
October 5, 200618 yr Both from the 10/1/06 DDN: Developer changing area's rural landscape Countrytyme buys farmland in Warren, Greene and Miami. By Ben Sutherly Staff Writer Sunday, October 01, 2006 Countrytyme has built a big business of buying, splitting up and reselling farmland for housing, collecting nearly $44 million for 950 lots in 2005 alone. About 75 percent of those sales were in rural Ohio, including Warren, Greene and Miami counties, according to the company, which opened its Lebanon office in 1990. The company's approach has divided not just farms of 20 acres to 300 acres, but public opinion. City dwellers see the company as key to their dreams of country living; for some landowners, many of them heirs of farmers, the company is a way to get top dollar for their ancestors' acreage. But in many communities, Countrytyme has become synonymous with rural sprawl. ....... http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/10/01/ddn100106countrytyme.html GRAPHIC: Countrytime development sites Landscape changes for developer, too Countrytyme struggles with reputation, shifting tastes and swift local zoning changes. By Ben Sutherly Staff Writer Sunday, October 01, 2006 From an office building within sight of Interstate 71 in the Columbus suburb of Grove City, Jim Wilcox has built a brand name in residential development throughout rural Ohio. In presiding over Countrytyme's expansion into Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and Florida, he's accepted the fact that his company's name sometimes hits a nerve in rural communities. In Warren County's Wayne Twp. and Miami County's Elizabeth Twp., for example, township officials changed zoning codes after Countrytyme carved up farms there. Wilcox said he understands why some local officials have felt the company's approach to development followed the letter of the law, not its spirit. ....... http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/09/30/ddn100106countrytymeinside.html
October 8, 200618 yr A press release from the Ohio Department of Agriculture, 9/29/06: Annual Summit to Address Ohio Farmland Preservation Issues REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (Sept. 29, 2006) – Farmers, landowners, local officials, land trusts, and interested citizens can sign up now to participate in the 7th Annual Ohio Farmland Preservation Summit on Nov. 2 hosted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Participants will learn about local preservation successes across Ohio in the summit’s morning panel. In the afternoon, a panel of experts from nationally recognized farmland preservation programs in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts will share their experiences. Ralph Grossi, president of American Farmland Trust, will deliver the keynote address. During his tenure, American Farmland Trust has become the leading national non-profit organization focused on farmland protection. “For the past six years, interest in preserving our farmland has continued to strengthen,” said Ohio Agriculture Director Fred L. Dailey. “We are pleased to, once again, host this annual summit, and believe it will provide attendees with information and new insight that can be used to preserve productive farmland within their own communities.” The summit will be held at the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Bromfield Administration Building, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg. Registration will begin at 8:15 a.m. with the summit concluding at 3:30 p.m. Registration, which includes lunch and materials for the day, is $40 and must be received by Oct. 20. To register, or for more information, contact Kelly Carneal at the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Office of Farmland Preservation at (614) 728-6210, or by e-mail at [email protected], or visit the summit website at http://cffpi.osu.edu/summit.htm. http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/news/news/2006/farm-092906-Farmland%20Summit.pdf
October 10, 200618 yr From the 10/5/06 Mount Vernon News: Taft visits Norris farm By Nick Worner, News Staff Writer Thursday, October 05, 2006 GAMBIER Gov. Bob Taft traveled to Knox County on Wednesday, visiting the Gambier farm of Tim and Heidi Norris. The Norrises recently received a farmland preservation grant through the states Clean Ohio Fund. The $400 million fund provides money for farmland preservation as well as urban revitalization, river/watershed protection, greenspace preservation and the expansion of Ohios system of recreational trails. Farming is not only a part of our history, it is a cornerstone of our prosperity today, said Taft. We need to do all we can to preserve the farming tradition in Ohio to make sure we remain a strong agricultural state. ..... http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/06/10/05/taft.visit.html
October 23, 200618 yr From the 10/14/06 Mount Vernon News: Signs a personal campaign to save farmland By Kimberly Orsborn, News Staff Writer Friday, October 13, 2006 GAMBIER Those who drive on Horn Road near Gambier have noticed five Burma-Shave-style green and yellow signs that have sprouted along the west side of the road, bordering the 92-acre farm owned by Kate and Eric Helt. Each sign carries a verse of a rhyming jingle. Old MacDonald had a cow/Old MacDonald had a pig ... or once he did/Now the yellow dozers dig, a recent series stated. The signs change regularly, and theyre not always anti-development. They also promote local food and urge support for farmers. Another series reads: Know that old woman?/The one in the shoe?/She fed all her kids/With food that she grew. Or this one: Carrots from out west/Greens and all the rest/Import them? Why, oh?/Farm in Ohio! The fifth sign never changes. It reads: Save A Farm/saveafarm.org. Save A Farm signs are the brainchild of a gentleman farmer in Portage County named Fred Maier, who created them. ..... http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/06/10/14/farm.signs.html
October 31, 200618 yr Press release from the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation: Second farmland preservation summit in November Published on 10/20/2006 COLUMBUS -- Just a few years ago, farmland preservation enthusiasts gathered and daydreamed about a statewide, state-funded program geared to preserve Ohio farmland for future generations. Today, they have that, and more, all fueled by the annual Ohio Farmland Preservation Summit. The seventh such summit is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 2, at the Ohio Department of Agriculture in Reynoldsburg. "We've definitely had policy changes as a result of these summits," said Jill Clark, who is currently the interim director of the Center for Farmland Policy Innovation at Ohio State University. The center is one of the sponsors of the summit. Clark listed ventures such as the Agricultural Security Area Program and the Agricultural Easement Purchase Program as two examples. ..... http://www.ofbf.org/page/NWAN-6URQGS/?OpenDocument
November 3, 200618 yr PRESERVATION SUMMIT Projects goal: retain farmland Friday, November 03, 2006 Monique Curet THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Efforts to preserve Ohios farmland are getting a boost from a growing number of innovative programs. Some of those projects were the focus yesterday at the seventh annual Ohio Farmland Preservation Summit, which also included the announcement of new programs to be funded by the Center for Farmland Policy Innovation at Ohio State University. "You neednt go far in Ohio to find locally driven, creative, ambitious" farmland-preservation projects, said Jill Clark, interim director of the Center for Farmland Policy Innovation. Loss of farmland is an important issue in Ohio, where its common for farms to abut urban areas. The state is second in the nation for the amount of prime farmland lost to development between 1987 and 1997, according to American Farmland Trust, a nonprofit organization that works to protect agricultural resources. ......... http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/11/03/20061103-G1-04.html
November 27, 200618 yr From the 11/7/06 Springfield News-Sun: Clark wins U.S. funds for farmland protection By Ben Sutherly Staff Writer Tuesday, November 07, 2006 SPRINGFIELD Clark County will receive $36,000 in federal funding to pilot a farmland protection project with potential statewide implications. The project will involve locating and creating a long-term funding source to protect 10,000 more acres of county farmland, said Krista Magaw of the Tecumseh Land Trust, which already holds the development rights to more than 5,800 acres in Clark County and is a partner in the project. In terms of protected acreage, the county is "ahead of everyplace in the state so far," Magaw said. The project should streamline the process of applying for state farmland preservation funds, said county commissioner John Detrick. ...... http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/11/06/ddn110706farmland.html
December 12, 200618 yr From the 11/21/06 Times-Reporter: Farms shielded from development By ZACH LINT, T-R Staff Writer Tuscarawas County commissioners received the first Agricultural Security Area application from three property owners in Dover Township Monday. Commissioners and township trustees agreed on the agricultural land preservation concept in August, allowing farmers to create special areas protected from development for a 10-year period. To meet ASA guidelines, at least 500 contiguous acres must be listed in the application. The application then has to be approved by township trustees and commissioners before going into effect. Herbert Bambeck, Shirley Johnson and John M. Foust requested the designation to protect about 572 acres along Rt. 39 heading east from Pyle Rd. in Dover Township toward the city, including parcels off Red Hill and Steel Hill Rds. ... http://www.timesreporter.com/index.php?ID=61118&r=7&Category=5
December 12, 200618 yr From the 11/28/06 Fremont News-Messenger: Ohio prime farmland declining as groups seek preservation Roger Hart On Farming Agriculture is Ohio's leading industry, contributing roughly $79 billion annually to the state's economy. Yet, in spite of the crucial financial role that farming plays in the well-being of our state, between the years 1950 and 2000, Ohio lost more than 6.9 million acres of farmland. Nationally, Ohio ranks second in the amount of prime farmland lost to development between 1987 and 1997, according to figures from the American Farmland Trust, a nonprofit organization that works to protect agricultural resources. Statistics provided by the Sandusky County Extension Service indicate that the amount of land in farm production in Sandusky County has dropped from 209,000 acres in 1999 to 194,000 acres in 2005, a decline of 15,000 acres. ........ http://www.thenews-messenger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061128/NEWS01/611280318/1002/rss01
December 12, 200618 yr From the AP, 12/5/06: National park offers 2 more farm leases THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BRECKSVILLE - Ohio's only national park offered two more farm leases Monday as part of a program to restore agriculture in the Cuyahoga River valley between Cleveland and Akron. The leases, the eighth and ninth in the program that began four years ago, include renovated farmhouses and 3 acres and 12 acres of land, respectively. The leases in Peninsula and Cuyahoga Falls are available for up to 60 years, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park said. The National Park Service plan open houses Dec. 13 and 19 and will accept offers until Feb. 1. The park service expects to select tenant farmers by next spring. ....... http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061205/NEWS01/612050339/1056/COL02
December 12, 200618 yr From the 12/8/06 Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: County is not yet ready to stop farm development Fairfield Land Preservation Association is almost ready to accept conservation donations By ALAINA FAHY The Eagle-Gazette Staff [email protected] FAIRFIELD COUNTY - Fairfield County residents have to wait longer than expected to save their farmland from being developed. The Fairfield Land Preservation Association is almost ready to accept gifts and donations of conservation and agricultural easements. The program allows land owners to continue to own and use the land and sell it for the same use or pass it on to heirs, said Larry Neely, one of the association's volunteer trustees. Land owners can ask for an easement on their property when the association is fully operational. An easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and the association that permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect it. If land is used for agricultural purposes, the land's use cannot change to commercial - which stops it from being developed. ........ http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061208/NEWS01/612080305/1002/rss01
January 22, 200718 yr From the 12/14/06 Twinsburg Sun: Saving the farm Many would like to see Corbett's stay Thursday, December 14, 2006 By Lena A. Ina The Twinsburg Sun TWINSBURG When Jerry Corbett announced he was selling his farm to a developer in July, residents didn't take the news well. Some aren't ready to give up the pastoral tract the last of its kind in the city without a fight. On Monday, several attended the environmental and historic preservation commission meeting to show their support for a way any way the city can preserve the historic farmhouse built in 1826 and barn built in 1911 and possibly the entire 80 acres on Darrow Road at Glenwood Drive. Commission members reiterated their united front to find a solution. They said the farm has too much historic relevance and educational value to the community to lose it to another housing development. Their goal is to put the house and barn on the National Register of Historic Places. Summit County has 146 such sites, among them several farms. ........ http://www.cleveland.com/sun/twinsburgsun/index.ssf?/base/news-0/116611865933820.xml&coll=3
January 22, 200718 yr From the 12/21/06 New Carlisle Sun: PHOTO: Don Wallace will donate his farm as an agricultural easement. His farm is located in Bethel Township on Union Road. Amanda Kopp/Sun photos Preserving historic township farm By PHOEBE GASTON Special Writer BETHEL TOWNSHIP - Within Bethel Township sits a farm that has remained in the same family for more than 200 years. The house that still stands on the property was built with a windmill on its roof in 1901. The barns on the property may date back to the Civil War. This farm, with all its history, is currently under the ownership of Ellen and Don Wallace, who recently decided that they want to donate all 116.84 acres of it to the State of Ohio as an agricultural easement. "We'd like to try and keep it out of the hands of someone who will encroach on the land with something other than agriculture," said Don Wallace. ........ http://www.timescommunityofgreaterdayton.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=142642&TM=40166.66
January 22, 200718 yr From the 12/24/06 DDN: Bill promises continued protection of farmland The legislation would remove caps on the Clean Ohio Fund, started in 2000, ensuring funding past 2008. By Ben Sutherly Staff Writer Sunday, December 24, 2006 COLUMBUS State legislators last week dispelled some uncertainty over whether Ohio would continue to pay to preserve farmland. House Bill 699, sent to Gov. Bob Taft for his signature, removed legislative caps on the Clean Ohio Fund program, ensuring funding for the state's farmland preservation program will continue beyond 2008 assuming future elected officials are willing to appropriate the money. The Clean Ohio Fund was established after voters approved the issuing of $400 million in state bonds in 2000, of which $25 million was earmarked for farmland preservation. The rest of the money has gone toward brownfield cleanup and redevelopment, maintaining local watersheds, and developing bike paths and other recreational trails. ...... http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/12/24/ddn122406farmland.html
January 22, 200718 yr From the 1/12/07 Springfield News-Sun: Bethel Township farm will survive urban sprawl, never be developed By Valerie Lough Staff Writer Thursday, January 11, 2007 The sprawling farm nestled at the end of the winding, tree-lined path off Union Road has survived a civil war, two world wars and the industrial revolution. And now, thanks to owners Don and Ellen Wallace, it will survive urban sprawl. The Wallaces donated the 116-acre farm in their family more than 200 years to the state as an agricultural easement to protect the land from development. "The whole thing still belongs to us," said Ellen Wallace. The easement ensures that the property will always be used for agricultural purposes, Don Wallace said. ....... http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/01/11/sns011207farm.html
April 14, 200718 yr From the 1/26/07 Wooster Daily Record: Land preservation is meeting topic Monday January 26, 2007 By CHRIS KICK Staff Writer ORRVILLE -- Three area agencies will hold an agricultural protection resource meeting on Monday at Heartland Point Community Center, 200 N. Main St., to discuss two ways landowners can preserve farmland and protect themselves from nuisance complaints. Brian Gwin of Wayne Economic Development Council, Katie Myers of Wayne County Planning Department and Keith Diedrick of OSU-Extension Wayne County will explain Agricultural Security Areas and agricultural districts and tax benefits and enrollment. Myers said the program will begin with facts about Wayne County's land use and will proceed with a presentation of Agricultural Security Areas and districts. According to Myers, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Agricultural Security Area program is a new tool that will help farmers, county commissioners and township trustees protect blocks of farmland. ...... http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/1523672
April 14, 200718 yr From the 1/31/07 Springfield News-Sun: Saving farmland is goal of plan Clark County leads Ohio in the number of acres protected from development through easements By Diane Erwin Staff Writer Wednesday, January 31, 2007 Farming is an important industry in Clark County, but it could be even more so, Krista Magaw said. Magaw, an advisory member of the Clark County Farmland Preservation Workgroup, presented an updated Farmland Preservation Plan to Clark County commissioners on Tuesday. Its recommendations include researching local sources of funding to purchase agriculture easements to protect land from development and finding ways to keep local farming viable. ..... http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/01/30/sns013107countycom.html From the 1/31/07 Record-Courier: Hiram village, township and college team up to preserve agricultural land base January 31, 2007 By Mike Sever Record-Courier staff writer HIRAM Tucked away in northern Portage County, this small village sits amid cornfields and pastures of farms that have been cultivated for generations. In the center of the village is Hiram College, a small liberal arts college that draws students from around the country. The township, village and college have joined together to take an innovative step toward protecting the small town, rural atmosphere that residents cherish. In 2003, the village, township and college worked together to create the Hiram 2020 Comprehensive Plan. Among its goals are the preservation of a majority of the agricultural land base in the township and the encouragement of sustainable growth in the village. One way of achieving that goal is establishment of a Transfer of Development Rights program that will limit development of agricultural land by trading it for higher development limits in the village. ........ http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/1544532
April 14, 200718 yr Link contains a photo. From the 2/3/07 Wooster Daily Record: Peter and Leanna Dunn's 80-acre farm in existence for future February 3, 2007 By PAUL LOCHER Staff Writer How do you save for the future a beautiful, pristine farm that has been in your family for eight generations? It's a question Peter and Leanna Dunn have been grappling with for some time, and resolved as 2006 drew to a close. The Dunns, who live along Zuercher Road just southwest of Dalton in Sugar Creek Township, have had a lifelong love affair with their 80-acre farm with a spectacular view of Sonnenberg Valley. The farm was started by Leanna Dunn's forebearers, Swiss Mennonites who escaped religious persecution in the Jura Mountains along the French border. They made their way into Wayne County, helping settle an area that in the 19th century was known as the Sonnenberg Community. Today that area is Kidron. ...... http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/1557601
April 14, 200718 yr From the 2/9/07 Times-Reporter: Tuscarawas County limits development on 572 acres By ZACH LINT, T-R Staff Writer Tuscarawas County commissioners approved the county’s first agricultural security area Thursday, providing a 10-year security designation to 572 acres of farmland in Dover Township owned Herbert Bambeck, Shirley Johnson and John M. Foust. The protected land runs along Rt. 39 east from Pyle Rd. in Dover, including parcels off Red Hill and Steel Hill Rds. “What this designation does is prevents any development – be it sewers, roads, etc. – on that acreage for the next 10 years,” Commissioner Chris Abbuhl said. He said Tuscarawas County is only one of about six counties in the state to have land designated as an agricultural security zone. Commissioners also recognized their clerk, Jane Clay, for all of the work she did in coordinating with landowners and preparing needed documentation for the designation. ... http://www.timesreporter.com/index.php?ID=64051&r=3&Category=5
April 14, 200718 yr From the 3/6/07 DDN: Land trust surpasses fundraising goal Tuesday, March 06, 2007 SPRINGFIELD — The Tecumseh Land Trust surpassed its $180,000 goal for a three-year capital campaign just three months after it began. More than $194,000 has been donated and pledged, executive director Krista Magaw said. The land trust is based in Yellow Springs and helps preserve land in Clark and Greene counties. The money will be used to add staff, do more public policy work and improve record-keeping, Magaw said. http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/03/05/ddn030607localheadlines.html
April 14, 200718 yr From the 3/31/07 Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Property tax will increase for local farmers By ALAINA FAHY The Eagle-Gazette Staff [email protected] FAIRFIELD COUNTY - Some Fairfield County farmers will have to pay up to 65 percent more in property taxes this year because Ohio changed its current agricultural use valuation. "None of the farmers like it because no one wants their taxes to go up," said Fairfield County Auditor Barbara Curtiss. Curtiss hosted a public meeting recently to help inform and prepare farmers for the change. She shared with farmers what she learned at the February meeting with the Ohio Department of Taxation Division of Tax Equalization. ......... http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070331/NEWS01/703310320/1002/rss01
April 14, 200718 yr Link contains photos. From the 4/5/07 Chillicothe Gazette: Farmers: Tide of shrinking farmland must be stopped Senator in town getting input on new Farm Bill By LOREN GENSON Gazette Staff Writer Fairfield County farmer Bryan Black said Ohio's farmland is shrinking because of the federally funded Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. Black would like to see that issue addressed in the 2007 Farm Bill, and said so Wednesday when Sen. Sherrod Brown visited Chillicothe. The CREP was one of many topics local farmers discussed with Brown when he met with the region's farmers Wednesday at Hirsch's Fruit Farm to discuss the upcoming Farm Bill which he, along with other members of the Senate Agriculture committee, will discuss. ..... http://www.chillicothegazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070405/NEWS01/704050301/1002/rss01
April 23, 200718 yr From the 4/22/07 Hamilton JournalNews: * PHOTO: John Bonham crosses one of the two bridges which span a canal from the family farm to an access road they use for working that farm. The city of Hamilton claims it owns some of that land. Photo by Greg Lynch Farmer vs. city Land dispute over Bonham farm appealed to high court By Cameron Fullam Staff Writer Sunday, April 22, 2007 FAIRFIELD TWP. Bruce Bonham can see the pale-green top of Hamilton's government building in the distance as he rolls his pickup truck along a gravel access road on his 1,000-acre farm. It is a looming reminder of a land dispute between his family and the city, the outcome of which he believes could gravely affect his ability to farm the land. A trial court ruled against the Bonhams in October and Ohio's 12th District Court of Appeals upheld the ruling in January. The Bonhams have taken their case to the Ohio Supreme Court, where the appeal now waits to be heard and receive a final judgment. "We feel we're completely at (the city's) mercy and our only chance is to take it to the Supreme Court," Bruce Bonham said. ....... http://www.journal-news.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/04/23/hjn042207bonham.html
May 12, 200718 yr Ohio farmland shrinking Preservation effort lacking as residential developments take over, data show Saturday, May 12, 2007 3:29 AM By Julie Carr Smyth Associated Press On paper, Ohio's farmland-preservation program is a success. In the seven years since the state began paying farmers not to sell to developers, nearly 27,000 farm acres have been saved. In a state that lost 6.9 million acres of farmland between 1950 and 2000, stemming the tide, even modestly, is viewed as a significant accomplishment. Yet Ohio farmland is continuing to disappear, despite voter approval in 2000 of a bond initiative aimed at preserving green spaces including farms. Land, tax, farm and geologic data reviewed by the Associated Press combine to confirm the trend. Where are the lost acres going? Primarily to residential development, state data show, a phenomenon that perplexes some observers given that Ohio's population is stagnant and predicted to remain so for the next couple of decades. ...... http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/05/12/green_acres_2.ART_ART_05-12-07_C10_4F6MRR5.html
January 31, 200817 yr On a slightly more positive note... Prices for northwest Ohio farmland shooting up Rising grain values drive increases in area, nation BY GARY T. PAKULSKI | TOLEDO BLADE January 30, 2008 Mary Meyer forked out nearly three quarters of a million dollars to enlarge her northwest Ohio farm by 15 percent last year. But with the price of crops up and demand for land high, she feels lucky to have snagged the 170-acre parcel for $4,300 an acre. "I think prices will continue to go up as long as the grain market stays good," said the 48-year-old Ottawa resident who has nearly doubled her family's farm to 1,500 acres since taking over in 1997 when her father died. Amid record-breaking grain prices, cropland values last year soared 11 percent in Ohio, 15 percent in Michigan, and 13 percent nationally, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At $3,920 an acre, Ohio bested the Michigan average of $3,450 an acre and the U.S. average of $2,700. ..........
January 31, 200817 yr That article could also be posted in the Peak Oil thread, too. How ironic. The increased value of farmland is due in large part to our overdependence on cars -- as is urban sprawl. Yet sprawl may be reined in by the rising price of farmland. I never saw that happening 20 years ago. But then I'd never heard of ethanol back then either. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 31, 200817 yr The State of Ohio should be doing everything in its power to preserve our rich farmland. Land is becoming more and more scarce...and we've got some of the best farming land around.
February 10, 200817 yr Farmland certainly isn't a natural state. It's as man made as any suburb. But farms certainly and suburbs certainly aren't interchangeable. I'd like to see a land use policy that discourages suburban sprawl, encourages local produce as well as diversified produce and also encourages reforestation for land that isn't productive. Building new sewers road and power lines for suburbs on farmland isn't adding value when empty lots and brownfield sites exist throughout major metropolitan areas.
February 10, 200817 yr Shifting from cars to horses would sure help that transformation out. You needs lots of farms close in to feed the work animals.
February 23, 200817 yr Urbanites need to realize the vital importance of preserving farmland and the DIRECT correlation to the strength and vibrancy of cities. The farmers understand the necessity of strong local connections better than anybody...and don't even get me started on megafarms...
February 22, 200916 yr Farmland disappearing despite preservation aid Sunday, February 22, 2009 3:39 AM By Mary Beth Lane THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Tom Dixon's recent decision to donate his 312-acre farm in northern Fairfield County to a land trust delighted supporters of farmland preservation. He is the exception and not the rule nowadays, though. Even as years of state and local efforts grind forward to keep farmland in production as farmland, Ohio agricultural acreage continues to be plowed under and swallowed up, new agricultural census figures show. Ohio farmland shrank by nearly 200,000 acres from 1997 to 2002. Between 2002 and 2007, nearly 618,000 acres were lost. "Are we surprised? No," said Cindy Kalis, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture. "That is the national trend." U.S. farmland totaled 922 million acres, down 16 million acres from 2002. ........ http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/02/22/fairfarm.ART_ART_02-22-09_B1_63D0BUV.html?sid=101
January 5, 201015 yr An oldie but a goody! On another forum that referenced this article, a resident of Sweden remarked: "Its amazig that we are more free in socialist Sweden... What have you done to your country?" Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal JOEL SALATIN / Acres v.33, n.9, Sept 2003 1sep03 Everything I want to do is illegal. As if a highly bureaucratic regulatory system was not already in place, 9/11 fueled renewed acceleration to eliminate freedom from the countryside. Every time a letter arrives in the mail from a federal or state agriculture department my heart jumps like I just got sent to the principal’s office. And it doesn’t stop with agriculture bureaucrats. It includes all sorts of government agencies, from zoning, to taxing, to food inspectors. These agencies are the ultimate extension of a disconnected, Greco-Roman, Western, egocentric, compartmentalized, reductionist, fragmented, linear thought process. READ MORE AT: http://www.mindfully.org/Farm/2003/Everything-Is-Illegal1esp03.htm "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 6, 201015 yr Much of what Joel Salatin complains about would be eliminated with a form-based zoning code that allows mixed uses. I agree with him on the ADA/handicapped requirements and how they hamper small businesses, but this is Federal Law that is now firmly integrated into the Building Codes and would be near impossible to change. Plumbing/health codes should be modified to allow composting home toilets also IMO, especially on a farm. I am surprised that farmers are not allowed to slaughter their own animals, because I know Ohio farmers that do this, mostly with chickens but some also with cattle.
January 27, 201015 yr An oldie but a goody! On another forum that referenced this article, a resident of Sweden remarked: "Its amazig that we are more free in socialist Sweden... What have you done to your country?" Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal JOEL SALATIN / Acres v.33, n.9, Sept 2003 1sep03 Everything I want to do is illegal. As if a highly bureaucratic regulatory system was not already in place, 9/11 fueled renewed acceleration to eliminate freedom from the countryside. Every time a letter arrives in the mail from a federal or state agriculture department my heart jumps like I just got sent to the principals office. And it doesnt stop with agriculture bureaucrats. It includes all sorts of government agencies, from zoning, to taxing, to food inspectors. These agencies are the ultimate extension of a disconnected, Greco-Roman, Western, egocentric, compartmentalized, reductionist, fragmented, linear thought process. READ MORE AT: http://www.mindfully.org/Farm/2003/Everything-Is-Illegal1esp03.htm I agree with both of you. Joel Salatin is the man. In my ideal future, urban restorers and rural preservationists would form a powerful bloc in Ohio and push through real land-use reform to stop sprawl.
February 28, 201015 yr Anyone else own his book- You Can Farm? http://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Farm-Entrepreneurs-Enterprise/dp/0963810928 It's a fun, crazy read.
March 3, 201015 yr Salatin just spoke a couple weeks ago at the annual conference of Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association in Granville, and his keynote speech was titled "Everything I Want to do is Illegal." Actually, there's a decent future for Ohio's farms. The Ag Easement Purchase Program has permanently protected over 35,000 acres with Clean Ohio funds in the last eight years, and many agricultural land trusts hold donated easements on even more land. Local governments are slowly getting wise to the importance of farmland. And the local-food movement is a big factor in raising the profile of agriculture: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/food/stories/2010/02/24/guest-column-morpc.html
March 3, 201015 yr Salatin just spoke a couple weeks ago at the annual conference of Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association in Granville, and his keynote speech was titled "Everything I Want to do is Illegal." Actually, there's a decent future for Ohio's farms. The Ag Easement Purchase Program has permanently protected over 35,000 acres with Clean Ohio funds in the last eight years, and many agricultural land trusts hold donated easements on even more land. Local governments are slowly getting wise to the importance of farmland. And the local-food movement is a big factor in raising the profile of agriculture: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/food/stories/2010/02/24/guest-column-morpc.html Salatin has a book by the same title which is wonderful. I think the future for Ohio farms is brighter than it once was but they are still awfully endangered by sprawl and misplaced priorities.
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