Kentucky lost half a million acres of farmland to homebuilding in the last 20 years, preservationists say - Entrepreneur Generations

A new report from the American Farmland Trust, the nation's leading farmland-preservation group, says that America has been losing twice as much farmland as the group thought, and the leading cause of it is low-density residential development, Al Cross reports for the Midway Messenger in Kentucky. Cross is the director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues.

The president of AFT, John Piotti, announced the findings in a May 12 press conference on a farm in Scott County, Kentucky. "Piotti said a study that AFT will issue in May will show that the nation is Kentucky lost 791,000 acres of farmland from 1992 to 2012, and 499,000 acres of that, or 61 percent, was from building of single-family homes on lots of two to 10 acres. He said the national figure was 41 percent, so 'Kentucky stands out.'" Cross reports.

Counties can preserve farmland by purchasing development rights to farmland, or put farms under a conservation easement. Preserving farmland not only helps existing farmers and encourages tourism, Piotti said, but it helps keep land prices down so more young people can get into farming.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/2ITDuYk Kentucky lost half a million acres of farmland to homebuilding in the last 20 years, preservationists say - Entrepreneur Generations

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