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One of MFT’s four program areas is Agricultural Easements.
An agricultural easement is a voluntary, legal agreement between a landowner and a non-profit land trust that restricts use of the land to agricultural production. Most agricultural easements are permanent easements. Such easements ensure that good farmland will remain available for farming forever. (In addition to permanent easements, there is a small but growing use of term easements, which last for a period of time.)
An agricultural easement is a form of a conservation easement, but there are important differences between agricultural easements and classic conservation easements. More...
Once a landowner places an agricultural easement on his/her property, that property can only be used in ways that are allowed in the easement. However, most agricultural easements allow a great deal of flexibility in how a parcel of land might be farmed. In addition, most agricultural easements allow the landowner to build barns, sheds, greenhouses and other structures needed for farming, at least in some portion of the property. Some agricultural easements even allow new residences to be built, perhaps so another generation can live on the farm or to provide housing for farm workers.
Each easement is unique. What is and is not allowed depends on the specific terms of that easement, which are thoughtfully and thoroughly developed between and landowner and the land trust that will “hold” the easement.
There are many reasons why a landowner may wish to preserve his/her property through an agricultural easement, including many financial incentives. More...
A big part of what MFT does is to help landowners consider if an agricultural easement is right for them. If it is, MFT can then help landowners explore whether a donated easement or a purchased easement makes the most sense.
MFT will hold easements itself, but prefers that easements be held by local or regional land trusts, in any locations where there is an organization qualified to deal with the specific requirements of agricultural easements. MFT works closely with dozens of local and regional land trusts around the state, supporting their efforts to preserve farmland.
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