The Rappahannock County

Farmland Preservation Program

Why

Farmland is Disappearing

The average age of Virginia farmers is more than 56 years old, and since much of the farmer’s assets are tied up in the farm, those assets are typically liquidated to provide for retirement. Between 1992 and 1997 almost 68,000 acres per year of working farm and forestland was lost to developed uses.

Why We Should Care

Photo by Martin Woodard

A developer can convert one hundred acres of Rappahannock County farmland to four houses that are occupied by ten new residents, including school-age children. Higher taxes are then required to pay for increased public services. But the new residents pay less in taxes than the services they receive. For example, farms and other open lands in Culpeper County use only 32¢ in local services for every dollar of taxes paid, while homes require $1.22 in services per tax dollar paid.

How

The County Farmland Preservation Program was established to help counter this trend. The County offers to purchase the farmer’s development rights. (A purchase of development rights program is also called a PDR program.) The County then places the farmland under a conservation easement. In short, the Farmland Preservation Program is a PDR program based on conservation easements.

Conservation Easements

Photo by Richard Lykes

A conservation easement limits the future development of a property. For example, consider the farmer with 100 developable acres. By donating an easement, the farmer exchanges his rights to subdivide his property for tax benefits. Almost twenty percent of privately owned land in Rappahannock County is protected by conservation easements. Land placed under permanent easement also increases funding from the Commonwealth for our schools.

But why donate when he can sell? Cash from a sale would greatly exceed tax benefits from an easement donation.

The Farmland Preservation Program: A PDR Program

The County established the Farmland Preservation Program to provide a cash incentive for the farmer to keep farming. The Program is an RCCA initiative and the principle recipient of proceeds from the Rappahannock Evening View, the annual RCCA fundraiser.

Photo by Martin Woodard

The purposes of the Farmland Preservation Program are to:

• preserve farm and forest lands;
• acquire conservation easements;
• establish and preserve open-space and preserve the rural character of Rappahannock;
• protect and enhance the quality of life for the inhabitants of the County; and
• promote tourism by preserving scenic resources and a healthy, economically viable agricultural base for the local economy.

Photo by Richard Lykes

The program offers farmers cash in exchange for their development rights. The farmland is then placed in a conservation easement. Farmers are free to continue farming, sell their property, or pass it on to their heirs. The easement only prohibits further development; the land must remain open to the degree specified in the easement.

At present, there are 21 PDR programs in Virginia, of which 17 have local funding, including Rappahannock County. Virginia provides matching funds for locally funded programs; The Farmland Preservation Program received $165,000 in 2007. Nearby programs include Fauquier and Clarke counties; Loudoun and Culpeper have programs but no funding.

How the Program Benefits Landowners and Farmers

• The program is voluntary and retains property in private ownership.
• The program compensates farmers for the development value of their property.
• The program can be tailored to an individual farmer’s needs.
• The program provides cash for estate planning, retiring debt and farm improvements.
• The program keeps farmland affordable for new farmers and for farmers who want to expand their operations.

How the Program Benefits County Residents

• The program permanently protects vulnerable lands and important resources.
• The program retains scenic views of open space, natural areas and farmland.
• The program preserves the quality of life and rural character of the town.
• The program reduces the growth of property taxes for public services needed for residential development.

For Further Information

The Farmland Preservation Program application and further information can be downloaded from the County website at www.rappahannockcountyva.gov. Questions can be directed to the County Administrator at (540) 675-5330.