2002 Farmland Protection Program

Rhode Island Summary

Overview

The USDA Farmland Protection Program (FPP) helps farmers keep their productive land in agriculture. The FPP provides financial assistance for States, local governments, Tribes, and non-profit organizations to purchase conservation easements (or development rights) on farmland. The landowner gets much-needed dollars and the land is protected from development. Under the FPP, NRCS provides up to 50% of the price paid by the cooperating entity for the conservation easement and the entity holds, manages, and enforces the easement. The FPP was established in 1996, attracting applications for funding from numerous entities in Rhode Island and throughout the nation.

Accomplishments

In Fiscal Year 2002 Congress appropriated $50 million nationwide for FPP. In Rhode Island the NRCS staff reached out to as many potential applicants as possible to alert them to the availability of these funds. Farmland is being protected from urbanization in Rhode Island by a diverse group of entities, ranging from the State of Rhode Island’s long established Agricultural Land Preservation Commission to several relatively new non-profit land trusts. NRCS received applications from five entities seeking funds from the 2002 FPP to assist them with the protection of nine farms. The farms represent a cross section of Rhode Island agriculture and the dreams of the land’s owners to preserve both productive farmland and part of the Rhode Island’s rural heritage. The farms ranged in size from 13 acres to 193 acres. The landowners range from retired persons seeking to preserve the heritage of their land to young start-up farmers needing a break to get started. Many types of farms were represented – vegetables, hay, livestock, sod, and a vineyard. Rhode Island received $1,328,600 in FY 2002 funds to distribute among the applicants. The applicants were ranked according to an established scoring system and late in August FPP funds were allocated to all five applicants. The five applicants will continue their negotiations with the seven farms selected for funding.

Outlook

Interest in protecting farmland from urbanization remains very strong in Rhode Island. Public support for funding farmland protection and other open space initiatives has been unwavering for the past twenty years. Past efforts by State, local government and private organizations have yielded many heartening successes, but the job is far from over. As farmland owners age and family situations evolve, the need to receive cash value for farmland matures. It is anticipated that the Rhode Island Agricultural Land Preservation Commission, local governments, and land trusts will continue to actively preserve farmland over the next decade. To date, the number of willing sellers has outpaced the available funds to protect farmlands.

State contact:

Everett Stuart
FPP Manager
60 Quaker Lane, Suite 46
Warwick, RI 02886
Phone: 401-822-8818
Fax: 401-828-0433
e-mail: everett.stuart@ri.usda.gov

Program Focus

The Farmland Protection Program has assisted local entities protect some of Rhode Island's most productive farms. Included are farms producing a wide variety of agricultural crops. Fresh and delicious vegetables and fruit, scenic livestock and hay farms, and economically important sod farms. These farms are each local landmarks and contribute to the character of their communities. Due to the financial support received from the sale of their development rights the farmers can afford to keep the land in productive agriculture. In some instances the farms have passed to a new generation of farmers rather than being developed for urban uses.

Rhode Island’s FPP Dollars and Contracts by Congressional District

Rhodes Island's Farmland Protection Program Activities

Preservation of farmland

Location:

Plat 2, Lot 9-1
West Main Road, Little Compton, Rhode Island

Type of project:

Preservation of farmland by the purchase of development rights

Producer:

Land is owned by the Almy and Pratt families. Jason Peckham has rented the land for a number of years for the production of vegetables.

USDA Contact for Project:

Michael Spencer, Acting Farmland Protection Program Manager for RI.

USDA Program involved:

Farmland Protection Program

Partners:

Town of Little Compton’s "Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust"

Site Conditions prior to project:

The parcel was threatened with sale to a developer in order to settle an estate.

Project goal:

Preserve the land so that it will continue to be an important part of the local agricultural land base.

Dates of project:

The Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust applied for USDA Farmland Protection Program funding in February 2001. Funding was approved in the summer of 2001 and negotiations with the landowners continue into 2002. The development rights were sold, and Farmland Protection Program funds were provided, in Jan. 2003.

Farm overview:

The Almy/Pratt farm consists of 106 acres, of which 43 acres were protected by the purchase of a conservation easement. Almost all of the 43 acres is actively farmed and makes up most of the farmed land on the 106 acre parcel. This land is an important component of the larger network of fields farmed by the Peckham vegetable operation.

Practices and technology implemented:

The land was protected using a conservation easement.

Funding:

USDA’s Farmland Protection Program provided $100,000 of the $865, 000 purchase price for the conservation easement.

Outcome – Producer:

The landowners were able to receive the financial return from the property that they needed. The grower is assured that these very productive acres will continue to be available to rent. The future well being of the larger vegetable farm is bolstered by this transaction as there is very little other land that could be rented if this parcel were to have been developed.

Outcome – Environment:

This land is an important wildlife and scenic resource in the Town of Little Compton. Since they is located along a major highway these fields are part of a signature landscape at the entrance to the community.