AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION
We support the concept of agricultural land preservation and
urge all landowners to acquaint themselves with the programs available and the
benefits derived thereof. Furthermore, we urge the state and county governments
to continue to support the voluntary preservation of agricultural land with
substantial increases in funding. We encourage them to work with all interested
stakeholders to develop innovative voluntary programs that maximize farmland
preservation while protecting landowner equity and private property rights and
not negatively impacting any other rights running with the land. 06
We encourage neighboring counties to work cooperatively to
achieve these goals provided county sovereignty is respected and all planning
and zoning decisions are made at the county level. '04
We support the existing Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation
efforts and encourage the investigation of alternative ag land preservation
programs. '02
We support the Maryland Ag Land Preservation Foundation and
county preservation boards in their efforts to preserve agricultural land
throughout the state. Furthermore, we urge that these boards maintain the right
to select land eligible for easement sale with priority toward creating large
contiguous blocks of preserved land. '01
Ag Preservation Funding
We urge additional funding by the state and counties for
agland preservation programs, including but not limited to MALPF, Rural Legacy
and Critical Farms Program. Payments for these programs should reflect current
market values for farmland. 05
We support an Installment Purchase Program option. '02
We support the issuance of bonds to fund agland preservation
programs. '04
We oppose transfer and/or use of funds set aside for
agricultural land preservation for anything other than the preservation of
farmland. 07
We support a line on state income tax returns to allow
taxpayers to donate funds to the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation
Foundation to preserve farmland. 07
We recommend the creation of a new Maryland lottery scratch
with the proceeds going towards Agland Preservation. 05
We urge the Maryland State Legislature to fully fund the
Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program. 07
Furthermore, we recommend that additional county and state
incentives for participation should be provided, such as property tax credits
for agricultural district properties committed to a term of five years or
property tax credits on land where easements have been purchased, and the
enactment of a Maryland agricultural land property tax credit program. 07
Appraisals
We urge the state to use local appraisers who should base
their appraisals on the recent sale or transfer of property in the immediate
vicinity. We also believe that the appraisers should be required to successfully
complete a course of study specifically on agricultural land appraisal approved
by the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation. Furthermore,
appraisers should be required to take into consideration the value of standing
timber, the subdivision value of any property, as well as the uniqueness of the
metropolitan areas when making their appraisals. 05
Mapping
We oppose the identification and inclusion of state and
county ag land preservation easement properties in land use and public
facilities maps. Where so included and identified, such areas should be
prominently labeled as private property. 06
Maryland Agland Preservation Foundation
In order for the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation
Foundation (MALPF) to operate more efficiently we believe that the Maryland
General Assembly should develop a permanent annual allotment for the
Agricultural Land Preservation Program. We also believe the following changes
should be made:
(1) The "Right to Farm" provisions
provided in the sale of Maryland agricultural land easements should be extended
to anyone who is enrolled in
an
agricultural district.07
(2) We direct MALPF to allow other
forms of income when it does not interfere with the present agriculture
operation or change the agricultural
capabilities
of the land including expanded permitted uses such as ag tourism and value added
operations. '02
(3) We support the right of
value-added agricultural businesses on MALPF land to sell products not produced
or grown on the farm as a
secondary
attraction (.e.g. sandwiches, t-shirts, small gifts). 07
(4) We support the voluntary sale of
water recharge easements on MALPF land in the Piedmont region providing it does
not interfere with any
current or
future potential agricultural production. 05
(5) We recommend that equine
activities, including boarding, breeding, lessons and other activities be
considered acceptable agricultural uses for
the purposes
of the Maryland Agland Preservation Foundation easements. '04
(6) We recommend a revision of the
agricultural value formula that is being used by the Maryland Ag Land
Preservation Foundation because the
current
formula discriminates against farms in the program with superior soils.05
(7) We recommend that farms be
allowed into the MALPF program without regard to mineral rights issues. '01
(8) We support the proposal to alter
childrens lots to allow the right to pass residual lots to a new owner. '02
Other Methods to Preserve Agland
As another step toward preservation of agricultural land, we
propose legislation to create an Agricultural Land Condemnation Board, chaired
by the State's Secretary of Agriculture. Before anyone can condemn any
productive agricultural lands for any purpose, the involved body must appeal to
the board. The board must determine that there is no reasonable or prudent
alternative. 05
We support the establishment of a state level green payments
program similar to the federal Conservation Security Program. 06
Soil Surveys
We urge the Natural Resource Conservation Service to complete
the updating of the county soil surveys for Maryland to include numerical
productivity indexes. 06
Transfer Development Rights
We oppose the conveyance of Transferable Development Rights
across county lines.06
Zoning
We recommend that every county review their agricultural
zoning and its impact on the equity of landowners. 06