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BURNHAM -- Mifflin County's Agricultural Land Preservation Board has announced that applications will be accepted until the close of business on May 26 for the Mifflin County Agland Preservation Program.
Generally known as the "Conservation Easement Program", Mifflin County's Agricultural Land Preservation Program is now preparing to enter its 30th year of operation. The purpose of the program is to permanently preserve our most valuable and productive agricultural land through the purchase or donation of conservation easements,often called "development rights". This program is designed as a competitive one in which only the highest ranked farm(s) are selected for conservation easement purchases.
To be eligible, a tract of farmland must first meet the following four minimum criteria:
Be located within an Agricultural Security Area which is at least 500 acres in size.
Be one or more of the following:
-Contiguous acreage of at least 50 acres in size.
-Contiguous acreage of at least 10 acres in size and utilized for a crop unique to the area.
-Contiguous acreage of at least 10 acres in size and contiguous to a property which has a perpetual conservation easement in place which is held by a "qualified conservation organization," as that term is defined in section 170(h)3 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C.A. §170(h) (3)).
Contain at least 50% of soils which are available for agricultural production and are of capability classes I-IV.
Contain 50% harvested cropland, pasture or grazing lands.
And if harvested cropland, be capable of producing sustained yields per acre equal to the county average yield per acre for that crop.
While these are the minimum criteria established to be eligible for the program, the ranking system places a considerable priority on preserving the count's best agricultural soils. Once the farm meets the minimum criteria it is scored on a Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) worksheet. The LESA criteria have been carefully established by the County Board to select those farms with the highest quality soils and highest potential for remaining a viable and productive enterprise.
While most conservation easements in the county have been purchased, the Mifflin County program also provides the option for landowners to donate or enter into a "bargain sale" for their development rights. This gives landowners the ability to preserve their land and possibly qualify for certain tax deduction benefits in lieu of receiving compensation for the easement.
Statewide there are currently 6,076 farms under conservation easements, totaling 613,844 acres. Mifflin County now has 29 farms preserved totaling 3,202acres.
Mifflin County's program is administered by the Mifflin County ConservationDistrict. To obtain an application packet or for more information, farmland owners can contact Trevor Weaver at the Mifflin County Conservation District, 20 Windmill Hill #4, Burnham, PA, 17009, phone (717) 248-4695 ext. 3138, or e-mail tweaver@mifflinccd.com.
MC Conservation
District announces new grant program
BURNHAM -- Mifflin County Conservation District (MCCD) is pleased to announce the availability of $1.9 million in grant funding allocated over the next three years to prevent nutrient and sediment pollution in Mifflin County.
Farm operations can now apply for funding through the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) to install Best Management Practices such as waste storage facilities/mortality composters, forest and grass buffers, stream and wetland restoration, and heavy use area protection to name a few.
Funding for the ACAP Program was created through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Clean Streams Fund and was established with the goal of reducing nonpoint source pollution to surface and groundwater supplies.
The program is administered by the State Conservation Commission with implementation through conservation districts.
To apply for funding, contact the Mifflin County Conservation District at (717) 248-4695 or visit www.mifflinccd.com to download an application.
Applications will be accepted through May 26.