Prime agricultural land protection: Washington State's experience

Excerpt

WASHINGTON, like many states, is endowed with a highly productive agricultural land base, including a significant proportion of prime farmland. This resource is the foundation of a high-yielding crop production system and a strong agricultural export market.

Despite the importance of agricultural land, the public generally has taken this resource for granted. Typically, agricultural uses are treated as temporary, lasting only until a parcel of land increases in value and is readied for urban or other nonagricultural conversion. Conversion of agricultural land to nonagricultural uses, along with soil erosion, threatens this high-yielding crop production system.

The effects of land conversion and degradation are felt all over the nation, of course, not just in Washington. Over the past 10 years, many states and counties have initiated programs to protect agriculturl resources, which, in many cases, are the base of their largest industry. States face similar prime farmland preservation issues. The various attempts at farmland protection have included property tax relief, zoning, purchase of development rights, and other programs. Experiences in Washington exemplify these issues and how to deal with them.

Justifications for preservation

A frequently cited reason for preserving agricultural land is alleviation of world hunger through greater U …