Over one million acres of farm and ranch land is lost each year, potentially losing over 11 million pounds of beef production annually. The loss of farm and ranch land to urban development is becoming a major problem and according to the American Farmland Trust, two acres of farm and ranch land is lost every minute of every day. To understand the importance of this problem and to find solutions, we need to educate ourselves and the public. Education is key to preservation.
Why are we losing this precious land to development when there is other land to choose from? Farm and ranch land is desired for development because of its fairly flat topography, good drainage, and lower costs. Over the past 20 years, the average acreage used per person for new housing has almost doubled, thus increasing the need for land. Farm and ranch land is lost at the fringes of urban development and in large lots, such as subdivisions, in rural areas. Many farmers and ranchers can make more money by selling their land instead of raising their cattle because of increased operating costs which include higher costs of feed, fuel, and taxes.
Some people may say, “Sure this problem affects ranchers but how does it affect me?”. Consumers spent $71.2 billion on beef products in 2005. The total production of beef in 2005 was 24.7 billion pounds with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association stating that demand for beef has increased 20% since 1998. The US beef industry is made up of 1 million businesses, farms, and ranches conducting business in all 50 states providing innumerable jobs. The US has less than 10% of the world’s population of beef cattle but we are producing 25% of the world’s supply of beef. With the rapidly increasing world population and expansion of global markets, US farm and ranch land is an important investment in the world’s food supply and an economic opportunity. The loss of farm and ranch land could be disastrous, losing money, jobs, and global market trading opportunities.
Farm and ranch land preservation saves tax payer’s money. New development requires public services such as schools, roads, and fire and police protection, whereas privately owned agricultural land requires very few services, thus saving money.
Well managed farm and ranch land is environmentally friendly as it provides shelter for wildlife, helps control flooding, and protects watersheds and wetlands. Farm and ranch land also helps maintain air quality, can absorb and filter wastewater, and provides an excellent area for groundwater recharge. Farmers and ranchers serve as stewards of the land managing for the whole resource and respecting and preserving the land by adapting their management practices.
The US already is the #1 importer of beef in the world, importing 1.765 million tons in 2005 according to the National Cattleman’s Association. With the loss of farm and ranch land, the US will become increasingly dependant on importing beef.
To solve the problem of losing farm and ranch land, education of the ranchers and the public is key to preservation. To many ranchers surprise, there are laws created to help. What are these laws and what do they do to help you may ask? Well, there are two main laws that I would like to cover, the Right-to-Farm laws and Differential Assessment laws. The Right-to-Farm laws are intended to protect farmers and ranchers from nuisance lawsuits. Right-to-Farm laws are present in every state in the nation. Some laws protect farmers and ranchers who use generally accepted agricultural and management practices and abide by federal and state laws. Twenty-three other laws also prohibit local governments from passing ordinances that would impose unreasonable restrictions on agriculture. Right-to-Farm laws serve as a state policy assertion that agriculture is an important activity for a state, county, or town. Local governments around the US are passing their own Right-To-Farms laws to strengthen and clarify state laws. These laws also support economic viability of farming and ranching by discouraging neighbors from filing lawsuits against farms and ranches and help educate the public about the needs of farming and ranching. Some Right-to-Farm ordinances do require that a notice be placed on land deeds of all property in agricultural areas cautioning potential buyer about noise, smell, dust, and other inconveniences that come with farming and ranching. Although Right-to-Farm laws are not specifically created to preserve farm and ranch land they help by promoting agriculture and by protecting ranchers from costly lawsuits that could harm their business.
The other laws I would like cover are the Differential Assessment Laws. Differential Assessment Laws direct local governments to assess farm and ranch land at its value for agriculture instead of its full market value, which is generally higher. These laws are enacted at the state level and applied at the local level. The Differential Assessment programs help ensure economic viability of agriculture as high taxes reduce profit and lack of profitability is a major motivation to sell land for development. Differential Assessment laws help correct unfairness in the property tax system. Owners of farm and ranch land demand fewer public services than residential owners, but pay disproportionately high property taxes. The differential assessment laws assist in bringing farmers’ and ranchers’ property taxes down to what it actually cost the local government to provide services to the land.
Another way to help preserve farm and ranch land is through conservation easements. A conservation easement is an agreement of the farmer or rancher not to develop a piece of land or to severely restrict the way a tract can be developed in exchange for money or other consideration. The money earned by the rancher can be used for improvements of his or her ranch. Conservation easements can be purchased by individuals, organizations, or governments. The cost of conservation easements can be expensive but a program called Farm & Ranch Land Protection Program or FRPP is administered by NRCS to provide match funds to local, state, and non-government organizations.
Along with these laws and programs, farmers and ranchers should educate themselves about less labor intensive and more cost effective techniques. Ranchers should learn about their production and marketing options to get the best price for their product. Farmers and ranchers also need to learn about the importance of educating the public and promoting the beef industry.
Even if ranchers and farmers do their part, the preservation of farm and ranch land is impacted by the general public’s demands. Consumers outnumber farmers and ranchers by millions. It is important that we educate the public about the importance of the beef industry and ranch land preservation. We need to influence public opinion to gain support. How is this done? One way is by presenting informative and persuasive advertising and programs through the media such as TV, websites, newspapers, and radio. Another way to increase public awareness is by providing hands on experiences. This could be done through live exhibits available at county and state fairs, through field days, and guest ranches so the consumer can see what it is like to raise beef cattle. With these hands on experiences, the public gets to see that farmers and ranchers are very humane and provide excellent husbandry caring for the well being of their cattle. Furthermore, public speaking opportunities are a great way to reach out to consumers by speaking in public areas such as schools, and in city council meetings. Although we can not change every mindset, just getting a few of the general public interested and involved will then infulence others as they tell their family and friends.
Farm and ranch land is an important US resource that should not be overlooked. Farming and ranching is economically important providing money, jobs, and global market trading. It is environmentally friendly and is an honorable and rewarding living. The loss of US farm and ranch land to development is a problem with multiple solutions. Education is key to preservation and preservation is key to providing for our future.
Anyway, I would appreciate any comments.