Re: 40 acres

Dan Hook (guldann@ix.netcom.com)
Wed, 15 Sep 1999 22:12:49 -0400

. Cass wrote:
>What is sometimes overlooked in the desire to preserve farmland is that,
>for many farmers, the land is the only retirement plan. Taking the value of
>the land away from people who have struggled for years in a high-risk,
>low-return business seems unfair to the extreme.

>This sums it up well. We talk on this list about small farmers getting
poor treatment at the hands of Monsanto, factory animal farms etc, Well
"expecting" farmers to "save" the world from themselves by donating their
open space to the cause, a cause I might add most farmers have championed
alone is as Cass said unfair. I think if society as a whole thinks that
farm land needs preserving then society as a whole should chip in.
Development rights type programs seem to be a way. Society chips in buys
the dev. rights from farmers. The farmer continues to farm. The farmer may
sell the farm at a farm price (remember farmer has been paid the difference
due to the developement rights purchase) some other young enthusiastic
farmer can afford the land and continue to farm. (Many farms would probably
stay farms but a new owner can't afford it). Seems fair. Beth

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