What if your best opportunities for economic prosperity and your quality of life are based largely upon the pastoral character of local family farms and a bourgeoning ag-tourism sector? And what if you understand that the aging farmers in your area have no realistic economic alternatives other than selling to the highest bidder when it’s time to retire – even if that bidder wants to convert the farm to a non-ag use? You’d probably look for viable ways to permanently protect large amounts of agricultural acreage so that farm families have other options. You’d want to ensure that future generations can benefit from the same quality of life you have, not to mention the entire array of ag-related economic opportunities. You’d also look at what other communities near and far are doing to protect their agricultural economy and rural character.

In Leelanau County, we really didn’t need to look very far – but we did anyway. Of course, we looked close to home, too. What the many folks who care about the future of farming found was that, from Old Mission Peninsula and Acme Township in the Grand Traverse Region to the far corners of America, dozens upon dozens of communities have put local public funding to work for them, including relatively modest tax levies. So it was clear that the first logical step was to ask the citizens of this area whether they would also support a similar measure. We at the Conservancy supported that initiative. The answer came after the November election when less than 40% of the voters said they were ready for a half-mill, 15-year farmland preservation levy. In fact, one could safely say that the voters in last November’s election were reluctant to approve any county-wide tax levy. Another initiative on the same ballot – a full one-mill levy to save 9-1-1 emergency services and other existing county programs from being cut – passed by a slim 90-vote margin.

It’s important to remember that both supporters and critics of the farmland millage universally lauded the concept of farmland preservation despite their differences as to how to fund it. Nevertheless, in a 5-1 vote the Leelanau County Commissioners felt justified in repealing the County’s farmland preservation ordinance. They dissolved the program, and in doing so removed the opportunity for local farmers to apply for state farmland preservation funds. At that time, several Commissioners sug-gested that the Conservancy should be the one to ensure that farmland preservation happens in Leelanau.

To our knowledge, successful farmland preservation programs throughout America are funded, without exception, with some public dollars. However, we’re being challenged to “think outside the box” and create a model program that relies primarily upon private funding.

We accept that challenge.

Late in 2006 we received a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to research and lay out a bold plan to fund farmland preservation and the transfer of productive farms to the next generation. Kellogg funding has allowed us to fill a one-year staff position to help us with the heavy lifting on this critical project. We’re pleased to announce that Dan Scripps, an environmental lawyer and Northport resident, has joined the Conservancy to work with us this year. Dan brings a wealth of practical research and outreach experience to the table. He is charged with the basic research in developing a model farmland preservation program, including a funding plan and recommendations on changes in the law if needed. If you’re around the County over the next several months, please stop in and say hello to Dan.

There’s more good news. Conservancy staffers Brian Price and Tom Nelson and several other key stakeholders in the area are teaming up with Senator Michelle McManus to review and attempt to amend existing state laws that could enable land trusts like the Conservancy to partner with farmers to apply directly for state farmland preservation funds. Senator McManus has also begun examining possible funding streams for farmland preservation on a statewide basis. We’re grateful to the Senator and her staff for once again taking a leadership role in helping to find solutions to the challenges to Leelanau County’s agricultural economy and heritage.

In other words, we hope you’ll be glad to know we’re still on the case. Keep your eye on this space in future issues for new updates on farmland preservation. We promise to keep you in the loop!