DOVER, Del. (August 13, 2024)—The Delaware Department of Agriculture announced the 28th round of easement selections by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation, preserving 40 farms and 2,262 acres of farmland. With this announcement, the Carney administration has preserved 403 farms, the highest number in the program’s history.

“Investing in Delaware’s AgLands program allows us to protect Delaware’s agriculture heritage and the future of our number one industry while benefiting the greater environment,” said Governor Carney. “I want to thank the Aglands team at the Department of Agriculture, the members of the General Assembly, and all who work to preserve this important part of Delaware’s history and economy. It’s been an honor to support this program and our family farms over the years.”

In 1991, the General Assembly passed legislation, signed into law by Gov. Michael N. Castle, to create the framework for the Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation, which oversees the preservation program with staffing support from Department of Agriculture employees. The first funding was allocated in 1995 under Gov. Carper, who preserved 273 Delaware farms; Gov. Minner, with 288 farms; and Gov. Markell, with 292 farms.

After over 10 years of not being funded, Governor Carney reinstated the Forestland Preservation Program funding in 2019. Entirely forested properties in managed timber production can enroll in the Forestland Preservation Program, which purchases Forestland Preservation Easements similar to Aglands Preservation. Through Governor Carney’s support in maintaining a sustainable forest system that benefits wildlife habitat, the forest industry, and all Delawareans, the state’s Forestland Preservation Program saw a significant increase in participation. Since then, the program has purchased 12 forestland easements on more than 866 acres, with another 1,617 acres temporarily preserved on 21 forestland areas, similar to how agricultural districts operate for farmland preservation. An additional 40,600 acres of forest have been purchased under Aglands Preservation.

“Trees are extremely important for our environment, but they are also extremely important for the revenue they can produce for our landowners, which is why the Forestland Preservation Program is key to our timber industry in Delaware,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “Because of the importance the Governor placed on planting trees to improve the environment, the Delaware Forest Service made a major effort to plant 1,013,149 trees from 2020 to 2024 before the Governor left office, contributing to his legacy of protecting Delaware’s land and improving the overall environment through increasing forested areas across the state.”

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation Easements are available for viewing through an online dashboard at https://de.gov/agdashboard.

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation selects farms approved for easement purchase using an impartial discounted ranking system that maximizes taxpayer benefits. The Foundation does not own the land but purchases landowners’ development rights and places a permanent agricultural conservation easement on the property. Landowners must first voluntarily enroll their farm into a 10-year preservation district and are eligible for permanent preservation the year after they apply.

In addition to more than 155,486 acres in permanent easements, Delaware’s Aglands and Forestland Preservation Programs have more than 47,300 acres of land enrolled in 10-year preservation districts.

County governments can partner with the state program and add county funds to select properties in their areas, leveraging state resources for the greatest impact. In today’s announcement, the county governments provided over $715,000 to help purchase 18 easements in this round.

“Agriculture is the lifeblood of Sussex County. It drives our economy, and it’s driven our communities for centuries. Sussex County is agriculture through and through, right down to our roots,” County Council President Michael H. Vincent said. “The County Council is honored to be part of this continuing effort through the Delaware Aglands program to preserve what is an integral way of life, one that we hope will continue to be for generations to come.”

Delaware’s statewide program made its first round of easement purchases in 1996 and has since preserved 22.7% of New Castle County farmland, 42.8% of Kent County farmland, and 22.5% of Sussex County farmland.

Levy Court President Terry L. Pepper said, “Kent County is committed to balancing growth with conservation. This program not only helps preserve valuable farmland, but also supports local agriculture, ensuring a sustainable and thriving environment for generations to come.”

Delaware farmers interested in preserving their farms should be sure they meet the following eligibility requirements:
• Property must be zoned for agriculture and not subject to any major subdivision plan.
• The property meets the minimum Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) score of 170. LESA is a process that attempts to estimate the farm’s long-term viability based on the farm’s soil productivity, land use, and agriculture infrastructure on and around the farm. Scores range from 0-300. Aglands program staff calculate the LESA score when applications are received.
•The property must be working farmland with at least $1,000 in agricultural sales annually and generally have at least 10 acres of cropland.
• Farms of 200 acres or more constitute an agricultural district.
• Farms under 200 acres can enter the program if it is within 3 miles of an existing agricultural district.

With 1,273 farms already preserved, rarely does a farm under 200 acres not meet these criteria.

For more information or to obtain applications related to the Delaware Aglands Preservation Program, interested landowners can visit https://de.gov/aglands or call (302) 698-4530.

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees includes representatives from agriculture and state agencies. Trustees are Mark Collins, chairman; James G. Vanderwende, vice-chairman; Janice Truitt, treasurer; William H. “Chip” Narvel Jr., secretary; Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse; State Treasurer Colleen C. Davis; Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Shawn Garvin; Dorothy Abbott; Robert Walls, Sr.; Robert Emerson; and H. Grier Stayton.

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