PRESTON, Md. - It is common to see farms sold to developers. But, Maryland wants to permanently preserve 1 million acres of its farmland. The state board of public works recently approved 25 additional farms through the Maryland Agricultural Preservation Foundation, which pays farmers for their development rights. Executive Director Michelle Cable says preserving the Maryland farmland also preserves the economy.
"Preserving our number one economy in Maryland which is agriculture," Cable said. "With our land, there is no agriculture and without the land, we don't have the food that we eat and everything that goes along with that."
The process to get farmland preserved can be quite extensive. Once the farm owner applies, the land is put on a competitive list that is ranked by assessment of the soil quality, property size, and more. Farmer Greg Turner says it was a long time coming to get some of his lands approved.
"I had it signed up for ten or twelve years finally this year I did get excepted," Turner said. "I think it's important to preserve our farmland for the next generation."
He wants to do his part in keeping the Eastern Shore a rural area.
"I don't want to see houses all over it. I don't want it to change life here on the Eastern Shore," Turner said. "Without the open spaces and the farmland, it's not going to be the same."
Now Turner has six properties in total that he wants to permanently preserve. He has three down already and three more to go, which will total 700 acres of preserved farmland.