MARYLAND - The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation has announced the latest round of easement purchases to permanently preserve over 4,600 acres of farmland in Maryland, with 1,700 of those acres right here on the Eastern Shore.
According to the Foundation, over $5 million in easement purchases have gone towards preserving prime farmland in Caroline, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, and Wicomico counties.
The largest of those Eastern Shore purchases was for two easements in Queen Anne’s County totaling nearly 600 acres.
“Preserving Maryland farmland is incredibly beneficial to its citizens,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “By preventing irreversible conversion of farmland to other uses, we protect our local food supply and our local economy. I am grateful to the landowners that volunteered to preserve these 4,600 acres of farmland.”
In all, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved 27 new easements across the state on October 4th, according to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. A full list of those new easements by county can be found here.