Agricultural Preservation

The Preservation of rural land for agricultural use has a high priority in Montgomery County.  More than 93,000 acres of the County's 316,000 acres are still in agriculture.

As farmers and landowners, you are part of this effort to preserve agricultural land. You can be both participants in, and beneficiaries of, efforts to preserve agricultural land.

Agricultural Land Preservation Programs

In Montgomery County, landowners can choose from seven separate agricultural land preservation programs. Each of these programs place an easement on the property which prevents future commercial, residential or industrial development of the land. The programs available are:

I. Montgomery County Agricultural Easement Program (AEP)
II. Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF)
III. Maryland Environmental Trust (MET)
IV. Montgomery County Transfer of Development Rights Program (TDR)
V. Montgomery County Rural Legacy Program (RLP)
VI. Legacy Open Space Program (LOS)
VII. Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

You may find it economically advantageous to participate in one of these agricultural land preservation programs if you and your family intend to continue farming or if you desire to have your land protected from future development. Montgomery County is committed to preserving farmland to ensure the viability of the agricultural industry which contributes to the County's economic diversity.

Make Your Land Preservation Decision Now

The time is ripe to consider preserving your farm for future agricultural use. Farmland owners in Montgomery County have already responded to the preservation opportunities by placing more acres under easement than any County in the nation. The seven programs available in Montgomery County offer you viable options to preserve your farmland. The choice is yours.

You may wish to discuss the features of each program further in order to decide which program is the most beneficial for you. The Agricultural Services staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Email us your questions and we will be happy to get back with you.

MCER NO. 3-09:  PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REGULATION

                     Agricultural Land Preservation Easement Purchases

SUMMARY:  The proposed regulation provides rules and regulations for determining the County supplemental payment for Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation purchase of agricultural land preservation easements; and establish the method of purchasing agricultural easements by the County including method of determining easement value, method of ranking offers to sell easements, and terms of payment for easements..  The proposed regulation would supersede Executive Regulation 66-91.

AUTHORIZATION AND PROCEDURAL METHOD:  Montgomery County Code, 2004, Section: Chapter 2B.  Method 1.  The Montgomery County Council will be holding a public Forum on October 6, 2009 at 7:30 pm in the 7th floor hearing room at the Council Office Building.  This will provide for additional opportunties for input and comment

COPIES OF THE PROPOSED REGULATION:  Click on Link Below:

EXECUTIVE REGULATION 03-09 Agricultural Land Preservation Easement Purchases (247 kb/PDF)

Council Transmitted Packet for Executive Regulation 03-09 (including staff recommendation and approvals)

Agricultural Preservation in Montgomery County

Farmland Preservation Documents Available for Download:

(all downloads on this page require Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Farmland Preservation in the Agricultural Reserve (590 kb/PDF)

Introduction to Montgomery County Farmland Preservation (3.2 MB/PDF)

TDR Receiving Capacity Deficiency and TDRs Recorded vs Severed/Serialized  (148 kb/PDF)

Annual Farmland Preservation Report, FY80-FY08

Enhanced Farmland Preservation Initiatives overview (53 kb/PDF)

Montgomery County Farmland Preservation Certification Report (1 MB)