More than 5 million acres of farm and ranch land have been permanently protected through state and local Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE) programs, the federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP), land trusts and other entities. The presentation in this session from American Farmland Trust's Farmland, Food and Livable Communities Conference looks at how PACE programs have been vital tools in helping new and established farmers alike gain access to affordable farmland. Yet not all conservation easements are designed for agriculture, and deciphering complex easement language can be a challenge. This round-table discussion focuses on what makes easements farm-friendly. The presentation discusses common terms and definitions and a variety of issues that farmers confront in working protected land. This session is intended for farmers, beginning or established, looking to protect their land or to buy or lease already protected land, and for agriculture service providers who work closely with farmers.  

Session Presenters: Cris Coffin, New England Director, American Farmland Trust (moderator); Jerry Cosgrove, Associate Director, Local Economies Project, New World Foundation, New York; Kathy Orlando, Executvie Director, Sheffield Land Trust, Massachusetts; LouAnna Perkins, Senior Legal Counsel, Maine Farmland Trust