Vermont realizes that agriculture is a huge part of its economy, and it works very hard to help it and make it grow. The farmland conservation program is part of the commitment that Vermont has made to its farmers, said Westfield dairy farmer Patrick O’Donnell, in an interview conducted for this publication.
Since its inception, the Vermont farmland conservation program – which compensates farmers for selling the development rights to their land – has protected more than 260 farms and 83,000 acres of farmland. The program has allowed Vermont to conserve more acres of its farmland than nearly any other state; only Maryland and Pennsylvania have conserved more to date. Per capita, Vermont has spent more on its farmland protection program – nearly $42 million overall – than any other state in the nation.