Carroll County boasts a rich agricultural heritage. Farming and agribusiness are woven into every aspect of the county – from the rural working landscape, cherished by the public, to their significant contribution to the county’s economy, jobs, and revenues. Preservation of farmland provides the opportunity to continue these aspects of the county that are so loved and so necessary to support the county’s economic base. Preserving large, contiguous areas of agricultural land is essential to building a “critical mass” of viable agricultural operations in order to sustain agri-businesses, such as farm suppliers and ag lenders, necessary for farm operations to thrive.

Land preservation also benefits the environment and helps to protect our streams. Click on the link to Why Should I Support and Encourage Agricultural Land Preservation in Carroll County? for more information on the Benefits of Agricultural Land Preservation in Carroll County.

Through a collaboration of agricultural interests and County officials, the goal of 100,000 acres permanently preserved was determined to be the minimum acreage needed to maintain a viable agricultural base in Carroll County.
For more information, contact the Ag Pres Program staff at 410-386-2214 or CarrollAgPres@CarrollCountyMD.gov.

• Fact Sheet: Why Save Farmland, American Farmland Trust, January 2003
• Website: “APA Policy Guide on Agricultural Land Preservation,” American Planning Association
• Document: Tax Benefits for Donating a Conservation Easement on Your Property, Carroll County Land Trust, July 16, 2018