Preserving farmland, preserving the economy
If you go
What: The Rock County Planning, Economic, and Community Development Agency open house to answer questions about the farmland preservation plan.
When: 6:30 p.m.,Thursday.
Where: Courthouse conference center, second floor, Rock County Courthouse, 51 S. Main St.,Janesville.
For more information: Go to www.co.rock.wi.us or call the planning department at 608-757-5587.
JANESVILLE — Farmland preservation is often seen as the opposite of economic development, a way to tie-up land that might otherwise be used for housing developments, shopping malls or a new industrial park.
In Rock County, however, farmland preservation means economic development and growth.
At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the Rock County Planning, Economic and Community Development Agency is hosting an open house at the Rock County Courthouse to showcase the draft of the updated farmland preservation plan. The draft combines planning and zoning maps developed by each of the county’s 20 towns. The county’s planning department then worked with the towns to create a comprehensive map.
For farmers and rural residents, the plan will allow them to see changes in the rules. In the past, parcels smaller than 35 acres were not eligible to be part of the farmland preservation program and its tax credits.
But the plan is important to more than farmers and rural residents.
“What we have tried to do is become more comprehensive about agriculture,” said Paul Benjamin, planning director.
As such, the farm preservation plan is part of a larger agricultural plan for the county.
A map labeled “Agriculture Community and Economy,” shows the businesses and infrastructure related to the ag economy. Food processing facilities, dairy and meat plants, food warehouses, ethanol factories and recognized organic farms are all marked on the map. In addition, companies such as DeLong’s Applied Ecological Services, Blaine Supply, Tracy Seeds, Gavilon Grain and Landmark Service Cooperative are marked.
According to the UW Extension, Rock County agriculture accounts for $1.45 billion in business sales and contributes almost $445 million to the county’s income.
That’s why farmland preservation is so important, Benjamin said. Without that land, that business goes away.
“This is not just corn standing in fields, this is the ag economy,” Benjamin said.
Oct 21, 2012 at 9:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
1. Where is the community input?
2. Who did the study if there is a study?
3. Why are we creating a development free zone when birth rates are falling and new housing starts are at an all-time low?
4. Is the projected dearth of farmland really due to development and urban sprawl? Where are the stats?
5. Can we see stats regarding the total acreage of acquisition of lands for rewilding, reforresting, wetlands, parks, nature trails, bicycle trails as opposed to urban sprawl since 2007?
6. Where can we find the all important minutes of the meetings and resulting documents which hatched this plan?
7. I assume that this plan will kick off a multitude of ordinances for farmers including whether a farmer can use his farm for dairy or garden vegetables, corn for the expensive ethanol or soybean production, how many allowed out buildings per acre, how many trees this farm should or should not have.
8. How will this new designation of dedicated farmlands affect the value of the property?
9. In the event of the death of a farmer, can the farm then be subdivided and parcels left to his heirs? Can they, then build their homes on the farm?
I have too many questions. Maybe it would be better to address these questions at an open hearing at a Rock County meeting to present the plan to the public?
Oct 19, 2012 at 2:31 p.m.
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rprp, what type of work do you do?
Oct 19, 2012 at 1:14 p.m.
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Hey rprp,
Just curious as to the percentage of taxes you paid last year with respect to your income. What other services did you receive from the local, state, and federal govt. You also fail to mention what your idea of "fair share" is. Is it based on income, property, production....?
Oct 18, 2012 at 10:45 p.m.
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rprp, that works so well in China and Russia.
Oct 18, 2012 at 10:42 p.m.
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I attended this meeting. Mr Benjamin was asked if The United Nations and Agenda 21 had any thing to do with the Land preservation program.His response was he never heard of Agenda 21. I find that hard to believe. All one has to do is google Agenda 21/United Nations and begin reading all the articles that come up. These plans should be rejected because they infringe personal freedom and private property rights.This plan transfers to the gov't the right to dictate what a land owner can and cannot do with their own property. Just another sustainable development, green adgenda to ram down our throats.
Oct 18, 2012 at 8:29 a.m.
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If farmland is so critical why not nationalize farming. Collective farming is one way of preserving the farms.
Oct 18, 2012 at 8:19 a.m.
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Does AG economy mean NOT paying their fair share of all the different taxes.
Oct 18, 2012 at 7:11 a.m.
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If farmland is not preserved for farming we will run out of land to produce crops, destroy significant ecosystems and habitats for wildlife, and force animals living in the wild into residential areas. This will lead to a host of issues such as injuries to humans either by vehicular or physical encounters, property damage, increased cases of disease, increased parasites in pets and humans, and increased costs in food.
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