Landowner guides

AFT's landowner guides educate agricultural landowners about the variety of public programs and private options available to help them conserve their land and improve its productivity. Free downloads of the guides are available below.

Guide to Local Planning for Agriculture in New York
AFT's Guide to Local Planning for Agriculture in New York helps communities engage farmers and rural landowners in local planning efforts; assess current town policies and their effectiveness and understand the range of tools available to help New York towns support local farms—from right-to-farm laws to comprehensive plans to purchase of development rights programs. The guide contains more than 30 case studies demonstrating how towns and municipalities are successfully planning for agriculture. In addition, over 100 relevant publications, state laws, local plans and ordinances are available on a CD of reference materials that accompanies the guide. 2005, 65 pages, $15.95

Cost of Community Services Studies: Making the Case for Conservation
Saving land saves money. More than 80 Cost of Community Services (COCS) studies conducted nationwide by AFT and others show that privately owned farm, forest and ranch lands generate more in local revenues than they require in services. AFT developed the COCS methodology to measure the net fiscal contribution of different land uses, including working farm and ranch lands. With a COCS study, citizens and community leaders can make more informed land use decisions. Making the Case for Conservation evaluates the COCS approach, shares lessons from AFT's experience and can help you decide whether a COCS study would be useful to your community. 2002, 78 pages, $16.95

Your Land is Your Legacy
Jeremiah P. Cosgrove and Julia Freedgood
Third Edition, Revised and Updated
Have you ever wondered how to protect your land and, at the same time, ensure your financial well-being? Your Land is Your Legacy answers all your estate planning questions and incorporates tax changes from the 2001 Tax Relief Reconciliation Act. Written especially for farmers and ranchers to share with their advisors, this book guides readers through the maze of estate planning options and pitfalls. It includes examples and worksheets, and addresses the variety of strategies to keep land available for the next generation of farmers. 2002, 58 pages, $13.95

Saving American Farmland: What Works
AFT's comprehensive guidebook, Saving American Farmland, examines tools and strategies that people use to protect farmland and includes case studies of successful programs in California, Maryland and Washington. The final chapter offers lessons communities can learn from these farmland protection pioneers and outlines the steps involved in creating a farmland protection program. 1997, 334 pages, Was $34.95, NOW $27.95!

Forging New Protections: Purchasing Development Rights to Save Farmland
Farmland protection programs start with a good idea, but how do they become reality? This report documents how farmers and other citizens in Peninsula Township, Michigan, designed and built support for a purchase of agricultural conservation easement program. Includes information on PACE, details on the design of Peninsula Township's program and sample documents. An excellent resource for any community or state considering a PACE program. 1996, 80 pages, Was $15, NOW $11.95!

Sharing the Responsibility: What Agricultural Landowners Think About Property Rights, Government Regulation and the Environment
AFT's nationwide survey of farm, ranch and forest landowners reveals what they believe about sharing the cost of environmental protection with the general public. In response to the findings, AFT recommends policies that offer a fair, effective combination of regulations and incentives to protect resources and promote efficient land use patterns. 1998, 18-page summary report, with 65-page technical report, Was $9.95 , NOW $7.95!

FACT SHEETS

AFT's Farmland Information Center, a clearinghouse for information about farmland protection and stewardship, has produced a variety of fact sheets about farmland protection techniques.

• Agricultural Conservation Easements (PDF)
• Agricultural District Programs (PDF)
• Agricultural Economic Development (PDF)
• Agricultural Protection Zoning (PDF)
• Cost of Community Services Studies (PDF)
• Differential Assessment and Circuit Breaker Tax Programs (PDF)
• Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (PDF)
• Farm Transfer and Estate Planning (PDF)
• Farmland Protection Policy Act (PDF)
• Farmland Protection Toolbox (PDF)
• Glossary (PDF)
• Fedeal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program Allocations
• Growth Management Laws (PDF)
• Installment Purchase Agreements (PDF)
• Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (PDF)
• Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements (PDF)
• Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements: Sources of Funding (PDF)
• Status of Local PACE Programs (PDF)
• Status of State PACE Programs (PDF)
• Right-to-Farm Laws (PDF)
• Transfer of Development Rights (PDF)
• Why Save Farmland? (PDF)
• Why Save Farmland? color brochure (PDF)
• Revised 1997 National Resources Inventory: Changes in Land Cover/Use