Protecting Farmland for the Future

Local And Regional Initiatives Support Efforts To Preserve Farmland

After a long winter, it’s hard to imagine spring in northern Michigan without cherry trees in bloom and the first sprouts of asparagus–signs that the growing season has finally arrived. And what would our summers be without local strawberries, which always seem to taste better than you remember, or sweet corn so fresh that its sugars burst with every bite?

With the help of our rich soils, unique landscapes, and unparalleled freshwater resources, northern Michigan’s farmers grow some of the best-tasting and most diverse produce in the country. In fact, the region significantly contributes to the reason our state ranks second only to California in terms of agricultural diversity.

And while many of us reap the benefits of farming as consumers, from filling our tables with seasonal produce to knowing where our food comes from, agriculture is imperative to the livelihood of those who work on farms and with food processors, packers, retailers, and other food suppliers.

Yet as crucial as it may be, farming in our region is very much at risk. As northern Michigan continues to attract people seeking access to fresh water and relief from intensifying wildfires, storms, and flooding, it’s critical to balance development with land preservation. Already, thousands of acres of farmland have been gobbled up for various development activities. The West Michigan Fruitbelt, which runs through our service area, is as threatened as it is unique.

Not long ago, American Farmland Trust identified this fruitbelt as one of the ten most threatened agricultural resources in the entire nation.

GTRLC has consistently placed an emphasis on preserving our local farmland. Through hundreds of private conservation easements, critical support of government Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) programs and other innovative measures, we’ve helped save more than 12,500 acres of farmland.

Private Conservation Easements

A conservation or agricultural easement is a voluntary legal agreement between GTRLC (or another organization) and a private landowner that permanently restricts development on a piece of land for perpetuity, regardless of the owner.

With agricultural land, an easement restricts future use of the property from residential, commercial, and industrial development, and can allow for agricultural activities like farm-related buildings, and housing for landowners or seasonal labor. When the property transfers ownership, the easement stays with the land.

GTRLC, which either purchases these easements from the landowner or receives them as a donation, is responsible for regular monitoring to make sure the terms of the easement are upheld. GTRLC currently monitors more than 300 conservation easements.

Purchase of Development Rights

Like other rights associated with land, the right to develop a property has a cash value. Under a township’s Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program, a voter-approved millage generates funds so the township can purchase development rights from farmers to preserve open space and scenic character in perpetuity.

Two examples of these programs exist in Grand Traverse County’s Peninsula and Acme Townships, which have each experienced resounding success. GTRLC works with both townships to manage the individual land protection deals, and to monitor for easement compliance in Acme Township.

Last August, Peninsula Township voters approved the renewal of a millage to support farmland preservation until 2041. In addition to assisting with best management practices, GTRLC is presently working with the township board’s PDR Selection Committee to prepare for the next round of applications this spring.

The vote marked the third time a tax levy was approved for the program since it was introduced in 1994. Since then, more than half of the land in Peninsula Township’s Agricultural Preservation Area (APA) has been protected. In Acme Township, which launched its program 10 years after Peninsula Township, nearly a quarter of the APA is protected or under application. Their PDR program was most recently renewed in 2014 for a ten-year term. Currently, GTRLC is involved in ongoing negotiations with the remaining applicants.

Regional Conservation Partnership Program

With the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians serving as the lead partner, the Tribal Stream and Michigan Fruitbelt Collaborative also includes GTRLC, the Leelanau Conservancy, the Conservation Resource Alliance, the Grand Traverse Conservation District and other supporting organizations. The collaborative’s shared goals include protecting farms and forests from development in high-risk areas and restoring connectivity to streams that have been fragmented by roads, dams and other barriers.

The initiative secured a $7.9 million grant from the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) as part of the 2014 Farm Bill and was renewed in 2021 for an additional $4.4 million. About $938,000 of that award has been dedicated to protecting farmland in GTRLC’s five-county service area, with most of it bolstering both PDR programs.

As always, GTRLC will continue pursuing the protection of high-quality farmland within our service area. We currently have approximately 766 acres of farmland easements in our land protection pipeline.

Highlights include:

Kiessel Ridge Farm

Fundraising is complete for the protection of this incredible 385-acre farm overlooking Torch Lake. As one of the largest unprotected parcels in proximity to Torch Lake, the farm’s protection is significant to safeguarding water quality, preserving prime agricultural soils and protecting critical viewsheds of Torch Lake and Grand Traverse Bay. Unlike many farms in the area that are dedicated to a variety of fruit operations, Kiessel’s well-drained, sandy soils support a rotationally grazed, sustainable cattle operation. It is also in the early stages of growing rye for local distillery products that are rapidly increasing in popularity and prestige. The purchase of a conservation easement will secure the farm’s protection and support the generational transfer of farmland by extinguishing the possibility of development.

Cherries R Da Berries Farm

Part of Acme Township’s PDR program, this rolling 72-acre property encompasses an active cherry orchard along U.S. 31 with views of East Grand Traverse Bay. With critical support from the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Acme Township and GTRLC have been working to protect the farm since 2020. During this time, the assessed value of the conservation easement has risen dramatically, in large part due to substantial demand for properties near a popular horse show venue.

Grand Traverse County Farm

Another farm under consideration for protection through Acme Township’s PDR program is an active 80-acre fruit orchard in Williamsburg. The farm features gently rolling hills covered with cherry and apple trees and areas of wetland.

Benzie County Farm

GTRLC is in early conversations with the owners of an active 240-acre farm in Platte Township. In the heart of a beloved and scenic viewshed, the thirdgeneration asparagus farm borders Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and contains upland and forested wetland areas. In addition to preserving its farming history, the property’s protection would safeguard valuable wildlife habitat for diverse species and build on nearby land preservation efforts in the Platte River watershed.

Benzie County Farm

The Conservancy is speaking with the owners of an active 30-acre farm, which is currently leased for growing hay and contains areas of mixed hardwood forest. Situated between Crystal and Platte Lakes and in proximity to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the property’s protection would sustain its history in agriculture while providing meaningful benefits for water quality and wildlife habitat and preserving Benzie County’s scenic character.

For more information about our farmland programs, contact Farmland Protection Specialist Laura Rigan at (231) 922.1271 or lrigan@gtrlc.org.