Office of Farmland Preservation

Washington State Conservation Commission

Mission Statement

“Our mission is to promote the vitality of farming, farmers, and ranchers by ensuring that we will continue to have productive agricultural lands in Washington State. We will achieve this through policy recommendations to the Governor, the Legislature, the Office of Farmland Preservation and others and by enlisting public support. Programs will be voluntary, recognize local priorities, and provide for economic incentives.”
Senator Haugen announces farmland preservation bill signed into law PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 08 May 2007

A
s more and more housing developers set their sights on acquiring scenic and relatively inexpensive agricultural lands, farming communities across our state face the prospect of irreversible changes to their essential character.

Senator Mary Margaret HaugenLegislation signed today into law by Governor Chris Gregoire would set up a state Office of Farmland Preservation to help keep agriculture economically viable for rural farmers.

“Farmlands are disappearing all across Washington, and it’s a real shame,” said Senator Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, who prime sponsored the bill. “Even the most dedicated farmers are facing pressure to sell their land to developers. We need to figure out how to let farmers stay farmers, or we’re not even going to recognize our communities in as little as ten years’ time.”

In addition to establishing an Office of Farmland Preservation, Senate Bill 5108 creates a Farmland Preservation Task Force made up of farmers and representatives of the State Conservation Commission, the state Department of Agriculture, the Washington Associations of Counties, the state Legislature and the governor’s office.

The mission of both the office and the task force is to identify factors likely to affect the retention and viability of agricultural lands in the future, develop tools for retaining agricultural land for agricultural production, and develop a program to help the current generation of farmers transition to the next.

Farmlands are disappearing all across Washington, and it’s a real shame

“This represents a commitment on the part of the state to preserve not just our farmlands, but the spirit of many of our rural communities,” said Allison Aurand, Director of the Skagit Farmland Legacy Program. “The Skagit Valley has some of the most beautiful farmland in Washington, and we really thank Sen. Haugen for her leadership in creating a concerted effort on the part of the state to help retain our local farms and farmers.”

“I want to thank Sen. Haugen for her continuous support of agriculture in the state of Washington, especially in the Skagit Valley,” said John Roozen, a local farmer. “The way she goes to bat for us is amazing. This is another example of her tremendous leadership to help one of the biggest industries in the state of Washington, and the resource-based industry that is probably the best for the environment and our quality of life.”

SB 5108 becomes effective on July 22.

Source: senatedemocrats.wa.gov, used by permission. 

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 September 2007 )
 
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