ANNAPOLIS, MD—The Maryland Board of Public Works has approved the permanent preservation of 19 additional working farms, totaling approximately 1,674 acres of farmland.
The new easements (PDF), secured through the Maryland Agricultural Preservation Foundation, will protect prime farmland and woodland in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, Washington, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Charles, and Worcester counties.
“By investing in the preservation of our invaluable farmland, we are not only safeguarding our agricultural legacy but also ensuring a sustainable future for our communities,” said Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks in a press release.
The Maryland Agricultural Preservation Foundation, part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture, works with willing farmers to purchase agricultural preservation easements, which protect the land from development indefinitely. The move is intended to maintain the state’s agricultural landscape, support local food production and sustain rural communities.
The new easements also contribute to Maryland’s goal of conserving 40% of state land by 2040, following the state’s earlier achievement of the 30% by 2030 goal set by the Maryland the Beautiful Act.
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