A new farm bill, what’s in it for Indiana?

After years of work, we have a new 2008 Farm Bill. What does it mean for you and your community? From the foods we eat, to protecting farms from development, to helping keep our drinking water clean—the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 has many programs that affect all of us everyday.

• What’s in the new farm bill and why is it important?
• Find out what’s next for the farm bill and how we can make sure the promises made in the legislation are turned into programs on the ground.
• Get an in-depth look at Indiana's agricultural profile from a state and district level including production and payment information.

rapid farmland loss in indiana

Indiana ranks fourth for U.S. exports of soybeans and products and sixth for feed grains and products. Each year more than 100,000 acres of Indiana farmland is converted to non-farm uses; this is an area equal to half of Brown County. Indiana is number seven on the list of states losing the most farmland in the 1997-2002 period. more

harrison county creates farmland protection program

The citizens and elected officials in this southern Indiana community took an important step in October of 2006 to protect farmland for future generations. With more than 108,000 agricultural acres threatened by residential development, Harrison County has worked for several years—with advice and encouragement from AFT—toward implementing a local program to purchase conservation easments from willing landowners. Three new programs are now in place to help protect important farmland:

• Land Conservation Program
• Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program
• Conservation Donation Program

Purdue Study Confirms Strong Support for Conservation

According to recently released results from a survey conducted by Purdue University, 90% of Harrison County residents support the efforts of the County’s Farm, Forest and Open Space Task Force. The task force is charged with identifying forces that contribute to rural land conversion and developing strategies to protect open space in Harrison County.

• Farmland and Open Space Conservation Survey

Ultimate Farmland preservation tour

Almost 200 leaders from Indiana have participated in AFT's Ultimate Farmland Preservation Tour—a four-day bus tour through Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey; three states with established, successful farmland protection programs that have been operating for over 20 years. This rolling classroom teaches participants the nuts and bolts of how to create a successful farmland protection program at the local level. Many participants have gone on to work in their communities to communicate the many values of protecting farmland.

Bartholomew farm protected by conservation easement

One of the oldest farms in Bartholomew County will forever be available for productive agriculture use. Evelyn Parker Chambers and Mary F. Parker have donated a conservation easement on the Parker Farm, located in Sand Creek Township, to the Sycamore Land Trust. more

Contact Us
Bob Wagner
Managing Director, Field Programs
1 Short Street, Suite 2
Northampton, Mass. 02160
(p) 800-370-4879 (f) 413-586-9332
bwagner@farmland.org