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From the steps of the capitol building in Madison, Wisconsin, to farm fields stretching across Minnesota to Ohio, 2011 has been a year of bringing people together. Farmers and citizens alike are fighting for policies and programs that will keep farmland in farming, while new opportunities are evolving to help farmers be better stewards of the land.
As we prepare for the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead, you can read more about our accomplishments in the Midwest from the past year.
 Midwest: The Year in Review
American Farmland Trust has fought to protect farmland in the Midwest for 27 years. Sometimes called America’s breadbasket, the Midwest is blessed with prime farmland soils that are the envy of the world, but we know we can’t afford to take these priceless resources for granted. That’s why we’ve been hard at work in this important region, and have made significant progress over the past year.
 Ohio's Champaign County Farmers Market is the large category winner of our 2010 “America’s Favorite Farmers Markets” contest. Congratulations to everyone who voted their hometown market to the top!
Learn more about the Champaign County Farmers Market!
Ohio Update
The Clean Ohio Bond offers great promise to farmland protection and the environment. By preserving farmland, protecting green space, cleaning up urban brownfields, and providing recreational trails the bond will ensure a bright future for Ohio—all without raising taxes.
American Farmland Trust was instrumental in the creation of the Clean Ohio Agricultural Easement Purchase Program. Since its inception in 2000 the Clean Ohio program has made an impressive impact on Buckeye farms [PDF].
Focus on Ohio
American Farmland Trust is proud to be included in the inaugural issue of edible OHIO VALLEY, a magazine dedicated to celebrating the local food artisans, growers, and producers of the Greater Cincinnati region. Published quarterly in time with the seasons, edible OHIO VALLEY focuses on local, sustainable food sources, and the people who work the land to bring this bounty to readers tables.
With beautiful photography and thoughtful content, the magazine and website will help readers savor and connect to the region’s food culture. An indispensible guide for people who are passionate about food, edible OHIO VALLEY is a feast for the senses.
An American Farmland Trust study helped inspire a public radio report on the effects of sprawl and farmland loss in Northeast Ohio. Our updated Cost of Community Services study for Madison Village and Madison Township in Lake County showed that new subdivisions typically do not provide enough tax revenue to support the public services they require—whereas farmland pays more in taxes than it costs in services. Specifically, residential development in the township required $1.24 in public services for every $1 those homes paid in taxes, while farm and forest land required only 37 cents in services for every dollar in taxes. WCPN Radio in Cleveland used the studies as the foundation for their news report on development patterns in the Cleveland metropolitan area.
The Ohio Agricultural Landowners Guide [PDF] is available to farmers who want to conserve and protect their land. The 16-page full-color guide summarizes a full range of federal conservation programs, state farmland preservation options and assorted local initiatives.
The guide includes case studies of ideas and efforts that have been effective: innovative zoning in Clark County, active land trusts around the state and entrepreneurial farm marketing in Wayne County, where the Hartzler family opened the first new dairy processing plant in Ohio in decades.
Contact Us
Michael J. Baise
Midwest Director
2717 Bule Ridge Court
Bloomington, IN 47408
(317) 508-0756
mbaise@farmland.org
To learn more about agriculture in your state, visit the Ohio state profile page at the Farmland Information Center.
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