The time is right to ramp up county farmland protection programs in the Puget Sound region. Public interest in local food and farms continues to grow. County governments are supportive and stepping up their efforts. The economic downturn and corresponding lull in development activity have resulted in farmland and easement prices that are lower than they’ve been in decades. We must harness this momentum.
American Farmland Trust will be using the study and report to provide technical assistance to individual counties and state agencies to strengthen regulations and improve farmland protection programs.
You can help. Here are some ways to improve farmland protection programs in your county:
Get on the agenda of your county council or board of commissioners and discuss the need to strengthen farmland protection policies;
Keep an eye on farms in your area and watch for signs that they may be slated for development;
Share your county’s scorecard with a neighbor;
Buy locally to support farmers in the Puget Sound Region.
The time is right to ramp up county farmland protection programs in the Puget Sound region. Public interest in local food and farms continues to grow. County governments are supportive and stepping up their efforts. The economic downturn and corresponding lull in development activity have resulted in farmland and easement prices that are lower than they’ve been in decades. We must harness this momentum. 
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