Haywood is a stronghold for farmland preservation

Apr. 22—A personnel change has shined the spotlight on Haywood County's Farmland Preservation ordinance — one of the first in the state when it was passed nearly three decades ago.

Farmers showed up at a county commissioners meeting last month to express concerns about a county employee who quit his job — and how that change could impact farmers applying for a state preservation program.

The commissioners and Haywood Soil and Water Conservation Chairman Bill Yarborough provided assurances the program would continue and that the person who helped start the program in Haywood, Davis Ferguson, was returning on an interim basis to ensure the work would continue.

Several farmers praised the county's proactive stance on valuing and protecting farmland.

Tim Kelley, a Crabtree farmer was one of them.

"Once a farm is gone, you can't get it back," he said.

Kelley praised the abundant natural resources in the county, but cautioned those very attributes are what's drawing so many to move here and increase development pressures.

"We need to protect the resources God has given us, and we need farms for food," he said.

Tabitha Ross also voiced support for the preservation program.

"I'm here for my mom and dad," she said. "They have a valley with 30 acres that would be very good to be in preservation to keep it from development."

Don Smart, a long-time Haywood farmer and president of the Haywood County Farm Bureau, gave a brief history of the ordinance and the program, citing economic studies that indicate the 541 farms in Haywood have a $35 million impact.

Farmers interested in preserving their farmland can sign a conservation agreement with the county that prohibits non-farm use or development for a 10-year period, an agreement that the landowner can revoke at any time.

The stated purpose of the Farmland Preservation ordinance is to encourage the economic and financial health of farming; increase protection from non-farm development; and increase the protection of farms from nuisance suits and other negative impacts on properly managed farms.

There are two types of agreements open to farmers interested in participating in the program. One is a 10-year nonbinding agreement where agriculture producers agree to continue farming practices and not develop their land.

The second is called an enhanced voluntary agriculture district, designed for those agreeing to permanently set aside acreage so that it can never be developed.

This option opens the door to funding through the state's Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. Yarborough said the state of North Carolina recognizes the importance of preserving its rich agriculture industries and has set up a funding mechanism to encourage that goal.

Farmers who agree to never develop their property can get a one-time payment from the trust fund. The payment is based on the real estate value of the land if sold for development versus farmland, and compensates farmers for up to half of the difference in the two values.

This year, there are five Haywood applicants for the trust fund program — one that has become increasingly competitive through the years. The interest among local landowners is a testament to their dedication to preserving their land and farming heritage for future generations.

Yarborough said Haywood County was not only the first county to foster a farmland preservation program, but its producers have been the most successful in being selected for the state grants.

So far, 22 farms in Haywood have been protected thanks to the trust fund program, with another seven in process that have been approved. That's in addition to the five applications vying for acceptance in this year's program, Yarborough said.

"We have other conservation easements, as well, that did not use the state program," he added.

Some people aren't even concerned about compensation for tying their property exclusively to an agricultural use, Yarborough said, and simply donate an easement to protect their land from development.

The county pitches in to support farmers with the process by county staff doing the leg work necessary for the complicated application, which requires a specialized attorney.

"We don't charge, so that's where the county comes in," Yarborough said. "Most counties don't want to to that. It's a tremendous asset."