Farmland preservation programs in Butler County help preserve agricultural land through the purchase of development rights or conservation easements.

There are 35 farms now preserved in Butler County.

A farm must go through several steps to enter the preservation program, which is competitive. Sometimes, the entire process can take a year or more.

Funding must be available through the commonwealth for farms to be preserved.

Becoming part of an agricultural security area is voluntary. This is the first step for farmers interested in preserving their farms.

Farmers must submit a petition to their township to create an agricultural security area. Most of the 33 townships in Butler County already have agricultural security areas. Farmers must visit their township to add acreage to already established areas.

The benefits of entering a security area include special considerations in township ordinances affecting farming activities, nuisance complaints and review of farmland condemnation.

Each potential candidate for preservation is ranked against all other farms completing the application each year.

A farm's rank is based on the quality of the farmland, stewardship of the land and the likelihood of conversion of the farm to nonagricultural uses. The landowner must have at least 50 acres to preserve a farm in the county.

The local farmland preservation board reviews each application. The board calculates the land value as used for agriculture and the value of the land if it were developed for nonagricultural purposes.

Once an applicant is selected, the property is appraised by a state certified appraiser. The conservation easement purchase price per acre is derived from the difference between the agricultural land value and the development value.

The farmer must then accept or reject the offer. If the offer is accepted, the property must be surveyed to determine the exact acreage.

Once the conservation easement purchase price has been agreed upon, more paperwork must be completed.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Farmland Preservation Board must approve the purchase of the conservation easement.

The number of farms preserved annually depends upon the availability of funds.

A program guideline book is available to explain the requirements.

Applications are due Jan. 31. For information, contact the Butler County Conservation District, 724-284-5270.

Ron Fodor is district manager of the Butler County Conservation District.