Governor Kaine Celebrates First Farm Protected by State Funds for Purchase of Development Rights
– Clayton Family Farm Enrolls in Albemarle County's ACE Program –
ALBEMARLE – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today participated in a ceremony recognizing the first property protected by a local purchase of development rights (PDR) program with funding allocated by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). The property, Clayton Family Farm, is located in Albemarle County near the town of Crozet.
"Over the past decade, Virginia has lost over 60,000 acres of farm and forestland per year to development," said Governor Kaine. "In 2007, we worked with the General Assembly to provide VDACS' Office of Farmland Preservation with $4.25 million in state matching funds to protect these lands. Albemarle is the first county to close on an easement using these new funds, and I congratulate them on this important milestone."
Since Governor Kaine set a goal of protecting 400,000 acres of open space during his term, Virginia has doubled the rate at which land is permanently protected. Over 250,000 acres have been protected in the last two years.
In February 2008, VDACS allocated $4.25 million to 14 Virginia localities to preserve farmland within their boundaries. Albemarle County received a grant of $403,220 and used it to purchase the rights on Clayton Family Farm, which is now enrolled in the county's Acquisition of Conservation Easements (ACE) program. This is the first time Virginia provided such state matching funds.
"Albemarle County moved quickly to use its state matching funds to preserve Clayton Family Farm," said VDACS Commissioner Todd Haymore. "But their preservation efforts did not begin today. They have already protected more than 5,000 acres through the ACE program and 70,000 acres overall in conversation easements. I encourage all Virginia localities to take similar action to preserve these valuable and irreplaceable lands."
Clayton, a working family farm, sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is comprised of 228.5 acres, 124 of them prime agricultural soil. The farm has more than 6,700 feet of frontage on the protected Beaver Creek Reservoir. Feeder tributaries to Beaver Creek contain the James Spinymussel, an endangered species that is now permanently protected in these waters.
Localities interested in future rounds of grant applications for PDR matching funds should contact VDACS' Office of Farmland Preservation at 804-786-1346.
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