Saving the Farm was the focus of a Feb. 3 workshop with more than 75 people in attendance. Topics ranged from conservation easements and greenbelt to value added agriculture. The workshop was part of a series sponsored by the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association to help communities with economic development. Financial support was provided by the Appalachian Regional commission.

Tricia King with the Land Trust of Tennessee and Bill Clabough with the Foothills Land Conservancy spoke about the process of preserving farmland by donating a permanent conservation easement. The landowner still owns the land but it can no longer be developed, although an agreement is developed to allow limited structures. The land can be sold and inherited but the development restrictions remain. There is an income tax deduction based on the land value that is donated – the difference between the appraised value of the land’s highest use minus the value with restrictions on development.

King said the Land Trust of Tennessee is a non-profit, non-governmental group. “We’re here for the land,” she said, noting the state is losing 124,000 acres of prime farmland yearly. She presented maps showing the increasing housing density since 1940, noting the trend is continuing. The goal of the Trust is to help keep Tennessee looking like Tennessee by protecting the landscapes and resources.

Clabough said developers are beginning to look at conservation easements as a way to enhance property values in a subdivision. He and King stressed that a donation is not forced on anybody, that it’s a voluntary decision. There is no minimum acreage that can be donated, although it has to fit the conservation mission, and landowners can donate part of their property.

David Darden, who recently donated a portion of his farm in Cookson Creek, said he had been approached by a developer who wanted to cut it into half-acre lots. He turned down the big bucks offered and decided to donate a conservation easement instead, bringing the land value down to a third of its development price. He urged anyone interested to talk to one of the land trusts.

Harold Webb, worked with the American Farmland Trust to sell a conservation easement on 68 acres of bottomland in Reliance, said there is limited funding available. King said most easements are donated because it is difficult to quality for funding.

King and Clabough said they will talk to anybody interested in pursuing an easement, saying they will talk with propertyowners about their concerns for the future and see if their organizations are interested in accepting an easement. A title search is done and, if necessary, a survey. A key element is the agreement outlining future uses allowed on the property. King said there has to be a conservation purpose. She added the propertyowner can change his mind at any time before closing. Once the easement is donated, the Land Trust will monitor to insure compliance with the agreement.

Pam Bartholomew with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture said there is a new emphasis on Agritourism and value added agriculture to help the family farm. She noted that agriculture is the number one industry in Tennessee, with $32.7 billion going directly to the economy. There are 85,000 farms, second highest in the U.S. The number two industry is tourism, she said, adding East Tennessee is a mecca.

Agritourism, she said, is anything that brings people to the farm, such as for festivals, educational programs, tours, pick-your-own, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and the like. In addition to generating revenue for the farmer, she said, education is an important element of Agritourism because so many people do not know where their food, fiber and other products come from. “Find something that fits you, your farm, and your community,” she said, adding it is important to enjoy people before going into Agritourism. She said Agritourism is also good for the local economy, noting that for every dollar spent, an additional 85¢ is spent for such things as gas, food, shopping and lodging.

Bartholomew also said the state is improving its Pick Tennessee Products website, which is available to producers at no charge. There are also cost-share grants to help with enhancements.

Value-added agriculture, she explained, is a lot more than offering jams and jellies. It can include meeting consumer desires for grass-fed beef, heritage breeds and heirloom vegetables.

Frank Sagona with the Resource Conservation & Development said the Appalachian Quilt Trail is a being expanded into Southeast Tennessee to bring people into small communities. He also said the RC&D is developing a “buy local goods” campaign.

Stephen Husky with the Tennessee Division of Forestry said his department works with landowners on forest resource management and harvesting without damaging streams.

The greenbelt program is a way to keep farms in farmland by reducing property taxes. Land is valued on its use rather than its market value. Farm, forestry and open space land could be eligible. If greenbelt land is sold, however, there is a rollback assessment provision.