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IPFS News Link • Arizona's Top News

Phoenix steps in to save farms from extinction

• AZ Big Media

Fortunately, the Phoenix City Council approved a budget setting aside $1,000,000 for its Farmland Preservation Program (part of the Phoenix Resilient Food System Program). Central AZ Land Trust (CALT), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is managing this effort.

"Phoenix is committed to conserving our farms in an effort to focus on a long-term resilient food system and maintaining our local food supply," said Rosanne Albright, Environmental Programs Coordinator for the City of Phoenix.

Working with willing landowners, CALT will place conservation easements on farmlands. Governed by A.R.S. 33-271, et seq., conservation easements are a voluntary contractual relationship between a land trust and a landowner whereby the landowner sells or donates their development rights while still owning the land. For example, a landowner can get paid 40-80% of the full sale value of the property (based on a qualified appraisal) and the farm will remain in agricultural production and open space in perpetuity. While the city will fund 75% of the value of the property, CALT is looking for additional donations and funding partnerships to cover the remaining 25%. Additional contributions and funding partnerships are needed to keep our valuable farmland.


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