1. Farmland Protection Events in Indiana 1997 Hoosier Farmland Preservation Task Force 1996 Purdue Land Use Team organized with Agricultural Land Protection Module (one of ten) 1999 Indiana Land Resources Council established 2000 Planning With POWER Project (initiated) with 2005 Open Space Planning publication for agriculture land protection

2. Farmland as a Resource in Indiana Forty-six states are participating in the Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) (Indiana is not participating) Our neighboring states of Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio participate in FRPP Indiana is seventh in the nation in the loss of prime farmland (AFT 1992-97)

3. Farmland as a Resource in Indiana, con’t Indiana ranks near the top nationally in many agricultural categories Farmland is the most valuable input in agricultural production Farmland provides other valuable functions, such as water aquifer recharge, wildlife habitat, open space/ scenic value/greenway amenity, mitigation of air emissions from sprawled growth

4. Planning Tools to Protect Agriculture Updating and incorporating agriculture, farmland, and natural resources protection in comprehensive land use planning Use of agricultural protection zoning Purchase of development rights (voluntary program) Special agricultural districts Others