Farmland Preservation Program
Preserving the agricultural land in our county for generations to come is of great importance to Seneca Conservation District.
The Farmland Preservation Program (LAEPP) is a program administered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) through Seneca Conservation District (Local Sponsor).
This program provides financial compensation to agricultural property owners for which, in return, the property is dedicated solely to agricultural use in perpetuity.
Service Inclusion
Any landowner of agricultural property over 40 acres may apply for the Agricultural Easement Program.
If selected, a per-acre value is calculated by ODA in partnership with our office and offered to the property owner for the easement.
The owner can accept or decline the offer. If accepted, a deed restriction is recorded for all time that limits the use of the property to agriculture only.
Service Implementation
To start inquiring about this process, please contact our office and ask about the Farmland Preservation Program.
Seneca Conservation District (SCD) will provide all the necessary information for the landowner to make an informed decision regarding the agricultural easement.
Once we are able to make contact, we will schedule a series of telephone calls with the applicants along with on-farm meetings/visits.
Additional discussions are conducted with the ODA, bankers and title agents throughout the process.
The SCD serves as the liaison between the property owner and these other parties.