Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) was created in 1999 to help preserve farmland, both directly, and by assisting other organizations. Farmland preservation is critical to the future of farming in Maine. Though farming in Maine remains a major economic force (adding $2 billion each year to the state’s economy) and is well poised for the future, that future promise depends on the protection of the resource base.
The future of Maine farming also depends on land being affordable for farmers (both new farmers entering the profession and existing farmers who wish to expand or secure land they currently lease). The best strategy to keep land affordable is to permanently protect it through an agricultural easement, so that the land will be forever available at its value as farmland, not as potential development. Many consider this the most critical work in Maine agriculture today.
As MFT celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2009, its record of accomplishment is impressive. The past two years have been a time of particular growth, as MFT added staff and created several innovative new programs. In 2008, MFT preserved more land than in its previous 8 years combined.
Overall, MFT has:
· Helped permanently preserve—through agricultural easements—over 17,000 acres of Maine’s farmland (which is nearly half of all Maine’s preserved farmland).
· Helped 55 new farmers take over existing farm properties (representing another 4,900 acres), which will likely now continue as farms for at least another generation.
· Helped secure over $3.7 million in state and federal funding that flowed to private persons who own farmland who wanted to sell development rights on that land.
· Worked in partnership with over 45 local land trusts and other organizations (becoming Maine’s primary source for technical assistance and support on farmland projects).
· Raised public awareness of the value of farmland and the promise of Maine agriculture.
· Increased its membership from 400 to 2,300 in four years!
· Built a dynamic and well-run organization that is positioned to realize its ambitious (but needed) goal to preserve 100,000 acres of farmland in the next five years!
· Initiated a $10 million campaign to build the foundation upon which MFT’s goal will be achieved. These early private donations will leverage an additional $40 million in public grants, donated easements, bargain sales, and additional private gifts.