Please join Maine Farmland Trust, GrowSmart Maine, and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry for a free workshop to learn more about the Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program (VMFSP) and the process for local adoption. This event is open to all farmers, residents, municipal officials or staff. The workshop is tailored to communities and local officials/staff who are already familiar with the program and are ready to explore strategies for adoption OR for those that have adopted a VMFSP and are interested in recent statutory updates. Light refreshments will be served.

The Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program (VMFSP) allows towns to create a local, non-permanent agricultural conservation easement program while lowering the property tax burden on farms. Municipalities may develop a VMFSP to enter into farm support arrangements with eligible farmland owners. Owners accepted into a town’s program grant a non-permanent agricultural conservation easement in exchange for full or partial reimbursement of property taxes on their qualifying farmland and farm buildings during the easement term. Statutory changes in 2025 have increased flexibility with some elements of the VMFSP.

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For additional questions contact:

MFT's Municipal Policy Planner, Krista Chappell, at kchappell@mainefarmlandtrust.org

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