Rural Development versus Rural Preservation: Conflicting USDA Land Use Programs and Policies

With the mounting cost of farm ownership and operation, and the rapid increase in urbanization, the issue of farmland preservation has come to the forefront in many states, counties, townships, and villages. These factors, combined with inflation, severe fluctuations in the economy, and restrictions in the use of natural resources, have brought about heightened concern on the part of farmers in recent years. Farmers and rural communities are seeking alternative ways to cope with these conditions. Sale of their land to the highest bidder is one option that often results in conversion of prime agricultural land to other uses. The need for productive agricultural land is not diminishing, and yet this conversion is increasing at a staggering rate.