Farmland Facts

The Latest: check out WLA's newly released report which examines the trends and current status of farmland preservation in Connecticut - Plowing Ahead: Farmland Preservation in 2010 and Beyond

Facts about Connecticut Farmland and Farmland Loss

Why Preserve Connecticut’s Farmland?

Research on Farmland Preservation

Farmland Information Center

 

Facts about Connecticut Farmland and

Farmland Loss

          Connecticut Farmland*

• As of 2007, Connecticut has 405,616 acres of 'land in farms'
• 207,773 acres of 'land in farms' is dedicated to crop production; 197,843 acres of 'land in farms' is dedicated to animal production
• The typical Connecticut farm has only 40% of its acreage in actual production; the remainder consists of woodland, wetlands, and stream corridors.  According to the most recent USDA Census, 163,686 acres are utilized for cropland (field crops, pasture, grazing).
• Dairy farmers manage (own and rent) 72,000 acres of farmland which is approximately 18% of the state’s 'land in farms' (The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of Connecticut’s Dairy Industry, January 2009).

* All figures from 2007 USDA Census of Agriculture

          Farmland Loss

• According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, total Connecticut “land in farms” increased from 357,154 acres in 2002 to 405,616 in 2007.
• Land in farms did decrease, however, in some counties: 7% reduction in both Litchfield and Middlesex Counties; 2% reduction in Windham County. 
• The largest increases in total land in farms occurred in Fairfield (increase of 26,715 acres) and New Haven (increase of 19,707 acres) Counties which account for over 95% of the net increase statewide.  These increases are largely due to changes in the way aquaculture acreage was counted.    
• However “total cropland”—a subset of “land in farm”—decreased by 6,987 acres (170,683 acres in 2002 to 163,686 acres in 2007).  
• Decreases in land in farms do not necessarily indicate conversion; they mean that land is being taken out of production. That said, agricultural land that is no longer in production may be more vulnerable to development.
• To get a clearer picture of conversion, we need a reliable source of farmland conversion data. The National Resources Inventory (NRI), conducted by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), used to provide reliable farmland conversion data at the national and state levels, but the agency has not had adequate resources to support this effort for several years. American Farmland Trust has urged the NRCS to revive the NRI and encourages the development of state-level tracking systems so that communities and states can understand what’s happening to agricultural land, establish farmland protection goals and measure progress.
• The University of Connecticut Center of Land Use Education and Research has released new data to show conversion of agricultural land: Connecticut's Changing Landscape v2:
  • Between 1985 and 2006 approximately 62 square miles of "agricultural fields" were converted to other uses, equivalent to a 14% change since 1985. [Please note that "agricultural fields" is not equivalent to "land in farms" since the typical Connecticut farm is only 40% field while the remainder consists of woodland, wetlands, and stream corridors.]
  • On average, between 1985-2006 Connecticut has lost agricultural fields at a rate of 1,883 acres per year.
  • The greatest rate of loss of agricultural fields occurred during 1985 - 1990 and 1995-2002.
  • South Windsor had the greatest percent loss as well as highest total acreage loss of agricultural fields between 1985-2006.

 

For more information on Farmland and Farmland loss statistics in Connecticut visit the Farmland Information Center. 

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Why Preserve Connecticut’s Farmland?

According the the University of Connecticut, agricultural fields alone account for 7% of the state's land cover.  Connecticut’s remaining 360,000 acres of farmland contribute to our health and well being in many ways including:

• Guarantees a land base for long-term food security
• A beautiful working landscape integral to the character of the state
• Pays taxes, provides jobs, and supports other local businesses
• A habitat for many species of wildlife
• A natural purification system for our water supply
• Provides protection against flooding
• Sequesters carbon dioxide
• Offers scenic vistas and open space important for tourism
• A buffer against suburban sprawl
• The source of agricultural products from tomatoes to turf that are used at one time or another by every Connecticut resident

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Research on Farmland Preservation

Current Research

The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of Connecticut’s Dairy Industry, CT Dept. of Economic and Community Development and the CT Dept. of Agriculture 2009

Note: “Appendix B: Open Space Benefits from Dairy Farmland” includes results from some Willingness to Pay studies. 

Town of Lebanon: Build-Out Analysis and Cost of Community Services Study, Green Valley Institute 2007

Cost of Community Services Fact Sheet, AFT 2007

A Call to Farms! A Mid-Decade Look at Connecticut’s Agricultural Lands 2005, WLA

 

Historical Research

The two background documents below lead to the creation of the State Farmland Preservation Program. 

A Food Production Plan for Connecticut, 1980-2000: A Guide to the Purchase of Development Rights on Farmland, University of Connecticut 1980

Report of the Governor's Task Force for the Preservation of Agricultural Land, Task Force 1974

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Farmland Information Center

The Farmland Information Center (FIC) is a clearinghouse for information about farmland protection and stewardship. It is a partnership between the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and American Farmland Trust.