Since 1996 program has preserved almost 30% of Delaware farmland with 155,486 acres
Governor John Carney and Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse, along with members of the General Assembly, the Aglands Preservation Board of Trustees, and other agricultural advocates, joined together at Shadybrook Farms, home of the Cartanza family, to unveil a new farm sign celebrating Delaware’s Agricultural Lands Preservation Program. (photo by Delaware Department of Agriculture)
DOVER, Del. — Governor John Carney and Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse, along with members of the General Assembly, the Aglands Preservation Board of Trustees, and other agricultural advocates, joined together at Shadybrook Farms, home of the Cartanza family, to unveil a new farm sign celebrating Delaware’s Agricultural Lands Preservation Program.
The original goal of the program’s founders back in 1991 was to preserve enough land to maintain agriculture for future generations, which was 50% of the available farmland at the time. Easement selections began in 1996, and 28 rounds later, the program has preserved almost 30% of Delaware farmland with 155,486 acres.
“I want to thank all of our farm families who make it possible to continue the agriculture industry in our state through your hard work and dedication to the land and by putting your farms into this program,” said Governor Carney. “As one of the best farmland preservation programs in the country, we have put significant resources into this program to make sure that generational farm families stay in the business, demonstrating that we value agriculture as an important industry in our state, along with the open space that Delaware farms provide.”
Under the Carney Administration, the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) secured $78 million in state funding, with additional funding from county and federal sources, to preserve 33,409 acres of farmland on 403 family farms – the highest number of farms in the program’s history.
“It has been a pleasure working with Governor Carney, members of the General Assembly, and the Board over these past eight years to ensure a future for Delaware agriculture. I want to thank the Governor for prioritizing farmland preservation and our legislators for recognizing the need to fund this program,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “Above all, I want to thank Delaware farmers for trusting the State of Delaware to ensure their farmland remains in production for perpetuity.”
Then, both Carney and Scuse stepped off to the side of the podium, raising the blue velvet drape to reveal the new farm sign available to landowners who have preserved their farm and would like to promote the program at the end of their farm lanes or on the farm.
Mark Collins, Chairman of the Delaware Aglands Preservation Foundation, commented, “This sign is fantastic and a great way for the public to see the family farms that have chosen to preserve their farms in Delaware, and I can’t wait to put one at my farm.”
Collins thanked Secretary Scuse for his continued commitment to Delaware farmers, noting that during his two terms as Delaware Secretary of Agriculture, the program has preserved 687 farms on 63,100 acres with funding of $122.5 million. Over 60% of the total funding since the inception of the Delaware Aglands Preservation Program has been secured under Scuse’s leadership.
“As someone with strong farming roots from Sussex County, I’m unbelievably proud of Delaware’s achievements with its Agricultural Lands Preservation Program. I’ve seen the impact of this preservation in our communities and know our continued strong production signals that we are moving in the right direction and not only investing in farmers but in the agricultural science to power farming of the future. It’s been an honor to help further these efforts as a state legislator and with the Bond Bill Committee,” said Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long. “The First State is first in the nation in the value of agricultural products per acre and I know by working together, Delaware’s economic vitality continues to blossom.”
Landowners who have preserved their farms through the Delaware Aglands Preservation Program can submit a request for a sign online at https://de.gov/aglands.
“I am dedicated to ensuring that the Foundation continues and that we ensure that families have a chance not just to survive, but to thrive,” said State Treasurer Colleen Davis. “When we have dedicated the land to agricultural production, it cannot be moved somewhere else. It means it will consistently and continually be part of our economy. And that thread is what remains a vibrant thread for our economy, and for the ability for families to thrive, and for all of us to see these beautiful places that are producing food, that ensures people are nourished well, and that we continue to have a thriving community to live in.”
The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees includes representatives from agriculture and state agencies. Trustees are Mark Collins, chairman; James G. Vanderwende, vice-chairman; Janice Truitt, treasurer; William H. “Chip” Narvel Jr., secretary; Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse; State Treasurer Colleen C. Davis; Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Shawn Garvin; Dorothy Abbott; Robert Walls, Sr.; Robert Emerson; and H. Grier Stayton.
–Stacey Hofmann, Delaware Department of Agriculture