Sieracki Family Celebrates Preservation of 67 Acre Farm In Grattan Township
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (October 13, 2023) – Scott and Melissa Sieracki of Grattan Township celebrated the commemoration of their newly "preserved farmland." yesterday (Oct. 12, 2023) with a sign dedication on their 67 acre property. County Commissioners Stan Ponstein (District 7), Walter Bujak (District 21), Jennifer Merchant (District 3), Carol Hennessy (District 14), and Lisa Oliver-King (District 15) were in attendance, along with Kent County Agricultural Preservation board members, neighbors, and fellow farmers.
Kent County purchased the development rights from the Sieracki family as part of their Purchase of Development Rights program, which compensates owners of agricultural property for their acceptance of a permanent deed restriction limiting its future development for non-agricultural purposes. The acquisition was made possible through federal funds, donations from Grattan Township, and the Sieracki family.
“We are very happy the Sieracki family decided to be a part of the Purchase of Development Rights program," said Matt Channing, agricultural preservation specialist at Kent County. "Preserving farmland within Kent County ensures land protection and local food security for generations.”
The farm has been owned and operated by the Sieracki family for 22 years. Growing corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay on the property, Scott Sieracki decided to purchase the land after he and his wife moved to Michigan from Texas. Sieracki grew up helping on his grandfather’s dairy farm, which influenced his purchase of the property from the Downs family who previously owned the farm for 80 years.
"We heard the Purchase of Development Rights program was successful in Kent County and it just made sense to my wife and I to preserve our land for years to come," said Scott Sieracki. "My grandfather, who has since passed, was also very much in favor of this opportunity to protect and preserve farmland so the 67 acres will continue to give farmers access to agricultural ground."
Since the Purchase of Development Rights program was authorized in 2002, the program has preserved approximately 2,800 acres and 29 properties. Farmland in Grattan Township accounts for 800 acres, about a quarter of all preserved farmland in Kent county.
The Agricultural Preservation Board selected the Sieracki farm because of its abundance of prime and unique soils, allowing for a broad diversity of agricultural production and its proximity to other protected parcels. The Purchase of Development Rights program uses a combination of state or federal grant funding, private donations and landowner contributions to purchase the development rights to farmland, creating a permanent agricultural conservation easement.
To learn more about agricultural preservation and the Purchase of Development Rights program, visit https://www.accesskent.com/Departments/BOC/PDR/.
# # #
 Click here for additional event photos.
|
