June 2023

This month's newsletter has an extraordinary number of insightful articles that outline the challenges, signs of hope, and success stories of farmland preservation efforts across Washington that help us better understand the task at hand and what other folks are doing. 

Agriculture in the News

The Life Cycle of a Farmer | PCC Community Markets - Shelley Pasco of Whistling Train Farm provides us with candid insight to the hardships and joys of a farming career that can help us think about the work we do and how we can foster a successful future for agriculture in Washington. 

Pressure grows on Clark County farmers | The Columbian – With the competing interests of housing and agriculture for land use, Clark County farmers are feeling the pressure of development. With an update the Clark County 2025 Comprehensive Plan in progress, there might be hope on the horizon.

Affordable Housing and Land Conservation | Whidbey Camano Land Trust – WCLT is helping advance the conversation between housing and conservation beyond one of conflicting priorities and towards one of coordinated collaborative management.

Community Voices: A conversation with Washington Farmland Trust | PCC Community Markets - Want to learn more about the work Washington Farmland Trust is doing? Read this interview with Nayla Jiménez Cabezas to find out about their work, their goals, and where you might fit in.

Community2Community supports Washington’s first cooperative farm | PCC Community Markets - As Nayla describes in the previous article, cooperative ownership models are becoming a more prevalent theme in solving land access problems, read the article to find out more. 

Why BIPOC farmers seek a farmland trust | PCC Community Markets - With land becoming prohibitively expensive for even the most successful farmers, a new land trust is emerging to serve the needs of farm communities looking for stable land access.

Planning for Local Food Systems: A Whatcom County Case Study, Part 1, & Part 2 | MRSC - Thinking about planning local food systems? Take a look at the work developed in Whatcom County to plan for the future of their local food system.

WSU, WSDA to help small, diverse businesses succeed through new regional food center | CAHNRS News | Washington State University – In Collaboration with Colorado State University, WSU is developing a Regional Food Business Center to help small and mid-scale farms and ranches access markets and resources. 

Washington counties get new shot at saving farms | Capital Press – Additional counties will be considering enrollment in VSP to navigate protecting critical areas while maintaining farmland.

Farm Credit Is Resisting a Farm Bill Push Toward Equity | Civil Eats - Documenting inequitable access to capital is near impossible when demographic information of applicants is not collected, but a requirement in the 2023 Farm Bill could change that and provide better data around lending to historically disadvantaged farmers.

Success Stories

2023 Session Review: Protecting Farmland in Washington | American Farmland Trust – Looking for a concise recap of the 2023 legislative session in relation to farmland preservation? Look no further. Dani Madrone of American Farmland Trust provides a recap.

2022 Annual Report | Skagit County – Skagit County’s Farmland Legacy Program summarizes their many achievements in 2022 in their annual report, have a look to learn more.

Egg And I Angus: 115-Acre Historic Family Farm Protected Forever! | Jefferson Land Trust Jefferson Land Trust – Jefferson Land Trust can put another “W” in their books with the preservation of a 115-acre farm on Chimacum Creek.

Events

Small Farms Tool Day | ATTRA- NCAT and ATTRA will be hosting a field day to demonstrate appropriate scale tools in Gresham, Oregon on July 11th.

SoilCon Field Day | CSANR | Washington State University - WSU will be hosting a field day in Mt. Vernon on July 27th that will feature a tour of the experiment site, a biochar demonstration, a no-till drill demonstration, and expansive discussions on soil health. 

Funding Opportunities

Regional Conservation Partnership Program – Notice of Funding Opportunity

The application period is now open for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). RCPP leverages a voluntary approach to conservation that expands the reach of conservation efforts and climate-smart agriculture through public-private partnerships. In addition to the funding opportunity, NRCS has embarked on a concerted effort to streamline and simplify RCPP and improve the experience for partners, producers and employees. Read official announcement.

Are you interested in learning about RCPP? Washington State organizations, institutions, conservation districts, land trusts, Indian Tribes, and other groups are invited to partner with Washington NRCS through RCPP. Learn more about the program, eligibility, and how to apply during a virtual webinar on Tuesday, June 20, from 2-4pm. Click here to join the meeting or contact Alexandra James to receive a meeting invitation (Alexandra.James@usda.gov).

Funding Opportunity for Historic Barn Restoration

The Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP) will once again seek grant applications to support rehabilitation of historic barns across the state. Barns must be listed or eligible for listing in the state’s Heritage Barn Register. Application materials are still in the process of being developed, but the deadline is anticipated to fall somewhere between early September to late October. For more information, along with program and application updates, please visit DAHP’s website at: Heritage Barn Register.

If you or someone you know owns a historic barn that needs rehabilitation work, DAHP encourages you to apply.

NRCS Updates

Safe Harbor Boundary Line Adjustment Amendments – IRS Notice 2023-30

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently published Notice 2023-30 to implement a guidance requirement imposed by the Appropriations Act signed into law in 2022. The Notice provides safe harbor clauses that address unforeseen extinguishment and boundary adjustments to conservation easements that, to generate a charitable deduction, must otherwise have been granted in perpetuity. The clause on boundary line adjustments is potentially applicable to NRCS easements enrolled in the Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program (FRPP), Farm Protection Program (FPP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE), and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program – Agricultural Land Easements (RCPP-ALE) with modification. The clause on extinguishment and termination is not applicable to NRCS easements.

Following the publication of Notice 2023-30, NRCS announced a streamlined opportunity for landowners and entities who hold agricultural land easements to request amendment to existing deed terms related to boundary line adjustments. The amendment allows for the boundary line adjustment safe harbor clause to replace the corresponding language in the original deed. Substituting the original language for this clause potentially prevents landowners from accruing tax liabilities when specific real estate or management activities occur. The amendment opportunity only affects closed easements with a qualified conservation contribution as defined in § 170(h)(2)(C).

For prospective or pending easement transactions with anticipated qualified charitable contributions, entities may want to include the IRS safe harbor provision in the body of the conservation easement deed. NRCS does not require the safe harbor clause, nor does the NRCS minimum deed terms include the provision.

Entities may submit questions and amendment requests directly to the NRCS Easement Programs Division Director via the NRCS Program Agreements inbox at NRCS.ProgramAgreements@usda.gov by 5:00pm on June 30, 2023. Emailed requests must include the subject line “Boundary line expedited modification request.” To learn more about this opportunity, click here.

Job Announcements

Conservation Transaction Specialist | Whatcom Land Trust – Whatcom Land Trust is hiring a Conservation Transaction Specialist.

AmeriCorps Vista Positions | Great Peninsula Conservancy – The Great Peninsula Conservancy is hiring multiple AmeriCorps Vista positions to contribute to their mission and gain some valuable experience.

Agriculture Advisory Commission | Pierce County, WA – Are you a farmer or agricultural advocate in Pierce County looking to be more involved? The Pierce County Agricultural Advisory Committee is looking for new members to volunteer their time and contribute to the future of agriculture in Pierce County.

WA State Conservation Commission Job Postings - Opportunities available with conservation districts from Clark to Whatcom.

Subscribe to the Farmland Preservation Monthly Newsletter, brought to you by the Office of Farmland Preservation. 

The Washington State Conservation Commission administers the Office of Farmland Preservation to address the rapid loss of working farm and forest lands in our state. Learn more: www.scc.wa.gov/ofp.