BOURBON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — As farmland values continue to rise, experts warn that it's becoming increasingly difficult for farmers to acquire land.
With the future of America's farmlands at risk, agricultural advocates are urging for the passage of a new bill aimed at protecting these vital resources. Recently, Senator Mitch McConnell introduced the Protecting Americans Farmland Act.
In Bourbon County, one family of farmers is voicing support for the legislation. Unlike many of the multi-generational farms of Kentucky, Ben and Savannah Robin didn’t inherit their land, but built it from the ground up. They've seen firsthand the viable farmland that's rapidly declining.
Ben Robins said, "A lot lately has been sold into development, and that's what we don't want to happen. We see highly productive farmland that's now a subdivision."
In the 2022 Census of Agriculture, stats showed that from 2017 to 2022, Kentucky lost 546,000 acres of farmland, averaging about 290 acres lost each day. In Bourbon County, 20% of farms have ceased operations in the last 40 years.
Savannah Robins emphasized the need for balance.
"If we look around and see where we were, we need housing and people to come to rural spaces, but we have to find a balance and we have to protect what we currently have," she said.
Agricultural experts point out that many families do not wish to continue farming once the head farmer retires. When these farmers sell their land, the options to retain it for agricultural use are limited.
What’s more, outside investors are increasingly purchasing land for non-agricultural purposes or leasing it back to farmers, which restricts farmers' ability to build equity.
"We have a lot of incentive to get into farming, and there’s been work on young farmers or beginner farmers to get them to buy into farming and get that access to capital, but there hasn’t been a lot of incentive on the other side to sell that property into an agricultural space and keep it in ag production," Savannah said.
As agricultural land increasingly gives way to developments like housing and office space or industrial use like solar farms, those in the agricultural sector are concerned.
Ericka King, Director of National Affairs and Government Relations with the Kentucky Farm Bureau, stressed the importance of maintaining farmland.
“We promote development that is good for the country, it’s good for everyone, but we also have to strike that balance to ensure that we have enough farmland to feed, clothe and fuel the country,” said King.
King explained the purpose of the Protecting American Farmlands Act, telling LEX 18, "This bill would allow a farmer or landowner who has land in active production to sell that land to another active farmer. If the buyer promises to keep the land in active agricultural production for at least 10 years, the gains from that sale can be placed into a qualified retirement account so that that seller is able to have a viable retirement option.”
With increased incentives for farmers to keep farmland within ag production, families like the Robins hope for a brighter future for the next generation, which includes their daughters.
"If we want to be able to create a space for them to come back to the farm or have their own entities or to even grow our own farming operations, we’ve gotta be able to purchase land and we have to have land to be able to purchase," said Savannah.
As discussions surrounding the Protecting American Farmland Act continue, advocates remain hopeful that the bill will make it across the finish line, saving vital farmland before it’s too late.
