Farmland Protection | Food Systems

This report examines farmland loss and protection in Washington state’s Puget Sound region. It notes that county governments can shape farmland preservation and explores how the region’s 12 counties are protecting farmland through land-use regulations, purchase and transfer of development rights, property tax relief, and economic development. The report establishes benchmarks for good agricultural protection programs, identifies regional challenges to farmland protection, and offers five recommendations to help counties strengthen their farmland protection programs.