The Metropolitan Agricultural Preserves Act of 1980 established an agricultural land protection program in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. This program provides a package of benefits to enable farmers near urban areas to continue farming on an equal footing with those farmers located outside the metropolitan area without pressures to sell or convert their land to other uses. The intent of the law is to protect important agricultural land in the Twin Cities metropolitan area from competing land uses, protect the local agricultural economy and support businesses, promote orderly and planned growth and development of urban and rural land uses, and allow farmers to make long-term agricultural investments with the assurance that their land can continue in agricultural use without interference from urban pressures. Through the Metropolitan Agricultural Preserves Act, local governments identify areas where agriculture is to be preserved, where non-farm growth will be permitted and what standards apply to each area. Farmers receive property tax credits and additional benefits by placing a restrictive covenant on their qualifying land, limiting its use to agriculture.
For more information please contact The MN Department of Agriculture at 651-201-6369 or visit the MDA website at:
www.mda.state.mn.us/environment-sustainability/farmland-protection-tools