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Land‑access board urges RPCs to map agricultural lands beyond ‘current use’ in Act 181 roll‑out
Summary
The Land Access and Opportunity Board asked the Senate Agriculture Committee to add requirements to Act 181 implementation so regional planning commissions map prime soils, easements and at‑risk agricultural parcels rather than relying solely on current‑use enrollment.
Jean Hamilton, director of program development at the Land Access and Opportunity Board (LAOB), told the Senate Agriculture Committee on March 26 that future land‑use mapping required under Act 181 is not capturing the full set of agricultural resources the state needs to protect and plan for.
“The only way agricultural lands are being mapped in those maps right now is, the current use,” Hamilton said, arguing that current‑use enrollment alone omits prime soils, easements, organic certification, and parcels at risk of conversion because of retirement, flooding, or development pressure.
Hamilton recommended amending Act 181 or including language in an ag miscellaneous bill to require regional planning commissions (RPCs) to create a future agricultural land map that layers: current use, easements, prime soils, certified organic acres, parcels at risk of conversion, and smaller underutilized parcels that could support new farm enterprises near villages.
Why it matters: Witnesses said that without targeted mapping, state and local planning may unintentionally turn productive agricultural land into growth areas under tiering rules, especially around village growth boundaries. LAOB emphasized that mapping is a strategic planning tool, not a commitment to any specific acquisition approach, and would help target easements or incentives where they are most needed.
Committee members asked about costs and implementation at the RPC level and highlighted concerns about competing goals for housing and farmland. Hamilton said several RPCs have raised similar questions in public meetings and that the mapping request aims to provide data that supports both housing development and agricultural viability.
Ending: Senators asked staff to circulate relevant emails and reports, and several committee members requested additional information on projected costs and pilot approaches.
