House panel hears bill to allow voluntary agricultural conservation easements

House members and agricultural groups on the Indiana House Agriculture Committee heard testimony in favor of House Bill 1234 on creating a framework for willing farmland owners to donate or bequeath conservation easements to protect farms from nonagricultural development.

Representative Culp introduced the measure, saying, “This bill creates a framework for willing farmland owners to donate their conservation easements, if they choose to protect their farms for future generations to utilize to grow food.” He told the committee the proposal does not request state funding to purchase easements.

The bill would authorize the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) to accept and hold agricultural conservation easements and would allow counties to establish their own conservation-easement programs. Chris Reynolds, Midwest regional…