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Commissioners discuss ‘30 by 30’ farmland preservation funding, county staff recommend $850,000 allocation
Summary
Cumberland County staff and commissioners discussed preserving roughly 800 acres per year to meet a 30,000‑acre '30 by 30' goal, recommended county allocation of $850,000, and sought clarifications about state and federal matching, municipal partner contributions and program timing.
County staff briefed the Cumberland County Finance Committee on farmland‑preservation progress and a proposed county allocation intended to sustain the county's “30 by 30” preservation goal.
Staff said the agricultural advisory board recommended the county allocate $850,000 to frontline farmland preservation for the next funding cycle; that figure, staff said, is intended to fund roughly 800 acres per year to reach a county goal of preserving 30,000 acres by 2030 when counting preserved and pending easements.
Commissioners and staff discussed sources and timing of matching funds. Staff said one recent large preservation (the Big Hall Farm, roughly 600 acres) closed in August and that the county had applied for federal reimbursement tied to that transaction; the county must wait for the federal reimbursement to be received before re‑deploying those state funds as match for additional projects. Staff advised the federal reimbursement is a reimbursement to the county after settlement, not an ongoing annual payment.
Commissioners asked whether municipal partners affect project prioritization and learned that when another public partner (for example, a township) contributes at least 50% of the preservation cost the county can move that project up in ranking. Commissioners cited Silver Spring Township as a partner that has contributed matching funds to extend county dollars.
Staff also explained how their ranking system weights soils heavily (40% of score) and that prime soils and project match influence which farms move to the top of the list. Commissioners asked for additional historical data: acres preserved annually, acres lost to development (2017–2022 census numbers were discussed), and a year‑by‑year preservation tally to compare with the county’s stated goal.
Staff noted the Department of Agriculture provides an allocation formula and that projected state matching figures in staff materials are modelled estimates based on anticipated statewide allocations and other counties' contributions. A final county certification to the state is due by Jan. 31 and staff said that deadline would allow the county to adjust its commitment if state funding or the budget situation changed.
No formal appropriation vote was taken at the meeting; the item remained a discussion and staff asked for direction to include the allocation in budget deliberations so the county would consider it during its year‑end budget process.
