Corey Rogers, the county’s conservation planner, told the Natural Resources Committee that farmland preservation staff have issued notices of noncompliance to some program participants who failed to submit annual conservation compliance certifications.

Rogers said federal Farm Service Agency (FSA) letters informing landowners that federally administered 15-year agreements had expired contributed to confusion. "Oh, 0, shoot you actually have a, an easement," Rogers said when recounting visits with landowners who had begun plowing land they believed was no longer restricted. In several cases, staff went to the parcels, reset easement boundaries and worked with landowners to restore perennial conservation cover.

To reduce future confusion, Rogers said the office will send a checklist and a January 31 deadline for the annual filing and filing fee, follow with a second notice and then, if needed, reissue notices of noncompliance. Staff also said they plan to amend conservation plans on some parcels to allow limited annual mowing as a management tool for brush and weeds while maintaining long-term conservation cover.

Rogers described coordination with the state and with the program manager the county contacted about the generalized federal letters; staff said there are limits to changing FSA wording but the county can provide clearer local outreach to landowners.

The committee discussed possible annual reminders to landowners with perpetual easements and the staff agreed to follow up on outstanding filing fees and to continue on-site inspections where there are possible violations.