Kane County panel proclaims 25th anniversary of Farmland Protection Program; Farm Bureau highlights outreach

Chair Juby convened the Kane County Agriculture Committee on March 19 and the panel approved a proclamation marking the 25th anniversary of the Kane County Farmland Protection Program.

Chris Toth, planning division manager for Kane County Development and Community Services, read the proclamation and noted the program’s partnerships and accomplishments, saying the program "has permanently protected more than 6,000 acres." The proclamation encourages residents to recognize the value of farmland preservation and directed staff to forward the item to the full county board for consideration.

Steve, speaking for the Kane County Farm Bureau, thanked the committee for the recognition and said the program’s milestone underscores local government support for keeping agriculture viable. He urged committee members to attend the Farm Bureau’s Touch a Tractor Farm‑City open house in April and said the bureau will seek to host more informal farm visits for board members and local legislators.

Donna Hainesen, who introduced herself as the incoming manager for the Kane County Farm Bureau, described a May–October weekly barbecue fundraiser at the Farm Bureau to raise college scholarship funds and encouraged committee members to participate. She also explained short-term office remodeling that briefly affected public access to the Farm Bureau office.

The committee voted to approve the proclamation; the roll call on the motion produced affirmative votes from members present and the item will be placed on the board agenda for final acknowledgment.

The committee then continued with other agenda items, including two resolutions related to prequalifying and contracting consulting services for agricultural projects.