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Colorado Westland Trust seeks county support for EZ tax-credit application to fund farmland transfers
Summary
At the Feb. 23 Montrose County work session, Colorado Westland Trust asked commissioners for a support letter for an EZ tax-credit application to help buy farmland, place conservation easements, and transfer or lease lower-cost land to beginning or under-resourced farmers.
Rob Bleiberg, executive director of Colorado Westland Trust, and regional staff asked Montrose County commissioners on Feb. 23 for a letter of support for an EZ tax-credit application that would help finance a pilot land-transfer program aimed at keeping farmland in agricultural use.
Bleiberg described the trust’s regional work — a 2020s merger that now manages conservation agreements on roughly 150,000 acres — and said the organization sees an opportunity to acquire at-risk farmland, place conservation easements that preserve agricultural use and water rights, make targeted infrastructure improvements, and then lease or transfer the property to beginning or under-resourced producers.
“We are now applying to the EZ tax credit program to support a land transfer,” Libby Collins, regional program manager, said during the work session, adding a request for the commissioners’ support letter and apologizing for the short notice on the application deadline. Bleiberg said the trust currently has three farms under contract in Montrose County as potential pilot acquisitions.
Presenters explained key safeguards: the conservation easement would be held in perpetuity while the trust might temporarily hold fee title (Bleiberg said holding periods could be up to about five years) to lower market price, support improvements and then transfer or lease the property to an appropriate steward. “We hold the easement in perpetuity. But we would be looking at holding the property for as much as five years,” Bleiberg said.
Commissioners asked how the trust identifies properties and incoming farmers. Staff said the trust is partnering with local organizations such as Valley Food Partnership, American Farmland Trust’s navigator program and state resources including the Colorado Department of Agriculture to develop a pipeline for beginning producers and to support succession planning.
Bleiberg acknowledged variability in valuation impacts from easements and offered a historical range as context. “It depends on what the restrictions are… we’ve seen anywhere from 30% to 70%,” he said, adding that exact reductions vary by location and restrictions. The trust emphasized outreach and clarity to avoid surprises for sellers and future buyers.
Next steps: commissioners agreed to consider sending a letter of support; presenters requested follow-up meetings to finalize the application and funding details.
