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McHenry County Farmland Preservation Alliance
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Why Farmland Preservation ?
Agriculture and related businesses are a major part of the McHenry County economy. Net cash farm income in 2002 across the county was nearly $12 million!
Farmland is continually challenged for its value as development land, but there is a growing awareness that farmland contributes significantly to the universal value of McHenry County property, the "quality of life" character it provides to residents, and the value of the county's economic health and welfare.
Why preserve farmland in McHenry County?
- Farming is a major part of the McHenry County economy since the County's inception, and continues to be an economic force in the County today.
- The first rule in community economic development is business retention. Agriculture is the longest-standing and one of the strongest industries in McHenry County today.
McHenry County Agriculture:
- is an economically viable and sustainable business investment.
(The American Farmland Trust reports that over "half the value of U.S. farm production--including 80 percent of our fruits and vegetables and more than half of our dairy products--are produced in rapidly urbanizing counties.")
- is a generator of supporting business enterprises--local farm operations spent $83.6 million to purchase goods and services in 2002.
- is a link to the community's history and future which makes the County attractive to visitors.
- is an opportunity for a diversity of lifestyles, which in turn contributes to the overall economic development within the County.
- is a recreation/entertainment opportunity, thereby contributing to the local/regional economy throughout the four seasons. Richardson's corn maze has over 25,000 visitors each fall.
- is a future security investment should sources of critical food supplies for the region be challenged.
- is an economically viable approach to sustaining and managing a valuable county resource--the soil--for the long-term health and safety of the local economy, as well as securing the future for regional food sources.
- gives the County an open, pastoral character.
- provides open buffer areas, thereby preserving the identity of individual communities.
- contributes to the scenic character of McHenry County, while maintaining an awareness that farmland is vital for providing a food supply.
- represents the ultimate renewable resource available for long-term, economically viable business enterprises within the County.
- contributes to the public's perception of "visiting the country," thereby bringing visitors to the northern and western parts of the County and contributing to the local economy.
Preserved Farmland vs. Publicly-Owned Open Space
- Preserved farmland remains taxpaying and privately-owned.
- Farmland supports enterprises that:
- keep local dollars in the local economy.
- supports the regional tourist trade with seasonal specialty crops.
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