Preservation Status Sought for Land

Owners of more than 1,200 acres of farmland will ask supervisors today to place their land in the county’s farmland preservation bank.

Acceptance by the state’s Land Conservation Act program means annual tax breaks for farmers and ranchers who agree not to develop their land beyond agricultural uses for at least 10 years.

Today, the Board of Supervisors will consider 20 contracts totaling 1,203 acres with farmers seeking to enter the program for the first time.

The Land Conservation Act program, commonly called the Williamson Act, was adopted by the Legislature in 1965 and took root locally four years later.

The program was established to discourage the development of farmland.

More than 140,000 acres in Ventura County are under preservation status, representing about a quarter of all the privately owned land in the county.

The percentage of the tax breaks differs from contract to contract, based on the assessed agricultural value of the land.

The net gain of 1,203 acres for the county’s agricultural preserve this year would represent the single largest increase since 1978.