The St. Marie Agricultural Enterprise Area (AEA) covers portions of St. Marie and Princeton in Green Lake County. Bounded by the Fox, Black Creek, and Puchyan rivers, this area is home to lush farmland. They are committed to caring for their rural character as well as agricultural resources. The AEA is made of family farms ranging from 10 to 180 acres in size. These farms produce various agricultural crops such as corn, beans, fruits, and more.
AEAs are community-led efforts to create designated areas important to Wisconsin’s agricultural future. As a part of the state’s Farmland Preservation Program (FP), AEAs strive to support local farmland protection goals.
The Farmland Preservation program is a partnership between local governments, landowners, farmers, and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). The program offers two avenues for participation: farmland preservation zoning as well as AEAs. For the agricultural producers and landowners, the St. Marie AEA has been the best way to achieve their conservation and land preservation goals. It also incentivizes land use protections with the farmland preservation tax credit.
Roger Naparalla is a farmer in the St. Marie AEA who inherited his land from his father. Naparalla said he wants to honor the legacy of his family farm.
“My father had a vision: to protect the land and keep it working. I want to keep what we have and never have it developed,” said Naparalla. The 15-year farmland preservation agreement provides a sense of security that his farm will remain in production agriculture after he is no longer the operator.
Farmland preservation agreements also ensure that farms will be managed to the state’s soil and water conservation standards. These standards include creating and carrying out a nutrient management plan. Additionally, they include managing non-point source pollution control and preventing soil erosion. Another standard is executing tillage setback near surface water. Ultimately, these efforts will lead to a more resilient and sustainable agricultural landscape for future generations to enjoy.
Furthermore, the Green Lake County Land and Water Conservation Department has seen more interest in the FP program in recent years. This has lead to the creation of the Town of Princeton AEA in 2023. Now with two AEAs within its borders, the county hopes to work with local landowners to continue growing the program.
“We want to make sure that agriculture stays strong in our county,” said Todd Morris, a Green Lake County conservationist.
Through the AEA petition process, Green Lake County has seen communities come together to promote soil health as well as conservation. Local landowners or townships interested in starting a new AEA or learning more should contact their local county conservation department.
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