For generations, family farms have belonged to the community of Montana on the northern end of the Driftless region in Buffalo County. The area features rolling hills and dense forests nestled in plunging valleys. The flat fields that line the winding roadways are optimal for farming. These areas are also highly sought after for residential land.
In 2021, the Montana Society of Responsible Land Use Agricultural Enterprise Area was formed as a response to the local land use conversion pressures. The AEA also wanted to keep the rich farmland in production.
By itself, an AEA does not have any land use restrictions or requirements for landowners. However, when a landowner in an AEA signs a farmland preservation agreement, they voluntarily commit to keeping their land in agricultural use. In addition, they implement a soil and water conservation practice for 10 years. This allows landowners to limit land conversion and discourage potential buyers from purchasing land for uses outside of agriculture.
How The Idea Started
Joe Bragger, a farmer and innovator in the local agricultural community, first introduced the idea of the AEA program to the Town of Montana Board. Bragger had previously participated in the state’s Farmland Preservation Program. However, his land had not been eligible for the farmland preservation tax credit. This is because the town did not have a certified farmland preservation zoning district. With the addition of an AEA, Bragger and other area landowners with an FP agreement would be eligible to claim a $10 per acre tax credit.
“We have a lot of farmers in the township who are participating in nutrient management planning and conservation planning,” he says. “Any credits they get back from the FP Program can be reinvested back into their operation to further improve it.”
As an FP participant, Bragger provides Buffalo County with nutrient management. This is a plan that includes all the acres that he operates — rented and owned. By including the rented farmland in his land stewardship activities and nutrient management plans, Bragger enables those landowners who are not producers themselves to participate in the FP Program and sign an FP agreement.
Since the establishment of the Montana Society of Responsible Land Use AEA four years ago, the community has protected over 1,200 acres.
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