Download Population Growth Population Growth Urban Sprawl

Land Use in Relation
to Urban Sprawl and
Agriculture
Created by Mindy Moore
Georgia Agriculture Education
Curriculum Office July 2003
Overview
The Problem
 The Two Sides
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The Pros & Cons
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House-building Industry
Farmers
Effects of Urban Sprawl on
Agriculture
Effects of Agriculture on Urban
Sprawl
Approaches to Settling the Problem
The Problem
Population Growth
 Urban Sprawl
 Loss of Agricultural Land and
Farms

Population Growth
Population Growth
Urban Sprawl
Urban Sprawl
Loss of Agricultural Land and
Farms
The Two-Sides
“This Land is My Land”
Tug-of-war between developers and
farmers.
House-building Industry
Shelter is a growing concern as the
population increases.
 Agriculture land is suitable for
development because it is:
*Flat
*Well-drained
*More-affordable to developers

Farmers
Every minute 30 acres of forest and
farmland are vanishing.
Effects of Urban Sprawl
on Agriculture

Pros
*Larger pool of
workers
*Off-farm
employment
*New crops and
markets
*Non-traditional
industries
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Cons
*Loss of
farmland
*Decline in the
market of
traditional
products
*Decrease in
crop yields
Advantages
Larger Pool of Workers
Larger Pool of Workers
Seasonal
Part-time
More Labor-Intensive Crops
Off-Farm Employment
Chance for off-farm employment
increases.
More financial support for the
farm.
1999
90% of farm household income
came from off-farm sources.
New Crops and Markets
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Sold to local grocery stores and businesses.
Roadside stands and U-pick operations.
Other items and marketing ideas
Homemade goods
Recreational activities
Non-traditional Markets
In Georgia and the other
southeastern states, the following
industries are multi-million dollar
businesses:
Ornamental Landscape
Turfgrass
Floriculture
Pest Control
Lawn Maintenance
Disadvantages
Loss of Farmland
Decline in the Market of
Traditional Products
Decline in markets for:
Dairy Products
Field Crops
Farm Input Suppliers
Decrease in Crop Yields
Decrease in crop yields due to:
Smog
Theft
Vandalism
Water Restrictions
Effects of Agriculture on
Urban Sprawl

Pros
*Aesthetically
pleasing
*Safe
atmosphere
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Cons
*Conflicts and
complaints with
the neighbors
Benefits
Aesthetically Pleasing
Safe Atmosphere
Away from cities.
Concern for their children.
Social, not economic.
Drawbacks
Conflicts and
Complaints
Complaints from the new neighbors.
*Odors
*Spraying of chemicals
*Noise from machinery
Approaches to Settling
the Problem
Preservation of farmland through:
*Agricultural Protection Zoning
*Conservation Easements
*Protection Programs
*Other Methods
 Encouragement for small-scale
farms in and near cities.
 Adoption of planning strategies.
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Agricultural Protection
Zoning (APZ)
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Benefits
*Inexpensive
*Implemented
quickly
*Easy to explain
*Flexible
*Reduces
infrastructure
costs
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Drawbacks
*Not permanent
*Reduces land
values
*Difficult to
enforce and
monitor
Conservation
Easements
The difference between “fair
market value” and agricultural
value.”
A written deed.
More permanent protection.
Protection Programs
 Varies from state to state.
 Federal Farmland Protection Program
(FPP)
-Established in the 1996 Farm Act.
- Provide funding to state, local, and tribal
entities with existing farmland protection
programs for purchase of conservation
easements or other interests.
- Administered by the Commodity Credit
Corporation.
Other Methods
Circuit Breaker Tax Relieves
These relieves offer tax credits to offset farmers’
property tax bills.
Differential Assessment Laws
These laws direct local governments to assess
agricultural land at its value for agriculture, instead of
its full fair market value, which is generally higher.
Right-to-Farm Ordinances
A formal statement that agriculture is a valuable part
of the county or town economy and culture.
Encouragement for
Small-Scale Farms
1997(Metropolitan farms)
1/3 of all farms
39% of farm assets
79% of dairy products
90% of the fruit crop
83% of the vegetables
Adoption of Planning
Strategies
Cluster Zoning
Comprehensive Planning
“Conservation Communities”
- Communities where farmland and
subdivisions are paired together.
* Indiana, Minnesota, and Colorado
* Prairie Crossing in Grayslake, IL
Prairie Crossing
Final Thoughts
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Population growth and urban sprawl are
causing commercial agriculture to be
wedged out.
There are bound to be conflicts as the two
sides argue their case.
For the benefit of America, the sides must
work together and compromise.
“We must adjust to changing times and
still hold to unchanging principles.”- Jimmy
Carter