Contents

1. Farmland preservation: economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits
2. Soil conservation, water quality protection, and wildlife habitat
3. External links

Farmland preservation: economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits

The desire to preserve farmland is particularly compelling in places like southern New Jersey where the potential for significant residential, commercial, or urban development exists. Reasons for farmland preservation often include economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits, such as:

• preserving the livelihood of local farmers
• protecting the economic base of rural communities
• upholding the historical heritage of communities
• maintaining the scenic aspects of the area

According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (2007 Census of Agriculture, link ), Salem County had 759 farms totaling over 96,000 acres. The average farm size was 127 acres, and the median farm size was 28 acres). Top crops by acreage were soybeans, grain corn, forages, vegetables, and wheat.

Distribution in the size of farmlands in Salem County. (From USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2007 Census of Agriculture, link here .) Click on image to expand.

The Salem County Agriculture Development Board reported in 2006 that 24,000 acres were preserved in the county (report here ). This would account for 25% of farmland in the county identified in the Census of Agriculture or 18% of the land assessed as farmland in the county. Considering the distribution of land uses in the county (figure below), this represents a significant investment in preserving the county's landscape and economic and cultural properties.

 

Land use in Salem County. (Presented by Salem County Agriculture Development Board from data from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Land Use/Land Cover research, link here .) Click on image to expand.

 

Soil conservation, water quality protection, and wildlife habitat

Agriculture can have several benefits for a watershed aside from the economic and cultural benefits described above. These benefits include:

• Soil conservation
  Management practices employed on farms reduce soil erosion and the delivery of eroded sediments to local water bodies. Soil erosion represents a loss of valuable top soil from cropland and other areas. Furthermore, eroded sediments can carry attached chemicals that can act as pollutants to water bodies.
• Water quality protection
  As rain water percolates into the soil, many potential pollutants that may have been picked up from the atmosphere or the land surface are removed by the action of the soil, plants, and microbes in the soil. It should be noted, however, that some pollutants can move with water through the soil to water bodies or groundwater. Notable examples include nitrogen in the form of nitrate and some herbicides.
• Flood prevention
  Having significant permeable areas in a watershed allow precipitation to infiltrate into the soil where it moves more slowly to local water bodies, reducing the chance of downstream flooding.
• Groundwater recharge
  Some portion of the water that infiltrates the soil will move to deeper groundwater, where it can serve as a reserve for drinking and irrigation water.
• Wildlife habitat
  A variety of land uses on farms create diverse habitats for an assortment of wildlife. These habitats may include forested land, wetlands, pastures, and vegetated areas along streams.

Use of land in farmlands in Salem County. (From USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2007 Census of Agriculture, link here .) Click on image to expand.

External links

• Census facts about Salem County 
• Agricultural statistics summary for Salem County
• Agricultural statistics summary by county in New Jersey
• Salem County Farmland Preservation Program