Story County Supports Farmland Preservation Initiative
Story County Board of Supervisors Approves Resolution of Support for Circle Our Cities Initiative

West Branch, IA — The Story County Board of Supervisors has approved a resolution in support of the Circle Our Cities initiative from the nonprofit Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT). This initiative will help landowners permanently preserve working farms to provide local access to healthy foods, protect clean water, healthy soils, and wildlife, and increase land access for new and underrepresented farmers.

“We are thrilled to see Story County join the Circle Our Cities campaign, demonstrating their commitment to sustainable agriculture and local food systems. This resolution of support is a significant step towards creating a resilient and self-sufficient community.” said Breanna Horsey, Executive Director of the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust.

The Story County Board of Supervisors encourages local landowners to consider adopting conservation easements where appropriate, thereby assisting beginning farmers in growing food crops for local consumption. A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement that allows a landowner to permanently protect their farmland, while retaining ownership and the ability to sell or pass on to heirs. Conservation easements are perpetual, binding future owners to the terms, and do not open your land to the public.

The Circle Our Cities initiative has been successfully implemented in several Iowa cities, including Dubuque, Des Moines, Fairfield, and Iowa City, and recently expanded to include Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.

The Sustainable Iowa Land Trust is a nonprofit organization protecting affordable farmland in Iowa near markets for food farmers to secure a healthy food system for future generations, and fresh food in communities. They have protected 16 farms totaling 1,200 acres across Iowa. Learn more at www.silt.org or call (319) 800-8108.