Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program

The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program was created by the Maryland General Assembly to preserve productive agricultural land and woodland to provide for the continued production of food and fiber for all citizens of the State. The preservation of agricultural lands will help curb the random expansion of urban development and protect agricultural land and woodland as open space land. Maryland's effort to preserve agricultural land also leads to the protection of wildlife and the environmental quality of the Chesapeake and Coastal Bays and their many valuable tributaries. Owners of qualifying agricultural land may apply to the Foundation to sell an agricultural land preservation easement to the State to preserve the land in perpetuity for agricultural use.  Currently, over 3,000 acres in Worcester County are permanently protected from development through this program.

General Information (links to State of Maryland website):
Fact Sheets
Forms
Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Certification Program Application

Worcester County’s agricultural land preservation program has been state-certified since FY04, which allows the county to retain 75% of the agricultural transfer tax collected for protection of farmland, and to receive additional state funds for land protection. A biannual report, submitted to the state to retain certification, reports on Worcester County’s land preservation efforts, status and progress.

Contact Information: Katherine Munson Worcester County Program Administrator:
Worcester County
Government Center, 1 West Market Street
Snow Hill, MD 21863
telephone: 410-632-5651
fax: 410-632-5654
e-mail: kmunson@co.worcester.md.us

Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program
Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation
Wayne A. Cawley, Jr. Building
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, Maryland 21401-7080
telephone: 410-841-5860
central fax: 410-841-5914
web site http://www.malpf.info/index.html