Tobacco Settlement Money Directed to Conserving Farm Land

The state cashed out a legal settlement fund today and gave the balance to the Land Trust for Tennessee, which will use the $165 thousand for conserving farmland.

Farmers have the option to sell their development rights, but the legal fees often turn away some would-be conservationists.

Land Trust director Jeanie Nelson says the farm owners are already taking a financial hit and deserve help with the appraisal and survey expenses.

“Remember, these are families determining not to develop their land. They’re giving many of the development rights away for the good of all our futures.”

The Land Trust holds conservation easements on 17-thousand acres of farmland. But Tennessee has lost a million acres of farmland to development over the last ten years since the Land Trust began its work.

Urban sprawl is creeping up to Pat Sanders’ 330-acre farm in Rutherford County.

“There’s a subdivision near me, but I’m in the middle of a farm and you don’t see any houses.”

Sanders is working with the Land Trust to keep her farm in tact through permanent easements and hopes the new settlement money will help her pay the closing costs.

WEB EXTRA:
The donation represents undesignated funds from the National Tobacco Growers Settlement Trust, which has been overseen by the Tennessee Tobacco Farmers Certifying Board. 50,000 families shared in more than $170 million over a six-year period. Major tobacco manufacturers contributed to the fund to help offset losses to farmers as a result of the much larger Master Settlement Agreement.