how land development impacts agriculture

Agricultural land in America takes up 897,400,000 acres, approximately 47% of the total land in the U.S. Agricultural land supports crops, livestock, or ag business use. This amount of land is needed to keep these industries growing and readily available to support everyday needs. But, recently millions of acres have been paved over due to urban expansion and development. A Virginia Tech case study states that 175 acres of farm/ranch land are acquired for other industries every hour in the US. Land development grew tremendously in recent years during the pandemic, along with the turn of the new century in 2000. Residential land sales rose 6% in 2020, according to Realtor, urbanization has led to a continuous loss of sustainable farmland. 

North Carolina is ranked second in the U.S. for states threatened with agricultural land conversion. NC is one of the most diverse agricultural states and agriculture is our largest economic sector. Broilers, peanuts, sweet potatoes, tobacco, corn, milo, cotton, and apples are just a few of the abundant agricultural commodities the state has to offer. Many farmland preservationists, such as Dee Shore, are concerned about what this rapid development will mean for future generations. Reducing these land sources jeopardizes the foundation of agriculture and agribusiness. 

Not only is the loss of farmland affecting agriculture, but also the military and tourism industries. “The military depends on rural lands, where they can safely train,” says an NC State University source. “Unplanned development and the encroachment of incompatible land uses are threatening the health of working lands and natural systems with the same force that it threatens the health of the military network in eastern North Carolina-not only the bases, but also the ranges and airspace they use.”, says North Carolina Sentinel Landscape advocate, a partnership focused on agriculture and defense. Tourism is partly fueled by the “green state” image correlated from agriculture. 

Another concerning factor of less available farmland is rising land prices. If farmers aren’t able to afford land then they have extreme limitations for profits and production. Population growth also plays a role in this by causing food demand to rise. But, too much money equals no land, which then equals no food. 

Many farmers are growing old with no one to take over their operations. People like Andrew Branan are trying to utilize their land to keep it in the agricultural cycle. Through NC State extension, he offers planning and administration to help older farmers beneficially preserve their land. Dewitt Hardee is also contributing to this cause by pursuing The Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. In his words the trust fund has two main purposes; “one is to preserve basically the lands of the state and also to provide availability of funds for ag development to sustain family farms.” 

Another organization that strives to assist this cause is NC FarmLink. It is headed by William Hamilton and Noah Ranells. This website connects farmers, landowners, and wanna-be farmers from all over the state. They can communicate with each other and find potential land residents, or potential land. This way NC farmland is kept agricultural and sustained as long as possible. These experts feel that if we are losing this land, we must be aware of how to maintain it productively and profitably.

Shore, Dee. “Farmland In A Fast-Growing State”. College Of Agriculture And Life Sciences, 2023, https://cals.ncsu.edu/news/farmland-in-a-fast-growing-state/. Accessed 25 Apr. 2023.

NSTATE, http://www.n-state.com. “Economy Of North Carolina Including North Carolina Agriculture And Manufacturing From NETSTATE.COM”. Netstate.Com, 2023, https://www.netstate.com/economy/nc_economy.htm#:~:text=North%20Carolina%20is%20a%20leading,also%20produces%20hay%20and%20wheat. Accessed 25 Apr 2023.

Schafer, Sara. “Under Pressure: See How Development Threatens Farmland.” The Scoop, 20 Sept. 2022, https://www.thedailyscoop.com/news/retail-industry/under-pressure-see- how-development-threatens-farmland.

“Shieldsquare Captcha”. Iopscience.Iop.Org, 2023, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac4537. Accessed 25 Apr. 2023.