Indiana Farmland At Risk

Federal funds for farmland preservation go untouched while development continues to transform rural areas.

1 minute read

June 8, 2004, 10:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


Over the past two years, nearly $2 million available to preserve Indiana farmland has gone unused. The state loses about 100,000 acres of farmland annually.

The federal funding, administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, acquires easements that limit residential or commercial development on protected farmland.

While many counties in the greater Indianapolis area have already seen the rapid conversion of farmland to development, there is still hope to preserve farms in more rural parts of the state.

Indiana does not have a state farmland preservation program in place that could help provide the required 25 percent match to qualify for the USDA funding, although there is hope to establish state support for such efforts.

Thanks to Deborah Myerson

Sunday, June 6, 2004 in The Indianapolis Star

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 30, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

The mayor of Baltimore speaks into a microphone in front of a rally for more state transportation funding from Maryland.

‘Going backwards:’ Baltimore mayor, students rally against state's transit funding plan

Maryland's proposed six-year plan provides no funding for Baltimore’s BMORE bus program and reduces its road maintenance funding.

October 2, 2026 - Baltimore Sun

An old brick apartment building in NYC.

Mamdani sent nearly 6,000 pied-à-terre tax warnings to homes that didn’t qualify

A judge has ordered the administration to cancel thousands of pied-à-terre tax notices after it sent 35% of them erroneously.

October 3, 2026 - The City Reporter

A person lays down red geothermal pipes.

A Colorado neighborhood is the testing ground for the future of home energy

A start up may have found a way to quickly bring geothermal energy to new communities.

45 minutes ago - Inside Climate News

An old brick apartment building in NYC.

Mamdani sent nearly 6,000 pied-à-terre tax warnings to homes that didn’t qualify

A judge has ordered the administration to cancel thousands of pied-à-terre tax notices after it sent 35% of them erroneously.

October 3 - The City Reporter

A rendering of the waterfront development, which shows a lit-up stage by the waterfront and people walking about.

Detroit to transform waterfront with $2.2 billion investment

Developers will convert about 18 acres of unused parking lot space into civic spaces.

October 2 - ABC 7

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design