Farmland

New Jersey Agrivoltaic Project Combines Solar Energy With Farming
A Rutgers University-New Brunswick demonstration farm will evaluate solar array designs to understand how they can best support grazing and agriculture on the same site.

Solar Production Threatens Fertile Farmlands
Solar installations are causing soil erosion and raising concerns among farmers in some of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions.

Maine Law Promotes Smart Growth
New state legislation encourages cities to plan around ‘smart growth’ principles to preserve farmland and open space, and use infill development to build more housing.

Auditor: Toronto Greenbelt Changes Favored Developers
A series of hasty removals of land from the protected Greenbelt last year were pushed through without environmental or financial analysis.

How Arizona Is Preparing for the Coming Water Shortage
Arizona will lose one-fifth of its water allotment from the Colorado River in 2022 as cuts from the river's Drought Contingency Plan take effect.

Deal Will Preserve Valuable S.F. Bay Area Open Space
Land in the Coyote Valley in San Jose, California, will be protected in a move that ends over three decades of development battles.
While Commodities Sink, Solar Power Rises on Farmland
Some of the nation's new clean energy capacity is being built on land that formerly grew crops. The sun, quite literally, is worth more than peanuts.
Control of Farmland—City Style
Farm land ownership matters on the edges of metropolitan areas, where farmers can find lucrative markets for their products and yet, with ever escalating land prices, face daunting odds in securing land to grow on or even to get started.
Growing Concern over Loss of Canada’s Best Farmland
Amid data showing a dwindling supply of prime Canadian agricultural land, a commencing study seeks to strengthen preservation policies.
Northern California Farmers Decry $14 Billion Water Plan
Norimitsu Onishi reports on the major rift caused by a proposed plan for twin 35-mile tunnels to take water from the Sacramento River to large corporate farms and densely populated regions in Central and Southern California.
Farmland Sale Sparks Protests in China
Since Wednesday, Chinese farmers have been protesting the sale of over 800 acres of farmland to developers. The scene, writes Andrew Jacobs, is not entirely uncommon lately as concerns over environmental justice build.
Down Market is Prime Time for Preservation
Howard County, Maryland's Agricultural Land Preservation Program has taken advantage of the down market to purchase more than 1,000 acres of farmland.
Urban Agriculture Craze Boon to Farmers in Japan
Japan's yard-less city dwellers are increasingly drawn to "weekend farming" plots rented from commercial farmers on the urban fringe. Could it help the country's struggling agriculture sector? Kenji Hall reports.
California's Budget Undercuts Climate Change Policy
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cultivates the image of a climate change warrior. But the state budget he signed this week portrays very different priorities.
Agricultural Land, Permanently
25 farmers in Fairfield County, Ohio are attempting to prevent future development by preserving their farmland in permanent agricultural use.
Rising Costs of Farmland Affecting Suburban Growth
As farmland prices skyrocketed, so did the cost of growing a suburb.
San Antonio Saves The Trees
Officials in San Antonio say they've closed a legal loophole that allowed developers to clear trees for ranching or farming.
Land Use Reform Tops China Agenda
China's government has announced major changes in property rights for farmers, giving them the ability to 'lease, exchange, or swap' their plots.
Minnesotans Split Over Sod Farmland
Ham Lake, Minnesota, residents are torn over the best way to preserve the rural character of their St. Paul suburb.
Developed Agricultural Land May Become 'The Next L.A.'
Farmland in Central California's San Joaquin County is replaced with development more than any other county in the state -- a wasteful pattern that could create the "next L.A.", according to a new report.
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