An Evaluation or King County's Farmland Preservation Program: What Motivated Landowners to Participate? How Do They Feel About the Program Now?

 

Ritter, Deborah.

 

Although a great deal of research has been conducted on the topic of farmland preservation, there is a lack of studies focusing on the opinions, motivations and expectations of the primary users of preservation programs, the farmers. Only by including their ideas and opinions in the evaluation process, can we expect to increase the effectiveness of these strategies. This study evaluates the King County Farmland Preservation Program through the eyes of its participants. Using a questionnaire and follow-up interviews, landowners were asked what motivated them to participate in the program and to find out how they feel about the program now.

Study results indicated that program participants were motivated by a desire to live in the country, to preserve their way of life and to stop urban development of farmland. While survey respondents are generally happy with the program, many feel that King County should take specific steps to promote local agriculture. The wish the County to emphasize the value of agriculture to the general public, to attract and link new farmers with those who are retiring, to help develop innovative agricultural techniques that can be applied to small acreage farms, to assist in the creation of specialty markets and to pass right-to-farm laws. These steps will help insure that protected farmland remains productive and that agriculture will continue to be a viable industry in the county.