Georgia Farmland Conservation Program

Preserving Georgia's agricultural lands is crucial to the lives and livelihoods of Georgians, as these bountiful acres are needed to fuel the people and economy of the state's 159 counties. However, according to land cover trends, Georgia's agricultural landscape is shifting at a rapid pace, as the state continues to lose precious farmland to increased development.

To combat this trend and protect farmland acres most susceptible to development, the Georgia General Assembly passed the Georgia Farmland Conservation Act (Senate Bill 220) during the 2023 legislative session, which establishes the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund Program and Georgia Farmland Advisory Council.

By working with farmers seeking to voluntarily restrict their right to develop farmland, the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund (GFC) Program will ensure that the best farmland for food production will remain undeveloped and stay farmable for Georgia's future generation of farmers.

The GFC Program will make funds or matching grants available each fiscal year for prospective qualified easement holders having a project proposal that has been reviewed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and approved by the Georgia Farmland Conservation Advisory Council. The primary purpose of these prospective projects will be the conservation of farmlands that are threatened by development and the support of active farming and food production in this state.

Per the establishing legislation, priority will be given to project proposals that protect agricultural lands susceptible to development, subdivision, and fragmentation, taking into consideration the project's current state of cultivation, the potential for a funding match, and conservation priorities such as protection of habitat, water quality, watershed conservation, climate resiliency, local conservation plans, public viewshed, and preservation or enhancement of soil quality.