Agricultural Conservation Easements

An agricultural conservation easement is a voluntary agreement between landowner and the Trust that permanently protects farmland for farming.

Easements are tailored to satisfy the desires of the donor.

Easements are recorded and become part of the title to the property, requiring protection in perpetuity.

The land remains in private stewardship and on the county tax rolls. It may be sold, leased, or bequeathed.

No public access, signage or public notice is required unless desired explicitly by the owner.

Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland assumes the long term Trust responsibility of monitoring the property to assure that easement terms are honored.

Direct Acquisition

As a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland may acquire land through outright or conditional gifts, or by purchase with donated funds. A wide variety of options are available to tailor the terms of a gift to meet the donor's needs.

The trust may be able to assist in locating conservation buyers for farm properties threatened by speculative pressures, whether directly or through local realtors.

As a Land Trust...

SPF is also an IRS-approved land Trust that accepts donations of agricultural conservation easements, gifts of land, and may purchase easements or land with donated funds.

Skagitonians meets with and counsels farmland owners on these and other available mechanisms to keep agricultural land for agricultural production.

In addition to the satisfaction of permanently protecting some of the best land in the world for farming, a donor of land or an easement may also realize reductions in federal income, estate, and/or property taxes.

All inquiries to the Trust are completely confidential and without obligation