TURTLECREEK TOWNSHIP — Two Warren County farmers are among more than 400 statewide that have applied for a new program that pays to keep land in farming forever.

        “It's getting to be so hard to survive as a family farm anymore,” said Vince Uetrecht, 69, who has a 430-acre farm in Massie Township. “Everything is geared for the big boys.”

Vince Uetrecht of Warren County is among farmers who have applied for state funds designed to preserve family farms in Ohio. (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

        Mr. Uetrecht and Wayne Township farmer Richard Furnas are seeking agricultural easements from the Ohio Office of Farmland Preservation. Both have farms near Caesar Creek State Park in northeast Warren County.

        They would be paid the difference between the value of their land as farmland and the value as development. In return, they would guarantee the acreage would never be used for anything other than agriculture.

        The Office of Farmland Preservation has $6.25 million to spend on agricultural easements this year, executive director Howard Wise said, and a like amount each of the following three years. It comes from Issue 1, approved by Ohio voters in 2000 mostly to pay to rehabilitate urban brownfields. Ohio has a third less farmland today than it did a half-century ago.

        Two Butler County farmers also have applied for the easement program, and both counties have groups studying other solutions.

        “The purpose (of the easement applications) is to demonstrate not only to the state of Ohio but also locally that we have some residents who do want to keep their land as farmland,” said Tom Spellmire, a Turtlecreek Township farmer who is leading Warren's effort.

        Mr. Spellmire is pessimistic about the county's chances of qualifying because of the proximity of Interstates 71 and 75 and the wide availability of utilities such as water and electricity.

        The state is looking for “Goldilocks” parcels — the top candidates will be neither too close to nor too far from development, Mr. Wise said.

        “We don't want to be in front of the bulldozer, and yet there's no point in being out in the boondocks.”

        The Farmland Preservation staff is evaluating the applications, and will announce later this month who made the first cut.

Loan cash vanished in transit
Title rules called overly lax
Schools battle emotional bullying
Once a victim, now a helper
Internet provides bullies with new weapons
Project tightens Tristate beltway
A degree of nostalgia
Bell, union reach new deal
Condon evokes many memories
Man killed in Walnut Hills
Roach's credibility discussed at forum
School levies face battle
Tristate A.M. Report
BRONSON: Mother's Day
HOWARD: Some Good News
PULFER: Alicia Reece
SMITH AMOS: Role model
GOP targets 3rd District seat
Grant would save land
Some local farmers won't sell out
Top 3 pitch ideas to council
Mom who attacked kids had threatened to kill them, herself
Ohio families await voucher ruling
State budget still shrinking
Supreme Court candidates aim for 'clean' race
Youngstown mob boss nearly done with 'life' sentence
Education council gains respect
Ky. priest quits after allegation
State blooms with graduates
True won't be back on board