Farmland

Why We Preserve Montana’s Agricultural Land

The development of Montana’s agricultural lands is rapidly changing the state’s local food system and land access opportunities for farmers and ranchers. Farm and ranchland is an important part of Montana’s heritage and its future. Local agriculture is important to Montana communities and families, now and in the future, by providing community food security in the face of pandemics, climate change, rising oil prices, and increasing food shortages.

• Farmland is finite and irreplaceable. Good soil develops over thousands of years and just a fraction of the landscape has topsoils suitable for agriculture. We can’t manufacture good soil, so we must preserve what remains.

• Social, cultural, and historic values. Working farms and ranches create a sense of place for Montanans. They are part of our heritage and vital to our legacy.

• Ecological integrity. Well-managed agricultural land provides ecosystem services, such as flood control, groundwater recharge, wildlife habitat, carbon banking, and open space.