Protecting your farm
Are you interested in permanently protecting your land for agriculture for future generations? Farmers and other farm owners can establish Farmland Easement Agreements with organizations like land trusts that allow property owners to have a direct say in the future use of their land. These agreements provide assurance that your farm will receive the highest possible level of protection from future conversion to housing developments, aggregate pits and quarries, dumps and other non-agricultural uses.
Why Should I Protect My Farm?
- Protect your investments in the land
- Honour your farm’s and family’s history
- Sustain farming in your community
- Support the next generation of farmers on your farm
- Create tax benefits, farm succession and estate planning advantages
What Can I Do to Protect My Farm?
Sit down with your family and talk about farm succession to determine how your farm will stay a farm after you sell it or pass it on. Create a long-term plan for ownership of the land and its continued use for farming. This may include:
- Working with a new or experienced farmer to create a plan for transfer of the land or business; and/or
- Working with a land trust to permanently protect your farm.
Through its Farmland Protection Program , the Ontario Farmland Trust can work with you to register a farmland easement agreement on your land to guarantee that it will be protected for future generations of farmers and remain available for agricultural uses in the long-term..
The following webpages will help you navigate the farmland easement agreement process and make informed choices about farmland protection as part of your farm business, succession and estate planning:
The Basics: Understanding Farmland Easement Agreements
Tax Benefits & Implications
Step-by-Step Process
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions? Contact the Ontario Farmland Trust at 519-824-4120 ext. 52654 for more information or visit www.ontariofarmlandtrust.ca