Farmland Protection

1. All Department divisions should take into consideration the impact of policies and actions that might negatively impact the protection of Ohio farmland.
2. The Departments land acquisition policy will be amended to include language that ensures consideration of the impact purchases will have upon agricultural land, including the potential effect on land access, drainage and use. The land acquisition policy will also be amended to emphasize that ODNR land acquisitions should be made only in pursuance of the mission of each specific division.
3. As each division undergoes the automatic JCARR rule review process, it will update rules, and examine rules for their impact on farmland protection.
4. The Departments designated liaison officer with the Office of Farmland Preservation will coordinate an annual review and publish a report on Departmental impacts on farmland protection in Ohio.
5. The Division of Mines and Reclamation will encourage reclamation plans and practices which will promote restoration of mined lands to managed grazing and agricultural uses when such uses comply with regulatory requirements on land use. This will include plans for water sources for possible future use for livestock production. The Division will continue to apply current coal mining and reclamation regulatory requirements for soils segregation and restoration which requires soil preservation, including provisions for prime farmland soils preservation, with complete reviews of cropping history of certain lands to be impacted by coal mining.
6. Through its Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program, the Division of Mines and Reclamation will review and identify opportunities for the restoration of land for non-erosive agricultural activities during the design and construction of reclamation projects.
7. The Division of Soil & Water will continue in its primary mission of protecting farmland and water resources.
8. Information on the importance of farmland protection will be provided to ODNRs 2,500-plus full and part-time employees through internal meetings and publications.
9. Eminent domain will be suggested to the Governor as a tool for ODNR land acquisition only after all alternative sites have been examined and continued efforts to gain a voluntary purchase fails; and only after it has been determined that the sought-after property is critical to the Department's mission.
10. Where appropriate, applications for grants funded by, or through ODNR, will require language from applicants regarding the consideration of farmland protection as it relates to their funding request.