As “Farmers markets increase, creating competition for local produce” look for land at the edge of the city (or in the city) to increase in value for agriculture. A robust local food market does more than reduce food miles—it also makes the case for preserving farmland, especially in Northeast Ohio where most of our fertile land lies right at the metropolitan edge.

Groups like the Countryside Conservancy and its Farmland Center are reestablishing local farms and farmer’s market networks in the Cuyahoga Valley and surrounding counties. The Center is looking for a program coordinator. Inquiries can be directed here or by calling 330.657.2542.

The state of Ohio has a small program to permanently protect farmland from development. By purchasing conservation easements, the state has protected a few dozen farms in Northeast Ohio (lack of funding has held the program back from expanding even further). Others working on farmland preservation include OSU's Center for Farmland Policy Innovation, which launched a pilot program to protect farms in nearby Portage County with Transfer of Development, a tool widely used in other states.

With fuel prices at historic highs and local food buying on the rise, farms closer to the city should benefit the most. Local food and farmer's markets can continue to grow when regional land-use policies are put in place to protect the farmland that provides fresh food for all.