THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 28, 1996 TAG: 9609280234
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 25 lines
The U.S. Agriculture Department announced Friday that Virginia Beach will receive $100,000 to support its farmland protection program.
The award is part of a $14.5 million federal grant to 18 states trying to stop the development of farmland into strip shopping malls and housing complexes.
Virginia Beach was the only city in Virginia to receive the money, which will help protect five parcels of land against future development.
The city expects to inaugurate its Agricultural Reserve Program in the next month or two by buying the development rights to several land parcels in the southern half of the city.
The program, which is expected to cost $87 million over the next 30 years, encourages farmers to keep up their businesses, rather than selling their land to developers.
Nationwide, the combined federal and state money will generate $55 million to protect an estimated 55,720 acres of farmland.
KEYWORDS: GRANT by CNB