'The most critical tool that we have'

Earlier this month, Texas Agricultural Land Trust Chief Operating Officer James Oliver addressed members of the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry regarding conservation easements. His remarks — in which he described the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program as perhaps "the most critical tool that we have to stop the fragmentation and development of working lands" — are reprinted below.

Chairwoman Spanberger, Ranking Member LaMalfa, members of the committee — good afternoon and thank you for including me in this roundtable. I currently serve as chief operating officer and director of land conservation for Texas Agricultural Land Trust. Founded in 2007 by members of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Wildlife Association and Texas Farm Bureau, the Ag Land Trust is the largest state-based land trust and holds approximately 227,000 acres of easements on working lands across Texas.

Based on a recent report, the 2019 Texas Land Trends Report prepared by Texas A&M's Natural Resource Institute, Texas has more than 141 million acres of working lands, which account for 82% of the state's land base. From 1997 to 2017, there was a net loss of 2.2 million acres of working lands, with over 50% of that net loss in the last five-year period.

In a study by Colorado State University's Department of Agricultural and Resources Economics, released in July 2018, it was determined that over the last two Farm Bills, 2009-2017, the almost $80 million in federal conservation easement investment has generated more than $174 million in economic activity in Colorado, associated with the creation of 1,100 jobs and nearly $86 million in value-added enterprise. For every dollar of federal conservation easement investment, $2.19 of economic activity was created. Eighty-two percent of direct expenditures went to rural counties and economies.

What does all of this mean? That the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, specifically Agrictural Land Eeasements, may be the most critical tool that we have to stop the fragmentation and development of working lands as well as reinvest in our rural economies. And most importantly, to help keep working families on working lands. I must commend Congress, and those of you who worked so hard on the 2018 Farm Bill. Texas Ag Land Trust is a member of a coalition of eight western state land trusts that holds over 2 million acres of easements. Through this coalition, called the Partnership of Rangeland Trusts, or PORT, we were able to identify and prioritize changes that we felt necessary to help those in the land trust community help working families remain on working lands. With the leadership of the Land Trust Alliance, PORT, as well as many others, was given the opportunity to be heard. Congress listened and we thank you.

One last point. Texas A&M's Natural Resource Institute research has also revealed that in the next 20 years, the U.S. will see the largest intergenerational transfer of rural lands in history. According to the NRI, the national average age for a farmer or rancher is 58. In Texas, that age is 64. In my opinion, the most critical aspect of this voluntary easement program is the perpetual protection of the opportunity for the next generation of agriculturalist. I feel that it is incumbent upon the land trust community and ACEP ALE to ensure that the next generation of young men and women that have the aspiration, have the opportunity. ACEP ALE is vital for the future of our food and fiber system.

Thank you for having me here today and I look forward to any questions you might have about how the changes to the program will help keep working families on working lands.

To learn more about Farm Bill conservation programs, including Agricultural Conservation Easement Program and Agricultural Land Easement Program, read our overview.

James Oliver is chief operating officer and director of land conservation at Texas Agricultural Land Trust.