Freeman Ranch gets preservation funds

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas

July 5, 2001 -- "The money is not that important to me and I don't want it to be that important. I'd rather have a peaceful life, peace of mind and be able to be out here and just feel a calmness in the soul. It's a lot more important than how much money you've got," says Derek Freeman, manager of the family ranch in Harris County.

Freeman's parents, Merle and Jackie Freeman, have been chosen by the USDA Farmland Protection Program as the first ranch in Texas to receive funding to help protect their land from development other than agricultural and wildlife habitats.

"The Farmland Protection Program with the USDA Farm Bill Program was started in 1996 and in the past, was underfunded, according to Julie K. Shackelford, Texas field director for the American Farmland Trust, who acted as the facilitator between the program and Katy Prairie Conservancy out of Katy. Since '96, it's only received 35 million dollars of funding until this last year.

"What the Farmland Protection Program does is provide federal, matching money to purchase developers' rights on agricultural land," said Shackelford.

Until last year, Texas was not eligible for any of this funding because there is not a state program that would provide the matching dollars needed to access the program.

This year, the Farmland Protection Program opened up to everyone in every state, as long as there were matching dollars available from some source.

The American Farmland Trust, a national non-profit organization that has been in existance since 1980 and provides technical assistance, outreach and research, along with an involvement in local, state and federal policies, was able to match up the funding source with the Katy Prairie Conservancy group.

"The American Farmland Trust goal is the conservation of agricultural land and preventing it's conversion to non-agricultural uses," said Shackelford.

"What we're trying to do is assure the agricultural land will be available in the future for agriculture and to help with the agricultural industry, as well as wildlife habitat and the natural resources that are associated with it.

"In Texas, the most common way of permanently conserving your land is using a conservation easement. That is essentially donating the development rights to your property to an organization like American Farm Trust," she said.

In exchange, the owner can get substantial tax benefits that will help in reducing state taxes as well as help in passing the property on the the next generation, according to Shakelford.

At the present time, there are 20 states who have agencies which work to secure the federal dollars for producers in their states. This year, with the relaxed qualification of only being able to match the federal dollars, a total of 28 states are participating.

These 28 states represented requests for 116 million in matching dollars, but the original 30 million set aside for the program, this year, was cut to 17.5 million, which left the majority of those looking for funding without money.

"We're hearing more and more from farmers and ranchers and the general public that they support conservation payments, because they know they're getting something in return," said Shackelford.

"What this (federal) program does gives Texas an example of the potential that this kind of a program could have on a statewide level."

"The Katy Prairie Conservancy is a land trust we started in 1992...a non-profit organization. We were...essentially...established just to protect the Katy Prairie," said Mary Ann Piacentini, Executive Director of the Katy Prairie Conservancy.

According to Piacentini, the Katy Prairie was, originally, between 5-700,000 acres of tall grassland between the Brazos River east to Cypress Creek or the Buffalo Bayou. That land has been reduced to approximately 200,000 acres due to developments other than agricultural.

"Our goal is to protect about 25 percent of what remains...50,000 acres connected by a wildlife corridor," said Piacentini.

"We protect land in different ways. We've been very fortunate that almost 800 acres have been given to us from developers who had to compensate for lost wetlands elsewhere.

"We, also, will purchase development rights and that will allow us to help those farmers and ranchers that would like to protect their land, but can't afford to give it away," she added.

The Katy Prairie Conservancy has about 6000 acres, now, through acquisition by the above mentioned methods, along with actually purchasing land at full price or bargain sales. They never pay above appraised value, according to Piacentini.

The short-term goal is 10,000 acres by mid-2002.

"We hope that after the first 10,000 acres, people will think, 'Wow! Maybe they're real! Maybe I'll invest in that! Maybe it's ok!'" said Piacentini.

"When people are kind of 'nay sayers,' and say 'What happens if you don't get to the 50,000 acres?' I say, well, you know, if I can save 10-20,000 acres...that's still an extraordinary amount.

"Maybe it's not enough for the diversity of the wildlife on the Katy Prairie, but maybe it will be a different set of wildlife that compensates," she said.

The acreage acquired will allow for hunting, ranching, farming, bird-watching, tours and trail events, and supporters of the plan include Ducks Unlimited, the National Rifle Association as well as the Sierra Club, according to Piacentini.

As far as owners rights, the Katy Prairie Conservancy will not play an active role in the management of the land it acquires, but will be responsible for making sure the original agreements are honored and that the individual plans do not negatively impact the scenic values or the conservational values, she said.

Once a contract is in place, it is attached to the title of the property, even in the event the property is sold by the originator of the contract.

"What we're doing is saying they're being taxed on agricultural value. What we're doing is buying the difference between the full market value and the agricultural value so they (owners) retain that agricultural value, continue agricultural use, and if they choose to sell it or leave it to their kids or whatever, that passes down. What we own is the development rights and that goes with that title," said Wesley Newman, Land Manager for Katy Prairie Conservancy.

As for plans on the Freeman Ranch, Freeman is very excited over the prospect for the future.

"I want to get the horse business going and I love cows. I just love it out here. I have no desire...whatsoever...to leave.

"The capital will be nice. It will allow us to do what we want and just being able to still live here is the best part," said Freeman.