Farming operations located near sprawling developments are often the most affected by urban expansion.
Urban sprawl can have a tremendous effect on the governments and economies of cities where it occurs. Critics of urban sprawl contend that it also has an impact on the natural environment. But more obvious than either of these effects might be sprawl's impact on the agricultural industry, which tends to suffer the most measurable impact. It is important that both rural neighbors of sprawling developments and local governments consider these potential effects on farming.
Basics
A location near a major, growing metropolitan area is often attractive to farmers. Easy access to food markets is of critical economic value to any farming operation. But as urban areas sprawl, once-productive agricultural land is converted into low-density housing and commercial developments. This both increases development pressure on nearby farms and presents potential land-use conflicts between farmers and their new residential neighbors. Over the longer term, sprawl can mean the end of productive agriculture for entire regions.
Nuisance Lawsuits
One of the ways in which urban sprawl affects local farming is through nuisance lawsuits. Farming work generally requires the use of noisy, heavy equipment and sometimes comes with odors from manure or pesticides. Those unaccustomed to rural life might find these practices to be a local nuisance, and some have chosen to sue farmers in order to disrupt or halt their activities. In some states, nuisance lawsuits have led to right-to-farm laws that protect agricultural producers from land use challenges.
Property Tax Inflation
Sprawl can also present tax-related economic challenges to farming operations. As more nearby parcels in a rural community are converted to urban or suburban uses, local property values tend to increase. This is because urban developers will pay a premium for farmland that is near urban services like schools and businesses, which has the effect of bidding up land prices. This might seem like a good thing for farmers, but in many jurisdictions, increasing property values mean higher taxes. Taxes can grow to exceed agricultural income and put farmers out of the business.
Development Pressure and Solutions
Between rising taxes and the potential for land use conflicts, urban sprawl can create development pressure on farming regions. This is because the introduction of sprawl offers the opportunity for urban development while increasing the costs of a farming operation. In order to preserve agricultural regions, some states have opted to enact laws like agricultural property assessment and urban growth boundaries, which can help to prevent sprawl from driving up property taxes. Agricultural property assessment applies taxes based on the value of the land for agricultural, rather than urban, uses. Urban growth boundaries effectively prohibit urban sprawl in agricultural zones, limiting their development value.
