Georgia is taking steps to slow the loss of farmland as rapid growth continues across the state.

According to WABE, Georgia could lose as many as 800,000 acres of farmland by 2040—roughly 10 percent of the state’s agricultural land—as farms are converted into housing developments, warehouses, data centers, and other commercial uses.

To help preserve working farms, the state has launched the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund, a program created by the General Assembly in 2023 and administered by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. The fund allows farmers to voluntarily sell the development rights to their property through conservation easements while continuing to own, farm, and even sell the land in the future. The property, however, cannot later be developed for non-agricultural uses.

The General Assembly appropriated $2 million for the program’s first funding cycle. Applications closed in May, and selected applicants are expected to be notified in August. The state funding can be combined with federal, local, and nonprofit conservation dollars to help protect more farmland.

Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper has called the projected loss of farmland “a staggering statistic,” noting that agriculture remains Georgia’s largest industry. Supporters say the program offers farmers another option besides selling their land for development, helping preserve family farms, strengthen the state’s food supply, and protect rural communities for future generations.