Landmark Jamestown Farms Preservation Provides Models for Conservation Partnering and Local Economic Contributions

Jamestown, RI — February 11, 2008 — A mutually supporting partnership of federal and state agencies, the Town of Jamestown, The Nature Conservancy, and individual donors today celebrated the purchase of the development rights to the Dutra and Neale family farms in Jamestown. The total cost of the conservation effort, which will ensure that the properties remain working farms into the future, was more than $9.75 million.

The transaction preserved 80 acres of land at Dutra Farm and 39 acres at Neale Farm. Dutra Farm is a dairy farm and was one of the founding members of the Rhody Fresh Dairy Collaborative, while Neale Farm is a scenic property and organic beef cattle farm. Highlighting the cooperative effort was the passage by a unanimous vote of Conanicut Island residents in 2007 to authorize a $3 million bond to contribute to the purchase price.

“Anyone who has crossed the Newport Bridge has seen and appreciated the expanse of the Dutra and Neale farms running through the heart of the island,” said Bruce Keiser, Jamestown town administrator. “And they are also in the hearts of the community, which by preserving them has showed how important they are to the local heritage and way of life on the island.”

Jamestown’s bond monies were augmented by an additional $500,000 from the town’s reserve funds, and some of the bond obligation has been offset by individual donors from the public. Federal funding of $3.5 million was provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Bill.

“Protecting our working farmland is critical to preserving Rhode Island’s heritage and maintaining a diverse economy. I am pleased that the federal government was able to provide $3.5 million for these properties through the Farm and Ranchland Preservation Program,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed, who strongly supported conservation funding in the federal Farm Bill. “This money will help ensure that this land is preserved for future generations of Jamestown residents. I will continue to work hard to secure federal funding for Rhode Island’s conservation efforts.”

The state provided $1,222,000 through the R.I. Agricultural Lands Preservation Commission, which comes from state farmland protection bond funds administered by the commission, which is provided with staff support from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM).

“The preservation of these lands ensures continued agricultural use of this prime farmland, which is a benefit that cannot be overestimated,” said DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan. “The farm industry has always been important to Rhode Island, both in contributing to the livability of our communities and its economic value, such as the Dutra family’s role as founder of the tremendously successful Rhody Fresh milk cooperative project.”

The Nature Conservancy contributed $1,080,000 to the conservation effort, during a recent period in which the organization has been very active in open space and farmland preservation efforts from Hopkinton to Westerly.

“Again and again, Rhode Islanders have demonstrated their commitment to protecting our farms and open space,” said Janet Coit, director of The Nature Conservancy’s Rhode Island chapter. “Conservation of our state's glorious green acres benefits everyone—by ensuring we have active farms, clean drinking water, and pleasant and productive places to play and enjoy. Piece by piece, our efforts are protecting the landscapes that we cherish."

The Dutras are a founding member of the burgeoning Rhody Fresh milk cooperative, and four of the five dairy farms involved in that initiative have now been preserved. The Neale farm grows organic beef. These reflect a growing trend of selling Rhode Island farm products to local outlets. Currently 28 out of 36 of the state’s school district food programs (directly or via their contracted agents) are now purchasing Rhode Island-grown/milked/raised products. This is dramatically up from five years ago, and has been spurred by an increased public awareness of the importance of promoting healthy diets for schoolchildren that can be drawn from local agriculture, and further supported by new legislation in effect as of January 2008 which mandates healthy snacks and meals in school. This in-state business boost points to the importance of local agriculture, as well as farmland protection and farm viability.

The federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farmland in agricultural use. Working through existing programs, the USDA partners with state, tribal or local governments and non-governmental organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from its owners.

“I’m pleased that NRCS has been able to make a substantial contribution to help protect and preserve this land, which has direct benefits to Rhode Island’s economy and ecology,” said Roylene Rides at the Door, the Natural Resources Conservation Service state conservationist. “This project is a perfect example of our agency’s mission goal of protecting working farms in Rhode Island and across the country through this type of partnership.”

The two farms are clearly visible to those coming over the Newport Bridge towards Jamestown, stretching through the middle of Conanicut Island along North Main Road from the Jamestown Golf Course and the marsh at Great Creek to Route 138 in the north. Both the Dutra and the Neale families have agreed to donate easements to the town to create a public trail that will stretch two miles from Round Marsh to the northern edge of the Dutra farm along North Main Road.

Contributions to the cost of the Dutra and Neale farms preservation may still be made. All contributions by individuals are IRS-qualified tax deductible. Interested donors may contact Jamestown Town Administrator Bruce Keiser at (401) 423-7220.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.