Vermont has over 80,000 acres preserved. Throughout the Northeast, there are more than 2,000 applications pending for the sale of development rights. If these programs can create large contiguous blocks of preserved farmland, they can help maintain a critical mass of farms and farmland that will enable the farm support business to remain profitable. The purchase of development rights programs will continue to be important. The bottom line is that the public is willing to pay for farmland preservation because they can see tangible results.
Federal funding can also help.
Dairying is the largest single component of agriculture in the Northeast. The compact has pumped millions into the dairy industry at a time of wide fluctuations in price. Implicit in the Compact is a recognition that dairy farming contributes more than just milk. The open space and scenic beauty, which feed into a thriving tourist industry and a pleasing quality of life for all residents are valuable, too. So, if we assume that Congress will do something right, New York and Pennsylvania will continue to be major dairy states, and Vermont will continue to lead the New England states in milk production.