Building practices that are state of the art for a specialized use in agriculture may not fit the specifics of codes meant for housing or commercial structures. Bringing up to code agricultural buildings that are historic structures may destroy the very qualities that make them special. Easements and outright purchases of farmland ensure preservation of the natural resource base for agriculture. Once a town has applied these techniques, the benefits of keeping farmland in private ownership can be more clearly appreciated. Making agriculture visible to the general public helps establish the economic, cultural, and resource stewardship value of having active farms in a town.
Local control is an important tradition for New Hampshire towns.
The state Right to Farm law provides a backstop to farmers if local officials overreach their regulatory authority. University of New Hampshire's Cooperative Extension Service writes BMP's about various agricultural practices based on sound scientific research. By reducing the tax burden on agricultural land, towns can encourage the maintenance of open space at a relatively low cost. There are few better ways to incorporate agricultural concerns into local land use ordinances and regulations than having farmers serve. Agricultural businesses are frequently undervalued in terms of their effect on the community.