SEWRPC studies have shown that agricultural land use in the Region has decreased significantly over the past several decades. Lands devoted to agricultural use decreased by 22 percent between 1963 and 2000, including a decrease of about 8 percent during the 1990s. Despite this decrease, a large portion of the total area of the Region remains in agricultural use, and agriculture remains an important component of the regional economy. Based upon the SEWRPC regional land use inventory, about 1,259 square miles, or 47 percent of the total area of the Region, were in agricultural use in 2000.

The U.S. Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) has classified soils into capability groupings that indicate their general suitability for most kinds of farming. The groupings are based upon composition and limitations of the soils, the risk of damage when they are used, and the way they respond to treatment. Under the NRCS system, there are eight capability classes ranging from Class I, the soils of which have few limitations, to Class VIII, the soils of which have severe limitations due to soils and land forms so rough, shallow, or otherwise limited that they do not produce economically worthwhile yields of crops, forage, or wood products. In general, Class I soils are more arable and suitable for cropland; Class II soils have some limitations that reduce the choice of plants that can be grown, or require moderate conservation practices to reduce the risk of damage when used; Class III soils have severe limitations that reduce the choice of plants, require special conservation practices, or both, but may be productive with careful management. The soils in the remaining classes have progressively greater natural limitations for cropland, but may be used for pasture, grazing, woodland, wildlife, recreation, and esthetic purposes.

Generally, lands with Class I and II soils are considered “National Prime Farmlands” and lands with Class III soils are considered “Farmlands of Statewide Significance.” Of the 1,259 square miles of land found to be in agricultural use in the Region in 2000, about 945 square miles, or 75 percent, were covered by the very significant Class I and Class II soils. These areas are shown on this map.

The SEWRPC regional land use plans have long recommended that county and local units of government take steps to preserve and protect as much of the farmland covered by Class I and Class II soils as is reasonably possible, taking into account such factors as the size of individual farm units, the extent to which larger units exist in close proximity to one another, the availability of agribusiness support services, the degree of urban encroachment into such areas, and the extent to which such lands necessarily may be required for new urban development as logical extensions from existing fully serviced urban centers. The primary land use control technique recommended by SEWRPC to achieve the protection and preservation of these lands is the enactment of exclusive agricultural zoning. Such zoning, first put into place in Wisconsin by Walworth County in 1974, traditionally specifies a minimum farm size of 35 acres. Under such zoning, other than for farm residences and other agriculture-related uses, land divisions must be at least 35 acres in size.

Following Walworth County’s lead, other counties in the Region undertook efforts to identify prime agricultural lands through the preparation of county agricultural land preservation plans. The year 2000 status of the identification of prime agricultural lands in the county plans is shown on this map. In total, about 944 square miles of farmland were identified through the county planning process for preservation in agricultural land use. As of 2000, SEWRPC inventories of local zoning ordinances indicate that about 663 square miles, or 70 percent of the total, were subject to exclusive agricultural zoning requiring a minimum farm size of at least 35 acres.

Over the past several decades the State of Wisconsin has taken steps to help county and local governments preserve prime farmland. In 1977 the State created the Wisconsin Farmland Preservation Program. This program provides property tax relief in the form of State income tax credits, with eligibility tied to either exclusive agricultural zoning or long-term preservation agreements. In 1995 legislation was enacted to require assessment of farmland on the basis of its use value and not its value for potential development. More recently, the 2009-2011 State biennial budget included the Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative. This new legislation has three major components: 1) expanding and updating the existing farmland preservation program; 2) establishing large agricultural enterprise areas; and 3) establishing a program to purchase agricultural conservation easements. This initiative will lead to the preparation of updated county level farmland preservation plans beginning in 2010. SEWRPC will work with its counties to update the county plans and strengthen implementation of the agricultural preservation element of the regional land use plan. More information about the Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative can be found here.

The regional land use plan recognizes that some lands, lying outside of planned urban development areas and which do not qualify for prime agricultural land status, may represent areas suitable for truly rural residential development. The regional land use plan defines rural residential development as development at an overall density of no more than one dwelling unit per five acres. While not encouraged, rural residential development can be accommodated in marginal farming areas as well as in upland environmental corridors and isolated natural resource areas that are devoid of steep slopes. Where county and local governments determine to accommodate truly rural residential development, the regional plan encourages the use of conservation subdivision designs appropriate to the particular landscape concerned. The regional land use plan explicitly recommends against what is termed “sub-urban” density residential development. Such development, typically consisting of two-to-three lot sizes, is neither truly urban nor rural in nature and is recommended to be avoided.