EMSWCD has put a farm property currently in its ownership up for sale. The listing for the property can be found here. All interested parties should direct inquiries to EMSWCD’s broker, Chris Kelly of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices NW Real Estate at (503) 666-4616.
EMSWCD acquired the property in 2018, when it was listed for sale. At the time EMSWCD was concerned that a sale could result in the local farming community losing access to one of the more productive farms within our District. To help prevent this outcome, EMSWCD and the farmer/owner entered into a partnership whereby EMSWCD purchased the property to ensure it would remain forever available for agriculture. At the same time, the farmer also granted EMSWCD an option to permanently protect other property in their ownership.
EMSWCD evaluated several options for future use of the property. We determined that a resale of the property would meet the greatest number of objectives in the most cost-effective manner. This approach is also consistent with our practice of returning properties it owns to private ownership, unless continued ownership by EMSWCD would create valuable opportunities to advance our mission.
EMSWCD will be selling the property subject to a perpetual working farmland easement. This legal instrument will ensure the farm remains in active agriculture, remains available to future generations of farmers, and is managed in such a way that the productive agricultural soils are utilized to their full, sustainable capacity. The sale proceeds will be used by EMSWCD to protect additional working farm properties, to help ensure farmers continue to have access to farmland in our district.