Jordan Farms in Lompoc put under agricultural conservation easement

Santa Barbara County has a long tradition of agriculture, and some groups want to keep it that way. 

The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County and The Trust for Public Land (TPL) came to an agreement with Jordan Farms owner Steve Jordan to preserve the 780-acre farm near Vandenberg Air Force Base. The announcement was made on Nov. 18. 

The property, located at 4305 W. Central Ave., in Lompoc, was placed under an agricultural conservation easement, which permanently protects it as farmland and prevents any future residential development. 

click to enlarge Jordan Farms in Lompoc put under agricultural conservation easement
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LAND TRUST FOR SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
PUBLIC LAND: The 780-acre Jordan Farm near Lompoc was put into a conservation easement, preventing any future residential development on the land.

Funding for the easement came in the form of a $1.5 million pair of federal grants from the—get ready for it—U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and the Pentagon’s Readiness and Environmental Integration (REPI) program, which protects land near military bases. 

According to Alex Size, a project manager with the TPL, an easement is basically a legal document that allows the holder to restrict certain activities on the property and—at its very basic level—must have a conservation purpose. 

There are many types of easements, he said, including ones to preserve wildlife habitat. Jordan’s main concern was that he wanted his farm to always remain a farm, Size said. 

Jordan Farms is known for growing Brussels sprouts, artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, and lettuce, and is considered a heavy producer, supplying restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers’ markets with its produce, Size said. 

The TPL, which has been around since 1972 and has preserved approximately 3.3 million acres nationwide, maintains other projects in Santa Barbara County. 

In 2007, the organization purchased a 725-acre easement on the Midland School property across the street from Neverland Ranch, according to Size, adding that they also preserved what is known as the Wilcox Ranch at Hendry’s Beach. 

Size said TPL’s goal is to connect people with land, and this project connects people with agriculture. He added that anyone can put their land into a conservation easement.

“We hope that other people in the Lompoc Valley and Santa Maria area and elsewhere are interested in following in the footsteps of the Jordan family,” Size told the Sun

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