Columbus, Ohio - A trio of researchers within the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics (AEDE) at Ohio State University—Ani Katchova (Professor and Farm Income Enhancement Chair), Carl Zulauf (Professor Emeritus), and Mujahidul Islam (PhD student)— continue to identify trends on the topic of agricultural land lost to development.
Conversion of agricultural land to developed land is a topic of increasing interest in Ohio. Highlights of the most recent report are:
- Between 2001 and 2021, agricultural land in Ohio has declined by 268,430 acres or 2.04%.
- Development accounted for 48% of the decline in agricultural land.
- Conversion of agricultural to developed land is concentrated in Ohio’s 14 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). They accounted for 78% of all Ohio’s agricultural land lost to development.
- Franklin and Delaware Counties within the Columbus MSA lost the most agricultural land to development during the 21st Century: 13,170 and 9,547 acres, respectively.
- Within the City of Columbus, 19,670 agricultural acres were lost to development within a 3-mile distance from the city boundary. The cities of Toledo and Dayton had the next highest ag-to-development loss inside the 3-mile distance: 1,976 and 1,901 acres, respectively.
The research reveals that Ohio’s decline in agricultural land is consistent with the trends observed across eight other Midwest states, where the average loss due to development is 55%.
This report emphasizes the ongoing challenge of balancing urban growth with farmland preservation. As development continues, policymakers and communities must consider ways to protect Ohio’s agricultural heritage.
“Since the loss of ag land is much higher for MSAs, policies on agricultural land loss may vary between MSA and non-MSA areas. Columbus city deserves special attention to protect ag land as the conversion of ag to developed land is most pronounced,” Katchova said.
For more insights, read the full report and listen to the Ohio Farm Bureau podcast with Dr. Katchova.