PVCF and Colorado Open Lands (COL) are thrilled to officially announce the conservation of the 72-acre Dixon Station farm in Wellington, CO. The conservation easement on Dixon Station was completed on March 25th and was supported by the Larimer County Natural Resources Department’s Help Preserve Open Space sales tax funds. From COL’s press release:

“A key method to make land affordable for the co-operative is the conservation easement. PVCF has partnered with COL to permanently protect this land for agriculture, which often results in tax benefits for the landowner. In this case, by restricting the Dixon Station property uses to productive agriculture, PVCF will qualify for funding from the Larimer County Help Preserve Open Space tax program as well as receive a tax credit that can be used to put towards future land purchases.

The Larimer County Commissioners and Open Lands Advisory Board saw the community value in protecting this farm and thereby supported this innovative agricultural model with a contribution of $150,000 towards the purchase of the Dixon Station property.

Larimer County is pleased to partner with Colorado Open Lands to complete this conservation easement acquisition that conserves both important agricultural values and a visual backdrop to the west of I-25,” said Daylan Figgs, Director of the Larimer County Natural Resources Department. The Dixon Station farm is just the first property that PVCF has conserved in perpetuity for agriculture. PVCF will continue to grow their cooperative membership and look for opportunities to leverage community-based ownership of farmland. They are hopeful that other communities will follow their lead in increasing local land and food access across the state.”

To read the full press release, click here. Thank you to Colorado Open Lands, The Larimer County Commissioners and Open Lands Advisory Board, and our PVCF members for making this project possible.