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Gov. Bob Taft announced $2.7 million to preserve nine Ohio farms, keeping more than 1,628 acres in agricultural production forever. These funds are part of $6.25 million in Clean Ohio funds to be distributed this year to preserve farmland.

"Farmland is the most basic ingredient to maintaining our state's agricultural base. Not only is agriculture a part of our state's proud heritage, it is also an economic powerhouse that provides us with jobs and basic essentials, such as food, fuel and clothing," Taft said. He said the Clean Ohio Fund will help keep agriculture a viable industry for years to come.

Of the nine farms approved for funding, all are Farm Bureau members:

Larry and Marna Barto, Seneca; Lonnie and Barbara Barclay, Clark; Dull Homestead, Montgomery; William M. Frankart, Seneca; Gilbert L. Locke, Clark; Timothy and Heidi Norris, Knox; and Fred and Margie Shininger, Fulton. Blake and Christine Rafeld, Ashland.

The farms are the second group of an anticipated 24 farms that will be preserved. The first six farms totaling 1,857 acres were announced in January and were funded by Clean Ohio funds and $1.6 million from the Federal Farmland Protection Program. The remaining farms are anticipated to receive funding by mid-summer.

Under the state's program, by voluntarily selling an agricultural easement to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the farmer can be paid the difference in price between the agricultural value and the development value and be assured the land will never be developed for any purposes except agricultural.

The farms were selected after an extensive review of 442 applicants from 49 counties offering 63,193 acres for protection under the program's first funding round. The review, conducted by the 13-member Farmland Preservation Advisory Board, used criteria prescribed by the Ohio General Assembly and adopted in administrative rules. Top-ranked farms underwent independent appraisals before the state made offers to owners. Owners then had the opportunity to accept or reject the state's offer before the state sought Controlling Board approval.