FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PCC Farmland Fund changes name to PCC Farmland Trust
Plans to align with land trusts and address growing market for organic agriculture.
Seattle, Wash. (August 19, 2005) — The PCC Farmland Fund is pleased to announce that we have changed our name to the PCC Farmland Trust. As a land trust, this name change accurately reflects our ongoing mission to save organic farmland and provides important alliance with all land trusts nationwide who are battling to preserve land conservation efforts.
Last year, land conservations nationwide were attacked by the IRS and the Joint Committee on Taxation who proposed that all landowners making land donations to land trusts should receive a maximum deduction of 33% of the current land value. In addition, any landowner who resides on his donated land won’t receive any tax deduction.
These proposals will obliterate the policies currently in place that have allowed successful land preservation for over three decades. All land trusts rely on the generous donations of lands that are then protected by development in perpetuity. Lands acquired by land trusts include open spaces, parks and recreation, and agricultural lands.
The PCC Farmland Trust, founded in 1999 by PCC Natural Markets, is a community-supported land trust that works to preserve organic farmland in Washington State. The Trust has saved three farms all in organic production and extends its protection to include biodiversity and wildlife, farmers and farming communities. The Trust saves farmland through outright purchases, donated easements and bequests. The land is then leased to farmers who farm it according to certified organic requirements.