LANSING, MI (WOWO) Michigan has lost more than 6,600 farms over the past 13 years, with the largest losses in west Michigan, according to research from the Farmland Information Center. Rising land prices driven by housing, solar projects, and data center development have made it financially difficul t for farmers to maintain ownership. Carl Druskovich, a 61-year-old seventh-generation fruit farmer in Decatur, still works full-time as a dentist to keep his 400-acre farm operational. Druskovich says he wants to preserve the land so his godson can continue farming in the future. “I would like to go to the grave, after putting my life into this, knowing it’ll be used for farming,” he said. Credit: MLive. State lawmakers have allocated $1.9 million this year for local governments to purchase development rights, but the program’s funding is far below market values. Delaware, by contrast, has preserved nearly a third of its farmland by investing significantly more over decades. Michigan currently ranks 22nd among 29 states in per-farm spending for permanent farmland preservation. West Michigan, home to specialty crops including apples, blueberries, and peaches, is particularly affected. Ottawa and Van Buren counties alone lost more than 85,000 acres of farmland from 2012 to 2022. County preservation boards are seeking additional state funding and using zoning strategies to protect farmland, but experts say broader financial incentives are necessary to keep agriculture viable. Michigan’s agriculture industry contributes $126 billion annually to the state economy. Specialists warn that without sufficient support, the trend of selling farmland to developers will continue, threatening both local food security and the economic health of rural communities. The post Michigan Farmland Loss Reaches 6,600 Farms in 13 Years appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less