Officials have announced a new initiative to place 40 acres of farmland in northern Macomb County under a conservation easement, keeping it designated for farming or green space. The land, managed by Ken and Nancy Kulman, produces corn, soybeans, and cattle, and has been in the Kulman family since the 1930s, when Ken’s grandfather, John Kulman, first acquired the property. According to Macomb County, Ken Kulman said the land is part of the original 260 acres purchased by his grandfather.
The conservation easement was established through a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) agreement facilitated by the Macomb County Agricultural Purchase of Development Rights Committee and funded by a Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Agricultural Preservation Grant. The agreement allows landowners like the Kulmans to preserve their farmland while receiving fair market value for the development rights they would otherwise sell, and it permanently designates the land for agricultural use. Ken Kulman told Macomb County’s planning and economic development news that the easement helps preserve land passed down through the family for future farmers.
The committee overseeing this land preservation initiative has previously secured hundreds of acres of farmland through the PDR agreement process, consistent with its original objectives. During the signing ceremony, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel highlighted the initiative’s role in protecting agricultural resources, saying the effort reflects the county’s commitment to its agricultural heritage.
The PDR program provides financial benefits for farmers by offering compensation equivalent to the value of development rights they might otherwise sell, allowing the land to remain in agricultural use while supporting local farmers economically. Farmers in Macomb County interested in the PDR program can obtain more information or applications through the clerk’s offices of participating communities, including Bruce Township, Armada Township, Richmond Township, Washington Township, Ray Township, and Lenox Township, or by consulting the Macomb County website.
