Farmland Classification 2019, November 2020

East-West Gateway’s December 2020 Map of the Month depicts the farmland classifications as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Farmland classification identifies prime farmland, farmland of statewide importance, farmland of local importance, or unique farmland. It identifies the location and extent of the soils that are best suited to food, feed, fiber, forage, and oilseed crops. Approximately 37% of the East-West Gateway region has soils that are determined to be prime farmland or farmland of statewide importance, covering approximately 1,702 square miles. Franklin County contains the largest amount of land with soils in these categories, with approximately 405 square miles. For more information on this, and other related datasets, please visit East-West Gateway’s Ecological Approach to Infrastructure Development page: www.ewgateway.org/eco