The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has awarded more than $2 million in grants to protect farmland around the state, with Van Buren County included among the recipients.

The department this week announced the funding through the Agricultural Preservation Fund, which helps local governments purchase development rights and permanently preserve farmland. In total, about 744 acres across seven communities will be protected.

Van Buren County will receive $312,600 as part of the latest round of grants, one of several awards announced statewide, but the only in Southwest Michigan.

Under the farmland preservation program, grant funding can cover up to 75% of the cost of purchasing development rights, with local governments and landowners contributing the rest. Once secured, those conservation easements ensure the land remains dedicated to agriculture for current and future owners.

MDARD Director Tim Boring says the program is designed to prevent farmland from being converted to other uses while supporting Michigan’s agricultural economy.