SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                     1731

attempt to preserve a portion of a state's agricultural lands and that
commissions have been appointed in other states to determine the best
means of protecting agricultural land, and

Whereas, the Council requested the advice of the Dean of Agricul-
ture of the University of Maryland who has reported that the factual
situation with respect to agriculture in Maryland is as follows:

During the period from 1959 to 1964, in Maryland, over 50,000
acres of land were removed from farms, EACH YEAR.

However, in 1964, 50% of the land in the State was in farms.

The loss of land from farms over the period 1959 to 1964 is about
1½% annually.

Crop lands in the State which are harvested represent about 45%
of the total land in farms, and the decrease in harvested lands over
this same period is about ½% annually.

Despite the drought of 1965 and 1966, the State had in these years
two of the highest cash receipts from farm marketings.

The Dean believes that despite the steady loss of land from farms,
the total productivity of agriculture is not diminishing, but he feels
that a study of future uses is necessary if the State is to preserve for
agricultural use the best lands for such use and that such a study is
necessary in view of the incomplete approach or approaches being
offered for the problem. He further feels that without identification
and preservation of the best agricultural lands, the present high rate
of agricultural productivity will soon decline, and

Whereas, the United States Government has recognized the im-
portance of a study of the problems in this area, the President has
established a special study group to review problems of taxation,
zoning and effect of codes on the Nation's Lands. This federal com-
mittee could be expected to provide assistance and guidance to a
State study commission, and

Whereas, for the aforegoing reasons it is desirable that a commis-
sion be appointed; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the Governor
of Maryland is requested to appoint a commission of persons,
INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN AGRICULTURAL BACK-
GROUND, to propose a long term plan for the preservation of the
highly productive agricultural lands in Maryland, to develop guide
lines for the use of the remaining agricultural lands in the State in
order to meet the future needs of our society, and to consider the
relationship of agricultural lands in its various uses to established
taxing and assessing procedures, and be it further

Resolved, that the Commission is requested to coordinate its work
with the federal commission and the following State agencies are
requested to cooperate with the commission in its study:

State Planning Department, Economic Development Department,
Department of Assessments and Taxation, State Health Department,
Board of Natural Resources, together with any other State agencies
or persons who may be able to assist the commission, and be it further