The Pacific Northwest stands to lose more than half a million acres of farmland to urban sprawl by 2040 unless cities make smarter development choices, according to a new report by the American Farmland Trust.
The findings are part of a multi-year effort to come up with solutions for preserving farmland nationwide.Across the Northwest, as many as 527,185 acres of additional farmland may be lost to urban and low-density residential development by 2040 — particularly around rapidly growing metro areas around the Puget Sound, Portland, Spokane and Boise.
Washington would be the hardest-hit state, losing 238,614 acres of farmland under the worst-case scenario. That is an area roughly 4 1/2 times the size of Seattle. Oregon would lose up to 142,267 acres of farmland, while Idaho would lose up to 146,304 acres.