Deal reached to protect farmland at Vermont interstate exit

RANDOLPH, Vt. (AP) - A deal has been reached to protect from development 149 acres of prime Vermont farmland just off Interstate 89 in Randolph.

The Conservation Law Foundation says it and three other groups had reached a deal so the land can be sold to local farmers who will maintain it for agricultural use.

The announcement comes after developer Jesse Sammis decided to withdraw his application to develop the land. Sammis had proposed a mix-use development for the land.

The agreement announced Tuesday also includes an option for farmers and conservation interests to purchase an additional 22 acres within the next two months.

Conservation Law Foundation Attorney Sandra Levine calls the agreement a “massive victory for all Vermonters who take pride in our state’s rich farming heritage.”