Michigan farmer restores his family’s 131 acres and permanently blocks development

John Boyer grew up among the corn, oat and wheat fields that once belonged to his family in East Jordan, Michigan. Decades later, he recovered 131 acres that had fallen outside the family holdings and chose to protect them from development.

In 2026, Boyer sold the land’s future development rights to Little Traverse Conservancy through a conservation easement. He keeps ownership of the property, but the agreement prevents the land from being divided for homes or businesses, even if it later passes to his children or another owner.

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For any farmer, everything is personal. Every piece of land, every rock you pick up, represents countless hours of work.

For Boyer, the decision carries meaning beyond the property’s financial value. He wants the land to remain in agricultural use and to prevent urban growth from moving into a rural area his family has known for generations. “For any farmer, everything is personal,” Boyer said. “Every piece of land, every rock you pick up, represents countless hours of work.”

The easement gives Little Traverse Conservancy control over development rights while allowing Boyer to continue farming the 131 acres. He acted out of concern that the property could eventually be split into smaller parcels and transferred to real estate projects. “All of a sudden, a productive field or agricultural land disappears, and it disappears forever,” Boyer said. “It disappears forever.”

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All of a sudden, a productive field or agricultural land disappears, and it disappears forever. It disappears forever.

The case comes as Michigan farmland faces growing pressure. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited in the report showed that the state had about 9.5 million agricultural acres in 2022, down from roughly 9.8 million in 2017. Farmland owned by producers declined by about 208,000 acres during the same period.

At the same time, land values continued to increase. Michigan farmland reached approximately $6,800 per acre, a 7.8 percent rise from 2024, compared with a 4.3 percent national increase. For owners of large tracts, that creates a choice between preserving production and taking advantage of rising property values. Jon LaPorte, an agricultural business management educator with Michigan State University Extension, said, “It’s about determining what the best option is for each person’s situation. And there is a lot of pressure. There is a lot of money at stake.”

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It’s about determining what the best option is for each person’s situation. And there is a lot of pressure. There is a lot of money at stake.