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Agricultural Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) Fact Sheet

Introduction

The Agricultural Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) system helps decisionmakers determine the quality of land for agricultural uses and assess sites or land areas for their agricultural economic potential. The LESA system was developed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and can be used by state and local planners, landholders, developers, and government officials to make land use decisions.

The LESA system can help units of government meet two overall objectives:

  1. Facilitate identification and protection of important agricultural land.
  2. Assist in implementing farmland protection policies.

Land Evaluation

The land evaluation component of LESA is used to rate soils based on their suitability for a specific agricultural use, such as cropland, forest land, or rangeland. The soils are grouped and a relative value is determined for each group. For example, the best group may be assigned a value of 100, while all other groups are assigned lower values. The land evaluation is based on data from the National Cooperative Soil Survey, which is the largest and most valuable natural resource database in the world.

Site Assessment

The site assessment component of LESA involves three major areas: non-soil factors related to agricultural use of a site, factors related to development pressures, and factors related to other public values of a site. Each factor selected is assigned a range of possible values according to local needs and objectives. This process provides a rational, consistent, sound basis for making land use decisions.

LESA System Design

When a LESA system is applied, the land evaluation rating is combined with the site assessment rating to determine the total rating of a specific site. The higher the total value of a site, the more likely the site is suited for long term agricultural production.

LESA systems provide a framework where land evaluation and site assessment procedures are documented before individual sites are considered. This process allows different individuals to evaluate sites consistently, minimizing bias.

LESA systems are based on existing knowledge, but should be flexible enough to accommodate differences within states, counties, or areas. A LESA system can be developed at various levels of government-state, county, or township-or for an area such as a USDA-designated major land resource area (MLRA). LESA utilizes soil survey information and interpretations that are widely available throughout the United States, and planning concepts and principles that are regularly used by community planners.

LESA systems do not take away the power of local or state officials to make land use decisions, but help them make sound land use decisions. LESA systems include local values and objectives identified by a local work group or committee that helps develop the system. For this reason, a LESA system should be developed at the governmental level where it will be used-state, county, township, or town.

Finally, LESA systems need to be defensible. Planners and others need a reliable system to evaluate land and to determine under what conditions agricultural land should or should not be converted to nonagricultural uses. Soil survey information provides technically sound data for the land evaluation part of LESA. Thorough documentation of the site assessment part of LESA is essential. Involving a local work group in the development phase also lends credibility to the system.

Uses of LESA

LESA can provide information to:

  • Identify important farmland.
  • Implement national, state, and local farmland protection policies.
  • Prepare and update comprehensive land use plans.
  • Guide the appropriate use of state, local, or Federal funds.
  • Serve as a consistent basis for taxes on agricultural land.
  • Implement a program to purchase or transfer development rights.
  • Prepare environmental impact statements as they relate to agricultural land.
  • Plan water and natural resource projects.
  • Plan sewage, water, and transportation systems.
  • Determine the minimum size of farm units to be included in agricultural districts.

Getting Started

State or local officials-planners, conservation district officers, other elected officials, and agency leaders-who want to develop a LESA system should request assistance from NRCS through conservation districts or other appropriate units of government. The requesting official should outline the specific objectives for a system and keep appropriate decisionmakers informed. Local officials should take the lead for determining the site assessment factors and testing the system.

NRCS will work with the state or local governing body or its designee. Specifically, NRCS will help the local work group adequately consider the soil and related resources in developing a LESA system.

Local Committee or Work Group

In most cases, one or more committees or work groups should be organized to assist and guide the development of a LESA system. In areas where an agricultural land protection committee already exists, no new committee should be needed.

For More Information

NRCS or the local conservation district can provide more information. Local USDA Service Centers are listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of Agriculture. Information also is available on the Web at the Land Evaluation and Site Assessment page.

The above information is also available in a printer-friendly version. This document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Agricultural Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) (PDF; 120 KB)

Last Modified: 11/16/2005