The program buys agricultural easements from interested Ohio farmland owners to preserve the land and prevent future commercial development.

The land remains under private ownership with the easement and is protected forever from private development.

Funding for the easements comes from the 2008 Clean Ohio Fund ballot initiative approved by voters in November. The program will distribute an additional $6.25 million every year for the next four years.

Fairfield County Soil and Water Conservation Resource Specialist Jonathan Febrache said 1,308 acres of farmland are protected by easements and 295 acres are protected through land trusts.

And officials at the Ohio Department of Agriculture want to make sure that number continues to grow.

"The department noticed, particularly in Southeast Ohio, that there hasn't been as many applications coming from that part of the state for the easements," Torres said.

Agriculture Department spokeswoman Kaleigh Frazier said the educational sessions will allow farmland owners to learn firsthand about how to apply for an easement.

"It gives a face to the program and gives them more of an opportunity to learn and participate in the program," Frazier said.

Torres said he thinks the program will be helpful to farmland owners who might be unfamiliar with the easement process.

"The paperwork can be daunting, which makes it a turn-off for some people," Torres said. "The session will help make that process less scary."