Prime farmland list for Barnstable County, Massachusetts
For an explanation of prime farmland click here for the criteria
NOTE: Only the soils considered prime farmland are listed. Urban or built-up areas of the soils listed are not considered prime farmland.
| Map Unit | Map unit name | Total Acres |
| AmA | AMOSTOWN SANDY LOAM, 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES | 285 |
| BaB | BARNSTABLE SANDY LOAM, 3 TO 8 PERCENT SLOPES | 468 |
| BlB | BELGRADE SILT LOAM, 3 TO 8 PERCENT SLOPES | 628 |
| BoA | BOXFORD SILT LOAM, 0 TO 3 PERCENT SLOPES | 98 |
| BoB | BOXFORD SILT LOAM, 3 TO 8 PERCENT SLOPES | 588 |
| EnA | ENFIELD SILT LOAM, 0 TO 3 PERCENT SLOPES | 8474 |
| EnB | ENFIELD SILT LOAM, 3 TO 8 PERCENT SLOPES* | 3519 |
| HnA | HINESBURG SANDY LOAM, 0 TO 3 PERCENT SLOPES | 233 |
| HnB | HINESBURG SANDY LOAM, 3 TO 8 PERCENT SLOPES | 286 |
| MeA | MERRIMAC SANDY LOAM, 0 TO 3 PERCENT SLOPES | 6012 |
| MeB | MERRIMAC SANDY LOAM, 3 TO 8 PERCENT SLOPES | 4424 |
| NaB | NANTUCKET SANDY LOAM, 3 TO 8 PERCENT SLOPES | 885 |
| SdA | SUDBURY FINE SANDY LOAM, 0 TO 3 PERCENT SLOPES | 121 |
| TOTAL | 26,021 acres |
* this map unit is not listed in the published soil survey, it was an errata. Please contact the County NRCS office for more information.
Prime Farmland
Prime farmland is one of several kinds of important farmland defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is of major importance in providing the Nation's short- and long-range needs for food and fiber. Because the supply of high quality farmland is limited, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes that responsible levels of government, as well as individuals, should encourage and facilitate the wise use of our Nation's prime farmland. Prime farmland, as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is the land that is best suited to food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops. It may be cultivated land, pasture, woodland, or other land, but it is not urban and built-up land or water areas. It either is used for food or fiber crops or is available for those crops. The soil qualities, growing season, and moisture supply are those needed for a well managed soil to produce a sustained high yield of crops in an economic manner. Prime farmland produces the highest yields with minimal inputs of energy and economic resources, and farming it results in the least damage to the environment. Prime farmland has an adequate and dependable supply of moisture from precipitation or irrigation. The temperature and growing season are favorable. The level of acidity or alkalinity is acceptable. Prime farmland has few or no rocks and is permeable to water and air. It is not excessively erodible or saturated with water for long periods and is not frequently flooded during the growing season. The slope ranges mainly from 0 to 6 percent. More detailed information about the criteria for prime farmland is available at the local office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The survey area has about 22,234 acres of prime farmland. That acreage makes up about 8.7 percent of the total acreage in the survey area and is mainly in the western part of Barnstable County.
The Map units that are considered prime farmland in the survey area are listed above. This does not constitute a recommendation for a particular land use. The location of each map unit listed above is shown on the detailed soil maps of the "Soil Survey of Barnstable County". The soil properties and characteristics that affect use and management of the map units are described in the map unit descriptions (see map unit links on main page).
