MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) – A Pownal farmer and a North Bennington conservationist want the Legislature continue to support land conservation efforts.

Keith Armstrong of Pownal and Matthew Paterso, a North Bennington trustee, spoke before House committees as part of a lobbying push by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.

Their message was that land conservation is vital to the future of farming and recreation in the state.

“It seemed well received,” Paterson said of his testimony before the House Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources Committee.

He said he spent his time emphasizing the need to maintain property transfer tax funds that are given to the VHCB to fund land preservation and affordable housing.

“I think the best we can hope for in this budget crisis year is level funding,” he said after his testimony. “There’s also a tremendous amount of pressure on productive farmland.”

And productive farmland is what Armstrong is farming on at two sites in Pownal.

“Everyone would agree that you’ve got to save these prime lands,” said Rep. John Malcom, D-Rupert/Pawlet. Malcom sits on the House Agriculture Committee, where Armstrong testified. “We’re trying to make sure the agriculture agency has the budget it needs to do the job.”