The national Historic Barn Preservation Act of 2001 senate bill 1604 You can goto thomas .gov if you want to read it . This does every thing we need to get money for those who want to have there barn restored but it has never been funded properly not enough political pressure. I know that I have been doing everything to save old barns see my web page www.oldhousesinme.com I do refuse to take down Maine Barns and send them to some were else for a condo .I do my best to save them thats my deal. My customers unlike some celebrity from Calf. are short of money these Barns are disappearing we only have so long to save them. The only thing that will allow this to happen is for good people to stand by and do nothing please contact those in Washington and ask then to fund this bill.
Bob

Thanks for the rallying cry.
Do you have a more specific link than just thomas.gov?


After some poking around, I discovered this:



The Farm Security Act of 2001 (PL 107-171), signed into law on May 13, 2002, contained the Historic Barn Preservation Program designed to preserve and restore America's unique and rapidly disappearing landscape of historic agricultural buildings. The Act authorizes "such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for fiscal years 2002 through 2007." Although twenty Senators signed a letter to support an initial $5 million appropriation in FY '03 it was not included in the omnibus plan passed earlier this year.

Some of the specifics of the Barn Preservation Program include:

1. A five year (FY 2002 to FY 2007) authorization to support grants and barn preservation programs.

2. Programs would be administered by the Agriculture Department's Undersecretary for Rural Development. States and non-profits can apply for grants.

3. Funds can be used to survey historic barns or to create educational programs relating to their history, construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, and contribution to society.

4. Grants are also available for rehabilitation, repair, fire protection, vandalism prevention, research and identification.

5. Eligible barns must be at least 50 years old, retain sufficient integrity, and meet criteria for listing on national, state or local registers or inventories.
The National Barn Alliance calls for the following action strategy:

Ask your Senator or Representative to support funding the historic barn preservation program created as part of the final Farm Security Act of 2001 (PL 107-171). Both the House and Senate declined to include funding for the program in their FY03 spending bill despite language in the Act that authorizes "such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for fiscal years 2002 through 2007."

if you go to thomas.gov search by bill # it is semate bill 1604
the budget funding of this bill is what never has been done we in maine have barns that were built in the 1700 and if the qualified under the old funding the nost they could get is a matching $5000
I think they did ten barns project that would have gone any way
The dept of agroculture doesnt know nuch aboutit around here if it is not funded it is just a bunch of good intentions.
Bob

Over here in Vermont, our own Division of Historic Preservation started a barn census program last fall to find out what we have and what shape it's in. Anyone can volunteer for the project. It's a great way to make contact with the owners of barns in your neighborhood, survey and educate at the same time. You can also pass out a business card or two..

http://www.uvm.edu/~barn/about.html