 USDA prime farmland designation helps growth management and resource conservation efforts in urban growth areas to use zoning and conservation easements in order to preserve prime farmland resources, maintain local economic diversity, and establish green belts.Nonprofit organizations like American Farmland Trust specialize in helping communities use these techniques.Other designations used by USDA to complement Prime Farmland are "Farmland of statewide importance", "Farmland of local importance", and "Unique farmland".