CULPEPER, Va. — Virginia’s state government watchdog says the commonwealth’s land conservation easement program that offers participants tax breaks needs improvement.

The Culpeper Star-Exponent reports auditors with the Office of the State Inspector General found items like trash, old tires, inoperable vehicles and a manure storage area containing dead-cattle parts on properties with easements it inspected.

Among the watchdog’s recommendations was lowering the financial threshold that triggers a quality review by the state.