New York State is investing over $6 million to protect 2,000 acres of farmland through the Farmland Protection Implementation Grants Program. Governor Kathy Hochul emphasizes the importance of safeguarding farmland for environmental preservation and the longevity of the agricultural industry. The state has lost 253,500 acres of agricultural land to development from 2001 to 2016, with growing pressure to convert farmland into solar farms.
Mikaela Perry, American Farmland Trust policy manager, notes that farmland protection is crucial in the fight against climate change. Preserved farms enable the implementation of climate-smart practices that benefit New Yorkers with local, fresh food, healthy soil, and clean air and water.
In its 19th funding round, the program expands eligibility criteria to include field crops, livestock, and livestock products, aiming to assist new, beginning farmers, and those retiring from farming. This grant program enables counties, land trusts, and soil and water conservation districts to purchase development rights to farms, ensuring they remain in agricultural production. It also funds other protective measures, such as local law amendments and agricultural conservation easements.
New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher highlights the importance of preserving farmland as once lost, it seldom returns to production, impacting the state's food supply. Eight projects have received funding, protecting 2,014 acres of farmland, with applications accepted until all funds are allocated.
Natasha Sutherland, a third-generation dairy farmer and herd manager at Stein Farms, expresses excitement about the awarded funds, which will help secure the farm's future and allow investments in infrastructure for generations to come.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball emphasizes that farmers working to conserve farmland for future generations play a vital role in providing food for New Yorkers' tables. Farmland is a precious natural resource that must be preserved, as it not only protects the land and rich soil but also supports ongoing farm operations.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-sizsus
Categories: New York, Crops, Government & Policy, Livestock