stand up for new york farms

Farmland Protection Funding Crisis Intensifies!

New York State’s recently passed budget cut appropriations for farmland protection by 51 percent to $10.75 million. And now it looks like this year’s actual state cash allocation for the Farmland Protection Program may be as little as $5 million.

Confused? That’s easy to understand. Here’s the history.

Since 1996, New York’s Farmland Protection Program has awarded $173 million to protect 303 farms across New York. However, just 59 percent of these farm families have been paid and their farms protected. 

According to a recent report from the Office of the Comptroller on the Environmental Protection Fund, which funds the Farmland Protection Program, delays in the expenditure of money in the fund have resulted in an accumulation of unspent money in the fund that the state has “swept” into the state’s general fund to be used for other purposes. A total of $854 million, or 39 percent, has been swept into the state’s general fund. To date only $347 million of this has been paid back.

As a result of the sweeps there is not currently enough cash available in the Environmental Protection Fund, to make good on the $71.5 million that is owed to farm families for the purchase of development rights on their farms, let alone make new grants to the many farm families who are interested in working with the state to protect their farmland. In 2008 alone $159 million in funding was requested from the state to purchase development rights from a program for which only $22 million was budgeted.

Now, the Governor is suggesting that, for a number of reasons, there is only enough cash available to provide $5 million this year to honor these state commitments from between 1 and 5 years ago. At this rate, it would take 15 years for the state to honor its commitments to these families alone and no new farms could be protected. Should this happen, we estimate that over 1,800 farms would be lost to development here in New York. 

On August 5th, American Farmland Trust brought a group of over 25 farmers, local officials, land trust representatives and others from across the state to Albany to shed light on this funding crisis and its impact on farmers and the state’s farm and food economy as well as consumers who rely on farms to provide nutritious locally grown food for their tables. The group met with Commissioner of Agriculture, Patrick Hooker, and key legislators and shared personal stories of how families were being pushed towards tremendous financial hardship because of the state’s failure to make good on its commitments. We urged everyone we met with to advocate for more money for farmland protection.

Efforts continue to gather information about the critical role the Farmland Protection Program plays in keeping New York’s farmers in the fields working and driving the agricultural economic engine for our state and to advocate for more funding. If you would like to participate in these efforts please email our New York office newyork@farmland.org or call us at (518) 581-0078.

New State Law Makes Land Trusts Eligible to Apply for State Funding

On May 25th, a bill amendment we’ve supported, cutting red tape for farmers participating in the state’s Farmland Protection Program, became law. The new legislation makes land trusts eligible to apply directly for funding to permanently protect working farms from development through purchase of development rights.

The Clark Family is currently in the process of protecting their farmland with the help of the Agricultural Stewardship Association through the New York State Farmland Protection Fund. The Clark Family farm is located in the Town of White Creek, Washington County and the Town of Hoosick, Rensselaer County. The Agricultural Stewardship a non-profit land trust founded in 1990 by local farmers and conservationists to protect land for agriculture and forestry uses in Washington and Rensselaer Counties.  Photo Credit: Clifford Oliver

Until now only municipalities and counties have been eligible to apply for this funding. In 75 percent of these projects, towns and counties have chosen to partner with private, not-for-profit land trusts to complete the projects and ensure that participating farms remain permanently protected.

“This law, that was recently signed by the Governor, will no doubt improve the time and process necessary to complete farmland protection projects,” said Assemblyman William Magee, who is chairman of the Assembly Agriculture Committee and sponsored the bill in the Assembly. “For years I have been actively working towards keeping our farmlands vital in New York State and continuing to develop new ways to protect our farmlands.”

“Farmland preservation protects our open spaces from development, provides revenue for farmers, and keeps our land producing food for New York families,” said Senator Darrel J. Aubertine, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, sponsor of the legislation in the Senate and longtime supporter of American Farmland Trust. “This will expand the opportunities for farmers throughout the state by enabling land trusts to help farmers apply for preservation grants.”

As of 2009, more than $173 million has been awarded by the Farmland Protection Program to protect over 73,000 acres of farmland on more than 300 farms. The program receives its funding from New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund, a dedicated fund for more than 30 programs that protect the state’s air, water and land resources. But more work needs to be done. “We’ve got to complete the roughly 70 projects that have already been committed and make further reforms so that working farms are protected faster,” said American Farmland Trust’s New York State Director David Haight.

Read the Bill: A. 6687 and S. 4476.

Purchase of Development Rights Project Cost Share Bill Becomes Law

A bill American Farmland Trust supported to increase the maximum percentage of state funding for purchase of development rights to farmland was signed into law on July 30th and will take effect immediately. The bill was sponsored by Assemblyman William Magee who represents portions of Madison, Oneida and Otsego counties and serves as Chair of the Agriculture Committee and Senator David Valesky, Senate Agriculture Committee member and strong supporter of farmers and agriculture. Senator Valesky represents parts of Cayuga, Madison, Oneida and Onondaga counties.

The new law will help preserve farmland by increasing the state's cost share for purchase of development rights from 75 percent of the total project cost to a maximum of 87.5 percent when the match is being provided by the farmer protecting his or her land. This smaller match requirement will make it more financially feasible for farmers to protect their land.  American Farmland Trust is pleased that the Governor signed this important bill and will continue to work with his administration to identify ways to provide more resources to farmers for farmland protection.

Read the Bill: A. 6686 and S. 5414.

Farmland Protection Report

According to a report, by the New State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the state’s Farmland Protection Program has successfully helped farmers keep farming in New York and help pass the family farm down to the next generation. The survey found:

• 99% of farmers were generally satisfied with the program;
• Most farmers participate in the program to protect land for farming and future generations.
• More than half of participating farms would have likely been developed without the option of participating in the Farmland Protection Program.

The New York Farmland Protection Study 2009, prepared in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Markets, American Farmland Trust and the USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service, was conducted with roughly 150 farmers and landowners who have participated in the state’s Farmland Protection Program.

Read an article by our Senior Policy and Program Advisor Bob Wagner: "Farmers See Benefits in Protecting their Land."

New York City Calls for Farmland Protection

The report FoodNYC: A Blueprint for a Sustainable Food System, recently released by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, highlights the tremendous importance of farm and food issues to all New Yorkers. Specifically the report calls for a state strategy for farmland and food production; accelerating protection of New York’s farmland; modernizing Hunts Point; strengthening farmers markets, food processing and distribution capacity; and mandating regional procurement of food by city agencies. New Yorkers need a stronger, healthier, economically viable farm and food system.

No Farms No Food Rally Gets a Reaction

Farmers, food advocates, environmentalists and local officials came together in force for the No Farms No Food Rally at the State Capitol in Albany March 15th. Over 140 individual participants, supported by 70 organizations joined forces and met with more than 100 state legislators.

Together, we spoke out for state programs that help protect farms in Long Island, the Hudson Valley, the Finger Lakes and Western New York from becoming subdivisions, these farms feed thousands of state residents in New York City, Buffalo and communities across the state with healthy foods grown in New York, help farmers keep our drinking water clean and sustain tens of thousands of jobs and economic opportunities at farms and food businesses.

Our group included farmers like Tom Hutson, a dairy farmer and former recipient of our Steward of the Land award and leaders from farm organizations such as Julie Suarez from New York Farm Bureau. We had passionate food and community advocates such as Reverend Robert Jackson and Reverend DeVanie Jackson from the Brooklyn Rescue Mission and Michael Hurwitz from New York City's Greenmarkets as well as representatives of land trusts, such as Andy Chmar of the Hudson Highlands Land Trust.

Farm policy newsdesk

Fresh ideas and alliances emerged during our Farmland Policy Summit

The Farmland Policy Summit brought together over 60 representatives from land trusts, local governments and environmental groups. Download materials located in the left column above to learn more. 

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