Senator Gallivan Says State Grants Will Help Preserve Valuable Farmland

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma) says grants have been awarded to two Erie County farms to help protect property through the State’s Farmland Protection Implementation Grant program.  The local farms are among six across the state that will receive a total of $4.9 million in grants to help maintain the land for agricultural purposes and protect it from development. 

“Farming is vital to our local and statewide economy,” Gallivan said.  “By protecting these lands, we are ensuring that agriculture remains New York’s number one industry.  We are also investing in future generations by making sure that farmers have the natural resources needed to produce food and products that New York families depend on.”

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Farmland Protection program, which is part of New York State's Environmental Protection Fund.  Two Erie County projects received a total of $700,000.

• The WNY Land Conservancy will use $251,388 to permanently protect D&J Brawdy Farms, a 149 acre cash crop-vegetable operation located in Eden.  The farm supplies 15% of all Eden Valley Growers produce and is the exclusive source of grape tomatoes to a local wholesaler who supplies most local grocers and restaurants.  The farm is along Eighteen Mile Creek, a trout stream designated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  
• The WNY Land Conservancy will use $448,634 to permanently protect Triple Oaks Farms, w 312 acre dairy operation located in Eden.  The 150-cow operation has been recognized annually since 2000 by the Empire State Milk Quality Council with the Super Milk Award.  It is one of only 47 farms statewide to achieve this success. 

Senator Gallivan says another $10.1 million has been awarded to nine projects  in the Finger Lakes Region to help protect 5,500 acres of property through the State’s Farmland Protection Implementation Grant program.  Recipients include at risk farmland in the towns of Leicester, Avon, Groveland and Perry which will receive more than $6.2 million in grants to help maintain the land for agricultural purposes and protect it from development. 

Grant Recipients include:

• Genesee Valley Conservancy, Town of Leicester - $1,970,195
  This land trust will permanently protect properties operated as Christiano Farms. This 709-acre portion of the farm is an alfalfa operation that then processes its high quality alfalfa into a pelletized feed for distribution throughout the Northeast and Canada. These Livingston County properties contain 93% prime soils and 1% statewide important soils. 
• Genesee Valley Conservancy, Town of Groveland - $1,977,545
  This land trust will permanently protect Edgewood Farms, a 1,488-acre cash crop-grains operation, including two specialty crops: distiller grains sold to a local distillery and black turtle beans sold to the New York State prison system for its use in soup. Located in Livingston County, Edgewood Farms contain 26% prime and 52% statewide important soils. The landowners are contributing 12.5% of total project costs. 
• Genesee Valley Conservancy, Towns of Leicester and Perry - $1,988,110
  This land trust will permanently protect Old Acres Farm, a 1,294-acre dairy operation located in Livingston and Wyoming Counties. Old Acres Farm contains 39% prime and 27% statewide important soils. The farm is the first in New York to install a system that recycles its manure into bedding for its cows; doing so has eliminated the need for the farm to purchase any materials such as sand or sawdust for bedding. The landowners are contributing 12.5% of total project costs. 
• Genesee Valley Conservancy, Town of Avon - $339,715
  This land trust will permanently protect the Marshall Farm, a 171-acre cash crop-grains operation located in Livingston County. Marshall Farm contains 89% prime soils. This project will help enable an eventual transfer of the farm to a lifelong neighbor and his son, each of whom now work on the farm.  The landowner is contributing 12.5% of total project costs.

Grants were also awarded to properties in the towns of Canandaigua, Rush, Manchester and Walworth and to farms in Central New York and North Country.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets administers the Farmland Protection Implementation Grant program. Municipalities, counties, soil and water conservation districts and not-for-profit conservation organizations, or land trusts, were eligible to apply for individual grants under the Round 14 Farmland Protection Implementation Grants competitive Request for Proposals. Farms protected under the program remain taxable.

Since 1996, New York has awarded nearly $238 million for farmland protection projects, assisting local partners in 30 counties. To date, 236 projects have closed, protecting in perpetuity, more than 59,800 acres of farmland.