(Southern Tier, NY) – Today, Senator Lea Webb announced that $122,770 is being awarded to Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District through the Climate Resilient Farming (CRF) Grant Program through county Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs). Funding for the program was included in the NYS FY 2026 Enacted Budget as part of the Environmental Protection Fund and will help New York’s farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect water quality, enhance soil health, and increase on-farm resiliency to the effects of a changing climate. 

“Programs like Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District are essential to our communities. This funding will directly support two of our local farms and help strengthen their infrastructure, expand their capabilities, and protect the environment through increased carbon capture,” said Senator Lea Webb. “The State’s $122,770 investment is going to make real improvements for our farmers and will enhance the quality of life for their animals.” 

Said Callan Space, Chair of Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Board of Directors, “As we all collect ourselves and recover from over 2” of rain in less than 12 hours across Tompkins County on the first day of April 2026, we are reminded of how critical conservation practices are on the landscape. These critical conservation practices need to work in harmony with productive agriculture to feed our growing population. Soil and water resources are the lifeblood of the County and their protection is essential. The NYS Climate Resilient Farming Program provides opportunities to farms that are vital to meeting these agricultural & conservation needs. We are so delighted to be able to help fund and journey along with 2 more farms in our County through their process of upgrading their rotational grazing and silvopasture systems. These systems help keep livestock out of sensitive waterway areas and limit the stress to the soil from animal traffic/grazing, erosion, and heat through tree planting and highly managed animal pasturing.” 

This state funding was awarded to Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District to support two rotationally grazed livestock farms in expanding grazing acreage and integrating agroforestry by planting trees directly into existing pastureland. This project will enhance climate resilience and pasture performance by providing shade and shelter for livestock and forage, improving soil water-holding capacity and water quality, reducing erosion, and strengthening nutrient cycling. By adding trees that can also produce timber, fruit, nuts, or fodder, the farms will increase on-farm benefits while boosting carbon sequestration and mitigating GHG emissions, and the sites will serve as future demonstration opportunities for education and pasture walks. The farms involved in this project are new participants to the CRF Program. This project is estimated to reduce greenhouse gases by 32 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

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