New York : Publications and Webinars | American Farmland Trust

New: Draft Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan for Towns of Homer, Preble and Scott

Haybales on farm in Preble, New York

Recognizing the importance of agriculture to the Towns of Homer, Preble and Scott, the leadership in the three towns discussed applying to New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for funding to develop a Joint Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan (AFPP) in 2007. American Farmland Trust was hired in 2009 as a consultant to the three towns for the purpose of developing the AFPP.

A draft of the plan, the result of the Steering Committee and others, is now available and provides an in depth study of the agricultural resources as they currently exist. There are numerous maps, tables and charts contained in the plan. Read more about the planning process and download the draft plan.

Planning for Agriculture in New York: A Toolkit for Towns and Counties

Agriculture is increasingly recognized as a critical element of New York’s economy and a key producer of fresh, healthy foods and renewable energy. Planning for Agriculture in New York: A Toolkit for Towns and Counties [PDF] highlights 80 towns and counties that have taken proactive actions to keep farming viable in their communities and protect farmland. Topics include agricultural economic development, food and public heath, zoning and land use planning, purchase of development rights, public education and more.

Throughout 2011, we will be hosting a webinar series to help individuals and communities. Register today for one of the webinars:

Download the Appendix [PDF], featuring links to additional resources featured in the toolkit.

The print version of the Planning for Agriculture guide is also available for purchase.

Sample agriculture and farmland protection plans and other sample documents are also available from the Farmland Information Center.

New York Landowner Guide

“The updated New York Agricultural Landowner Guide is a valuable land stewardship tool for farmers.” – Lawrence E. Howard, Esq. of Shulman, Howard and McPherson, LLP, funder

American Farmland Trust’s updated 2010 New York Agricultural Landowner Guide [PDF] is an indispensable tool for farmers and rural landowners trying to navigate the sometimes confusing array of public programs available to them. The guide describes over 60 public programs currently available to help farmers reduce property taxes, protect farmland from unplanned development, enhance economic viability, and generate alternative energy.

Owasco Lake Agricultural Conservation Blueprint

Farmers are some of our nation’s greatest environmental stewards. This notion is perhaps better exemplified in New York than anywhere else. The overall goal of the Owasco Lake Agricultural Conservation Blueprint [PDF] is to enable farmers in the Owasco Lake watershed to pro-actively protect water quality while strengthening the region’s agricultural economy. This report outlines 19 recommendations that were identified as being important for enhancing water quality and farm viability in the Owasco Lake watershed.

Watch Our Webinars

Making the Most of Planning for Agriculture This webinar unveils Planning for Agriculture in New York: A Toolkit for Towns and Counties [PDF]. Topics include: agricultural economic development; food and public heath; zoning and land use planning; purchase of development rights; public education and more.
Helping a “New Generation” Succeed in Farming When farmers retire, what happens to a town’s landscape and local businesses? This webinar addresses how towns and counties like yours are attracting new farmers and new families to their communities. This session examined several county programs.
Slicing and Dicing our way to New Jobs and Economic Opportunities This webinar examines how two New York counties supported the development of food processing facilities to help farmers expand their businesses and create jobs and opportunities for residents.
Supporting Agriculture with Zoning This webinar reviews what constitutes “farm friendly” zoning. Watch the video recording of this webinar to see examples used across New York State and hear ideas of what might work in your region.
Putting Agriculture Districts and Right-to-Farm Laws to Work Sign-on to this webinar to develop a better understanding of these planning tools that provide a supportive operating environment for farms. Examples of their use in communities across the state will give context to the use of the tools.
Celebrating Local Agriculture In this exciting webinar, we showcase several communities’ experiences and provide you with examples of how to create your own “celebration” of agriculture.
Getting Ready for the No Farms No Food® Rally When lobbying at the No Farms No Food® Rally at the Capitol in Albany, we want to make sure you can make the most of the day! This webinar will walk you through the logistics of the rally and include tips from our advocacy toolkit on discussing farmland protection with state legislators.