Press release
The Wyoming County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board, in partnership with the Genesee Valley Conservancy and the Western New York Land Conservancy, will be accepting pre-applications from landowners interested in being considered for NYS Farmland Protection Implementation Grants. This program pays farmers to protect the state’s most productive farmland with permanent conservation easements. The program is completely voluntary, and the land remains in the owners’ hands and can continue to be farmed. However, the land will have permanent restrictions on commercial, residential, and industrial uses.
Interested farmers are invited to attend a Farmland Protection Workshop on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024 from 6:00 to 7:30pm at Wyoming County Agriculture and Business Center, Room LC1 at 36 Center Street in Warsaw. All interested landowners MUST ATTEND this workshop prior to submitting an application. Registration is required: https://wyoming-co-farmland-protection.eventbrite.com.
This program, which is funded by the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets, reimburses farmers up to 87.5% of the value of the development rights on their land. Two land trusts serve Wyoming County and can submit applications for this grant funding. All farmers wishing to apply to the program must complete a pre-application with their respective land trust. Pre-applications will be evaluated by the land trust and will consider the amount of development pressure, quality of soils to be protected, and farm viability. The highest scoring pre-applications will be invited to have full applications submitted to the program. These pre-applications may also be used to help eligible farms access other farmland protection programs.
For more information on the New York State Farmland Protection program, visit: https://www.agriculture.ny.gov/AP/agservices/farmprotect.html
Western New York Land Conservancy is a regional, non-profit land trust that has protected 7,500 acres of land with significant conservation value in our region. We envision a future in which forests, farms, meadows, and waterways are connected, cherished, and protected in Western New York. We are accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. To learn more about our mission and vision, and to read our land acknowledgement, visit wnylc.org.
Genesee Valley Conservancy is a nationally accredited non-profit conservation organization working to protect the habitat, open space and farmland in the Genesee River watershed. Over 32,500 acres of natural habitat and productive farm and forest land have been conserved by Genesee Valley Conservancy with private landowners. The organization also owns nature preserves open to the public year-round for recreation and education. For more information visit www.geneseevalleyconservancy.org