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$500,000 available to help protect farmland in North Country and throughout state

Posted 1/4/14

Farmland protection efforts in the North Country and across New York State can benefit from $500,000 available from the state for such programs. Municipalities can apply for grants of up to $15,000 …

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$500,000 available to help protect farmland in North Country and throughout state

Posted

Farmland protection efforts in the North Country and across New York State can benefit from $500,000 available from the state for such programs.

Municipalities can apply for grants of up to $15,000 to amend local laws to better protect farmland from being converted to non-agricultural use, according to an announcement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

Funding is available through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

“Agriculture is an essential part of this state’s economy, feeding millions of families and providing a way of life for generations of New Yorkers,” Governor Cuomo said. “This new funding safeguards New York’s agricultural industry by enabling local governments to pursue smart-growth strategies that protect farmland from future development. I encourage all communities with farmland areas to apply for this grant opportunity to strengthen rural economies and support farmers across the state.”

This Request for Applications is a non-competitive grant opportunity exclusively for municipalities to either amend local laws to remove unreasonable restrictions on farm operations and agricultural land, or establish implementation-ready Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) programs to protect farmland from conversion to non-farm use.

Application materials and important webinar information for the Round 13 Farmland Protection Implementation Grants Request for Applications are available for download on the Department of Agriculture and Markets website at www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html.

Application materials are also available by calling the department directly at 1-800-554-4501.