Thursday, October 20, 2016

Mid-Hudson Region Gets $2.5 M for Farmland Protection

From Gov. Cuomo's office:

About $2.5 million has been awarded to five projects in the Mid-Hudson Valley through New York state's Farmland Protection Implementation Grant program to help farmers protect more than 700 acres of valuable and at-risk farmland. 

The funding, which was announced during the Governor's Mid-Hudson Regional Sustainable Development and Collaborative Governance Conference, supports ability of farms to maintain the land for agricultural purposes and protect it from development through the use of perpetual conservation easements.
 
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Farmland Protection program and New York state has committed historic funding levels to farmland preservation. Since 2011, the state has invested nearly $40.9 million for 58 projects statewide.
 
"New York's hard-working farmers are essential to our economy, employing thousands across the state and growing produce that is second to none," said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “With this funding, we continue to invest in the next generation of farmers in the Mid-Hudson Valley and help to ensure a sustainable future for the entire industry."
 
The Farmland Protection Implementation Grant program is part of New York state's Environmental Protection Fund, which New York State’s 2016 Budget more than doubled, raising the funding level to $300 million. 

Funding for the program increased by $5 million this year. It also built on last year's historic investment in farmland protection, including the $20 million Hudson Valley Agricultural Enhancement Program.

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