Former Farm Bureau President John Lincoln Dies

Sad news for New York state agriculture.

New York Farm Bureau has reported the death of former New York Farm Bureau President John Lincoln.

Lincoln

Lincoln died last week at the age of 80. He served as this organization's leader for 14 years, from 1994-2008. 

During his time as president, Lincoln was successful in helping to secure the adoption of significant property tax savings that were essential for New York farmers. He also had a tremendous impact on funding for agricultural education and applied research, supporting Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences by serving on the CALS Agricultural Advisory Board, and helping to establish the New York Farm Viability Institute. 

He saw Farm Bureau through some major victories for agriculture, including substantial revisions to the agricultural districts and agricultural assessments program in the 1980s, the inception of the farmland protection program, passage of the farmers' school property tax credit in 1996, authorizing interstate shipment of wine, various incentive programs through NYSERDA and the tax code to encourage on-farm production of renewable energy and fighting for specialty crops funding in the federal Farm Bill.

Lincoln also served on the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors.    

In all, Lincoln served for 29 years on the farm bureau board of directors. Prior to becoming president in 1994, he served as the organization's vice president for nine years and for six years as a New York Farm Bureau board member. He also served as the county president for Ontario County Farm Bureau.
Through it all he remained a farmer, operating Linholm Dairy LLC with his wife Anne. The farm has expanded over the years to include his daughter Julie and son Mike, ensuring that the next generation of Lincolns will keep the farm in Bloomfield.