Federal Funds to Enable Major Farmland Preservation Effort

Partnership will protect 700 acres on 10 farms in Dutchess, Columbia counties

HUDSON VALLEY—USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Scenic Hudson, Dutchess Land Conservancy (DLC), state officials, Town of Red Hook officials, other local leaders, and farmers today announced federal Farm Bill funding that will enable Scenic Hudson and its partners to complete the purchase of conservation easements on 10 farms in Dutchess and Columbia counties.

When the easement transactions are completed in early 2012, nearly 700 acres of productive agricultural land will continue sustaining local economies while providing the public with fresh, healthy produce and meats via local and New York City greenmarkets and by direct sales to homes and restaurants. In addition, one of the farms offers year-round horse boarding and training services.

The total cost of all 10 projects is more than $3.6 million, including $1.8 million in funding from the Farm Bill, Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, $1.2 million from Scenic Hudson, $615,000 from the Town of Red Hook and a grant from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund through the New York State Conservation Partnership Program, a partnership of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Land Trust Alliance. DLC is contributing toward ongoing stewardship and project expenses. The transactions will provide a direct infusion of capital to the farmers involved, who can then invest the funds in the productive capacity of their farms.

The easements enable conservation of:

Eight Red Hook (Dutchess County) farms

Eight farms spanning 440 acres in Red Hook, Dutchess County, located along scenic West Kerley Corners Road. Scenic Hudson has partnered with the Dutchess Land Conservancy and the town to secure these easements, with Scenic Hudson and the town each committed to providing 25 percent of the purchase price. All of the farms lie within the "Red Hook Breadbasket," identified in the Dutchess County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Program as one of the county's 10 most important agricultural areas. The farms include major suppliers of poultry, meat, fruits and vegetables to local and New York City markets and restaurants, and all play important roles in safeguarding the local aquifer, source of water for the Village of Tivoli.

Two Columbia County farms

Agricultural lands totaling 240 acres on two Columbia County farms—in Clermont and Germantown. These high-quality soils support two farm operations supplying fresh meat and produce to consumers and a third that produces hay. The purchase of a conservation easement on the Clermont farm will facilitate the transfer of the farm's ownership to the two tenant farmers, granting them the permanency needed to expand their operations.

Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson, addresses a group of officials, farmers and community leaders at the announcement.

Farmland essential to sustaining communities' agriculture-based economies, rural charm

All of these transactions are part of Scenic Hudson's collaborative campaign to Save the Land That Matters Most. In addition, Red Hook, Clermont and Germantown are among the agricultural communities where Scenic Hudson has been engaged in protecting a "critical mass" of working farmland since 1997. While allowing individual farmers to continue their livelihood and support agriculture-related businesses, these blocks of protected farmland help retain the towns' historic charm and centuries-old agricultural heritage, all of which contribute substantially to the region's $800-million agricultural and $4.7-billion tourism economies. Further, conserving farms is a buffer against rising local property taxes; studies have shown that farms contribute more in taxes than they consume in tax-paid services.

Over the past 15 years, easement programs in the Hudson Valley have put $95 million directly into the hands of farmers. This investment has allowed agriculture to continue to thrive, advanced new opportunities for young farmers and allowed farmers to invest directly in their operations. At the same time, it has benefited communities. According to the American Farmland Trust, for every $1 invested in conservation, $4 is returned to the local economy.

Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan said, "When Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Hudson Valley farms in 2010 as part of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative, he was moved by the plight of the region's farmers—especially young farmers—to secure affordable farmland or grow their family-owned operations. He also was impressed by the long history of collaboration between environmental groups and communities to keep the valley's prime farmland in agricultural production. With Farm Bill funds from the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, USDA becomes a partner in these efforts, helping us ensure an historic victory toward creating a sustainable 'foodshed' for the region and New York Metropolitan Area.

"I want to particularly thank USDA's New York State Conservationist Astor Boozer and NRCS Chief Dave White for their leadership in bringing this to fruition," added Mr. Sullivan, who applauded Scenic Hudson's Senior Vice President Steve Rosenberg, Land Conservation Director Seth McKee and Senior Land Project Manager Cari Watkins-Bates for their crucial roles. He also saluted DLC and the Town of Red Hook for their ongoing collaboration and commitment to preserving irreplaceable lands for public benefit.

USDA NRCS State Conservationist Astor Boozer praised the effective public-private partnership he sees at work in the Hudson Valley. "Today we're seeing a partnership effort which was successful in using the Farm Bill, Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP), to ensure this local region has long-term farming viability," he said. "Throughout New York State, NRCS was able to fund 18 FRPP easement applications this year. Of those funded, 10 are here in the Hudson Valley."

He pointed out that last year Scenic Hudson provided assistance during Secretary Vilsack's visit to the Hudson Valley for the America's Great Outdoors listening session. The listening session assisted Scenic Hudson and all the partners here today to build on opportunities available within Farm Bill conservation programs. "The achievements of their efforts and this partnership are visible here today as we see $1.8 million dollars in Farm Bill funding protecting 680 acres of productive farmland," stated Mr. Boozer.

DLC President Becky Thornton added, "We are extremely excited about the USDA's leadership and foresight to assist our collective efforts to ensure the future of farming in this important agricultural region known as the Red Hook Breadbasket. We all know that the Hudson Valley's farmland is in jeopardy, and by making an investment in an area that contains one of the largest concentrations of prime farmland soils in the Hudson Valley, together we are helping to ensure a source of good quality, locally grown food for our community and our region for today and for our future generations."

"Preservation of a stunning swath of important farmland in our community is within reach thanks to visionary landowners, leadership from revered land trusts Scenic Hudson and Dutchess Land Conservancy, and unprecedented cooperation and creative use of resources among federal, state and local governments. Partnerships work!" said Town of Red Hook Supervisor Sue Crane.

Rich Biezynski, owner of Northwind Farms, which hosted the gathering of officials and press, said he was very pleased to have an easement protecting part of his land. "Obviously I feel local family farms are vital, but it's good to see others share that opinion. I'm thankful to the groups that made this happen. Conserving farmland this way can let our local farms expand, and do more in providing healthy food, contributing strongly to our economy and also continuing an agricultural way of life that has long been part of our communities. Thanks to all for creating this program."

U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson spoke about the significance of protecting farmland. "I'd like to offer my congratulations to Scenic Hudson and the Dutchess Land Conservancy for their successful efforts in securing funding to help protect farmland in both Dutchess and Columbia counties. Our office is proud to support their efforts, particularly at the federal level through USDA Grant Programs that help Scenic Hudson move forward with their Saving The Land That Matters Most campaign here in the Hudson Valley. I look forward to working with all of the partners involved who support this effort, which helps sustain the vital agriculture and tourism segments of our region's economy."

Praise for the announcement was offered by New York State Assemblyman Marc Molinaro. "This is another fine example of our collaborative effort to preserve valuable agricultural lands in Dutchess and Columbia counties. Scenic Hudson has again organized the right partners to leverage federal and local assistance to assist in our community's commitment to farmland protection. It's another great accomplishment for our community and these farmers. Special thanks to the USDA for its generous support and to the Town of Red Hook and Dutchess Land Conservancy too."

Not able to attend the announcement event, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand commented on the importance of the public-private partnership. "New York is home to America's hardest working farmers and the world's finest locally grown produce. We need our farmers to thrive if we're going to have a strong and growing economy in New York. Today's action is a great example of how we can work together to support our family farms here in the Hudson Valley. This initiative, along with USDA funding, will help ensure that nearly 700 acres of farmland will continue to grow fruits and vegetables for our local community."

Collaborative campaign targets protection of "must-save" lands

Scenic Hudson's campaign to Save the Land That Matters Most was launched in 2007 to provide a lasting way of commemorating the Quadricentennial of Henry Hudson's voyage of discovery. It is a collaborative effort with 16 partner land trusts, governments, individuals and businesses to protect lands of the greatest scenic, ecological and agricultural significance throughout the Hudson Valley. Including the 10 farms that will be protected with this funding, Scenic Hudson will have conserved 5,511 acres and our land trust partners an additional 2,100 acres.

Farms key to environment and economy

A prime aspect of Saving the Land That Matters Most is the preservation of farmland, which in addition to its agricultural significance plays an important role in purifying and replenishing local aquifers, source of many communities' water supplies, and sustaining critical wildlife habitat. Farmland also helps keep local taxes in check by requiring fewer municipal services than it pays in property taxes. Despite these benefits, before the recession the Hudson Valley lost nearly 50 acres of productive farmland a day to sprawling development. As a result, it is ranked 10th on the American Farmland Trust's list of the nation's 20 most threatened agricultural regions.

The Town of Red Hook in particular has been a champion of farmland preservation, one of only three Dutchess County municipalities to adopt a bond fund for protecting farmland and the only county town to enact a Community Preservation Act. It contains one of the largest concentrations of prime agricultural soils in the Hudson Valley.

Scenic Hudson works to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors. A crusader for the valley since 1963, we are credited with saving fabled Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today with more than 25,000 ardent supporters, we are the largest environmental group focused on the Hudson River Valley. Our team of experts combines land acquisition, support for agriculture, citizen-based advocacy and sophisticated planning tools to create environmentally healthy communities, champion smart economic growth, open up riverfronts to the public and preserve the valley's inspiring beauty and natural resources. To date Scenic Hudson has created or enhanced more than 50 parks, preserves and historic sites up and down the Hudson River and conserved more than 30,000 acres.

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