Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced the availability of $20.5 million to aid farmland protection efforts and help prevent agricultural land from being converted to non-agricultural use. Eligible entities, including municipalities, counties, soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) and not-for-profit conservation organizations/land trusts, can apply for individual grants under the Round 13 Farmland Protection Implementation Grants Request for Proposals (RFP).

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

The Department of Agriculture and Markets anticipates that an even greater number of proposals will be submitted this year because the grant has not been offered by New York State for several years. Additionally, revisions to State law have increased the State contribution to a maximum of 87.5 percent (up from 75 percent) and also expanded the number of entities now eligible to apply directly for these funds – adding land trusts and SWCDs.

This RFP will enable eligible entities to help landowners protect at-risk farmland through the use of permanent conservation easements or incentive payment agreements. Although the vast majority of the funding will go to permanent easements, the incentive payment agreements are being offered for the first time under this program, and will allow eligible entities to make multi-year commitments to landowners, at least five but no more than ten. The eligible entities would then work with the landowners to seek other funding arrangements to effectively create a perpetual conservation easement on these lands. Also known as “lease of development rights,” this particular tool has been identified in municipal agricultural and farmland protection plans adopted across New York. Up to $2 million under the RFP will be available for this new type of project.

Application materials and important webinar information for the Round 13 Farmland Protection Implementation Grants RFP 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.