“Keep It Growing!” Is The Theme Of The Updated Agricultural And Farmland Protection Plan For Rensselaer County

By Doug La Rocque
A public hearing was held last week at the Brunswick Community Center for those interested in the updated plan to develop strategies to preserve, support and enhance Rensselaer County’s agricultural industry and resources.  Attended by many in the farming community, representatives of the County’s Economic Development And Planning Department pointed out that in 2012 farmers paid over $5 million dollars in property taxes, employed hundreds of full and part time workers, and produced nearly 53 million dollars in farm sales.  [private]The plan outlines 16 recommendations with some of the highest priority being to ameliorate property taxes by using agricultural assessment values for special districts such as fire and ambulance, seek additional funding for agricultural protection and business development, develop a website and social media sources to provide information for farmers and provide information to elected officials about how agricultural use valuation impacts the tax base.
With 495 farms in the county, many in the eastern portions, farmland conservation was also a major topic of discussion.  The Agricultural Stewardship Association, based in Greenwich, provided those at the hearings with a map of high priority and special concern lands.  The ASA helps farmers to take advantage of programs, funded by state grants, that allow the purchase of portions of their land for strictly agricultural conservation.  The farmers who opt into this program receive money for the land, and can still use it for agricultural purposes, but could never sell it off for development.  Farmlands in the Towns of Hoosick and Stephentown fall in the high priority area.  Other Hoosick lands, as well as portions of Petersburgh and Berlin fall in the area of special concern.
Many towns have adopted Comprehensive or Master plans that deal with agricultural concerns.  Berlin land use regulations “recognize the significance of promoting sound agricultural and forestry practices in the Town.”  In Grafton, the report noted that extreme soil constraints limit most agricultural activity to marginal hay production for maintaining livestock.  Grafton, which does not have zoning, maintains a Right to Farm Law.  In Petersburgh, the report expresses concerns about proposals to limit or prohibit certain agricultural enterprises.
The report calls on Rensselaer County residents to be involved in the implementation of the Farmland Protection Plan by educating themselves about local farms and issues facing farmers.  It urges purchases from local farm stands and farmer’s markets, and calls upon people to be supportive of, and advocate for, agricultural and farmland protection initiatives in their communities.  More information or copies of the report can be obtained from the Rensselaer County Department of Economic Development and Planning.
Following a series of public hearings, the report is then presented to the Rensselaer County Legislature for their approval before being forwarded to the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets. [/private]