This 2018 report from the National Young Farmers Coalition focuses on the issue of land access for farmers in New York and the use of working farm easements with preemptive purchase rights to ensure the availability of affordable farmland for generations of New York farmers to come.
Agriculture is an integral part of New York’s economy, culture, and landscape. The state’s 35,500 farms keep over 7 million acres of land in agricultural production, support more than 160,000 jobs, and generate in excess of $39 billion annually.
As a growing number of farmers prepare to retire, it is critical that young farmers are positioned to step up and carry on this legacy. Unfortunately, New York’s young farmers are struggling. Survey data suggests that finding affordable farmland is their toughest obstacle.
Traditional agricultural conservation easements protect land from residential and other development pressures, but do not guarantee that an individual who earns their income from farming will own the protected land in the future.
Working farm easements contain additional restrictions, such as preemptive purchase rights, that strengthen traditional easements. These easements not only protect land from development, but also help ensure that protected land is sold at its agricultural use value to future farmer owners. Working farm easements have been the key to keeping hundreds of protected farms in farmer ownership in Massachusetts and Vermont, and are being implemented by an increasing number of New York land trusts.
By utilizing state funds to purchase and prioritize working farm easements, New York will make an investment in its agricultural economy and send a clear message to farmers that ensuring a future for agriculture in the state is a priority.
Farmland for Farmers