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SENECA COUNTY AGRICULTURE PLAN

SENECA COUNTY AGRICULTURE PLAN. Planning for Agricultural Viability, Values and Rural Life. Current Plan:. Agricultural Enhancement Plan Serves as: Farmland Protection Plan Adopted by BOS March 2000. Purposes And Uses Of This Plan. Timely Revision of Current Plan

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SENECA COUNTY AGRICULTURE PLAN

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  1. SENECA COUNTYAGRICULTURE PLAN Planning for Agricultural Viability, Values and Rural Life.

  2. Current Plan: • Agricultural Enhancement Plan • Serves as: Farmland Protection Plan • Adopted by BOS March 2000

  3. Purposes And Uses Of This Plan • Timely Revision of Current Plan • Recognizing Agriculture as an Important Part of the County’s Future • Providing Direction to Agriculture Enhancement Board • Providing Direction to County and Agency Staff Working on Issues that Impact Agriculture • Helpful in Appling for Grants

  4. Current Status of Agriculture in Seneca County

  5. Agricultural Landscape is Diverse:

  6. Numbers of Agriculture 2007 Census of Agriculture USDA • 513 Farms • 127,972 Acres in Farming • $257,607,636 Market Value of Land and Buildings • $66,233,430 Market Value of Machinery and Equipment • $84,075,000 Market Value of Agricultural Products Sold Crop $33,048,000 Animal $ 51,027,000

  7. Types of Agriculture (by land use): • Grain Farming (20%) • Vegetable (3%) • Fruit (including Vineyards) • (12%) • Nursery & Greenhouse (4%) • Other Crop (16%) • Beef Cattle & Feedlots (16%) • Dairy (19%) • Hog & Pig (2%) • Poultry & Egg (1%) • Sheep & Goat (2%) • Other Animal (6%)

  8. Types of Agriculture (by value of sales in $1,000 ):

  9. Crop vs. Processing Cattle Steak Grain Flour/Bread Grapes Wine Fresh Hay “Quality Hay” What is the Role of “Value Added Processing” in the Agricultural Picture?

  10. Contributions of Agriculture • Economic • Quality of Life Open Space, Scenic Views, Natural Beauty • Texture of the Landscape Cornfields, Vineyards, Pastures • Unique Community Character Amish & Mennonites, Vineyards Priceless

  11. Economic Contributions • EMPLOYMENT • PROPERTY TAXES • SUPPLY BUSINESSES • PROCESSING BUSINESSES

  12. CHALLENGES • decreased profit margins • high cost of inputs • access to skilled workforce • state and federal regulations • land and property taxes • agricultural awareness among non-farmers • farm transfer obstacles

  13. SWOT Analysis • STRENGTHS * WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITES * THREATS • Roberta Harrison – Co-op Ext. Agriculture Economic Development Specialist • Agricultural Enhancement Board 9/1/10 Farm Bureau Aug. 2010

  14. GOALS • Enhance the Economic Climate for Agriculture in Seneca County. • Increase the Awareness of the Economic and Social Importance of Agriculture in Seneca County. • Provide an Ongoing Community Education Program for the Non-Farm Public. • Acknowledge and Enhance the Environmental Stewardship of Agricultural Businesses. • Preserve Prime Farmland.

  15. Enhance the Economic Climate for Agriculture • Facilitate Small Scale Food Processing • Promote Locally Grown Products • Develop Agricultural Workforce • Facilitate Farm Transfer • Include Agriculture in Economic Development Initiatives

  16. Facilitate Small Scale Food Processing • Bonavista Foods, Wineries, Quality Hay, Finger Lakes Natural Oils • The New York State Food Venture Center Economic Value of “Value Added” to Agricultural Products by Processors in Seneca County not Determined.

  17. Promote Locally Grown Products • Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty and Local Wine and Food Festivals “Cork & Fork” • Local Farmers Markets & Roadside Stands • Encourage Use of Local Products in Regional Stores: Wegmans & Tops

  18. Develop Agricultural Workforce • Support agricultural education in the school system • Continue and expand educational programs for farm owners and employees Because of the perishability of fresh commodities, they must be picked by hand, creating a demand for more agricultural labor. U.S. workers do not want these jobs . . .

  19. Facilitate Farm Transfer • Farmlink is a state-funded program coordinated by Cornell University • Provide estate-planning assistance for farm owners of all ages Farmers express frustration in finding someone to take over the farm, and accessing the equity in the farm to fund their retirement.

  20. Include Agriculture in Economic Development Initiatives • Encourage County and IDA Programs to support initiatives to assist Agriculture Related Businesses: • Wineries, Bonavista Foods, Pine Tree Farms, & proposed Hydroponic Vegetable Project • Enable farmers to access services available to other entrepreneurs (such as business plan development) and access to small business assistance programs.

  21. Awareness of the Economic and Social Importance of Agriculture • Training for Town, Planning and Zoning Boards and Community Leaders • Agriculture Community in Developing Local Land Use Plans

  22. Training for Boards and Community Leaders • Make up of local planning and zoning boards • Member for Agriculture • Training in farmland preservation techniques. Training Opportunities through Co-op Extension • State Required Training (4 hrs/year) • Adoption of Right-to-Farm Laws • Lodi, Ovid, Covert and Fayette

  23. Involve Agriculture Community in Developing Local Land Use Plans • Develop Local Land Use Plans • Fayette & Varick Comprehensive Plan • Junius, Lodi and Romulus Farmland Preservation Plans • Areas to Remain in Agriculture • Careful Use Of Infrastructure Investments • Impact on Agriculture of Water lines into an Agricultural Area?

  24. Ongoing Community Education Program for the Non-Farm Public • Explore use of electronic media --- • Promote “Ag. in the Classroom” & “Fun on the Farm events” • An agriculture promotion council for Seneca County • The long-term goal should be that the agriculture promotion council would be an independent group operating under the leadership of farmers. • Initial leadership for this group could come from agriculture agencies.

  25. Environmental Stewardship of Agricultural Businesses • Acknowledge the Role Agriculture Plays in Environmental Stewardship • Promote use of best management practices that promote continued water quality, and reduce erosion. • Implement the Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Program on Seneca County Farms: • 98 Farms Participating (10/10) • 21 Level 1 49 Level 2 28 Level 3

  26. The Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Program: • is a statewide environmental stewardship program. • coordinated by the NYS Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Cornell Cooperative Extension. • coordinates partnerships among existing agricultural and environmental conservation programs to reduce agricultural water pollution. • AEM helps farmers to: • Assess environmental concerns associated with their farming operations • Implement environmental practices to address identified concerns • Understand and comply with state and federal environmental regulations • Promote to continuously improve soil conservation measures • Reduce fertilizer and pesticide use • Protect drinking water from disease carrying organisms, pesticides, and excess nutrients • Improve relations between neighbors and communities • Enhance wildlife habitats • Maintain and improve water quality within and outside their watershed

  27. Preserve Prime Agricultural Land • Effectively Implement and Maintain the Agricultural District Program • Initiate Voluntary Farmland Preservation Programs

  28. Only 8% of the world’s soils are considered “Prime” – (Green&Blue on the map)

  29. Agricultural District Program • Three Agricultural Districts • Northern District #6 - July 28, 2014 Junius, Tyre, Waterloo, & Seneca Falls (North of Canal) • Central District #8 - November 28, 2014 Fayette, Varick, Seneca Falls (South of Canal) & Romulus (Small Area North of State Park) • Southern District #12 - November 1, 2013 Ovid, Covert, Lodi & Romulus (Except North of Sampson State Park)

  30. Voluntary Farmland Preservation Programs • New York State Agricultural Purchase of Development Rights Program • Town of Fayette – successful applications 2007 – Frier Farm 2008 – Martin Farm • County and other Towns eligible to apply • State program on hold • Donated Conservation Easements • Bailey Property in Ovid

  31. WHERE ARE WE GOING? New Ideas and concepts to be included in updated: Seneca County Agriculture Enhancement Plan

  32. Current and Future Issues: • Renewable Energy • Small Scale Food Processing • Maintenance of Critical Mass of Farmland • Water Quality • Recognizing Value of Agriculture in Town Planning and Prioritizing for it • Conflict Between Agriculture and Agriculture Related Businesses and Residential Development • Environmental Management • Reliable Transportation Infrastructure

  33. Renewable Energy • Wind • On Farm Use • Wind Farms? • Alternate Fuels from Plant Products • Corn for ethanol, soybeans for biodiesel, manure for methane/electricity, and forest products for cellulosic, pelletizing, burning or gasification • Small scale processing plants might be located on farms * Additional Source of Income • Large scale projects – in Industrial Areas

  34. Small Scale Food Processing • Strengthen relationship sectors such as: tourism, agri-tourism, and the wine sector. • Flexibility in land use planning and zoning • Growing small-scale, value-added, direct marketing of products: • local consumers, • tourists and • internet sales

  35. Maintenance of Critical Mass of Farmland • If public water is to be installed in Agriculture Areas: • Use of Lateral Restriction • Capital Budgeting • Encourage Residential Development in non-agriculture areas: • encourage high density or cluster-type development • encourage infilling of existing built-out areas • revitalization of local villages or hamlets

  36. Water Quality & Environmental Management • Funding should be secured to evaluate and implement specific best management practices that do not compromise farm profitability for: • Control of or minimize the potential for soil erosion, • Control nutrient loading of ground and surface water, and • Control pathogen contamination of ground and subsurface water.

  37. Recognizing Value of Agriculture in Town Planning and Prioritizing it: • Comprehensive planning within towns should recognize and prioritize the economic importance of this sector with agricultural use as the highest and best use for this land. • Zoning that supports agricultural production, value-added processing, and direct farm marketing will strengthen the farm and food sector within the county. • Comprehensive planning can assist with creating methods to prioritize areas where development rights of farm property might be purchased, transferred or leased.

  38. Conflict between Agriculture and Other Land Uses: • . What constitutes legitimate marketing strategies for agricultural products and what does not • 50% of product sold must be produced from a farm • 51% of the revenue generated should come from farm produce • Site plan review process that meets the standards of Agricultural Districts law. • Site plan review process that meets the standards of Agricultural Districts Law

  39. Reliable Transportation Infrastructure • Maintenance of existing highways is critical in the transport of commodities • Condition and safety of Roads used by Horse drawn vehicles • New roads would fragment farms • Improve the rail system • Explore Opportunities to use Canal System • Communications Infrastructure • Cell Phones • Internet

  40. TIMELINE FOR AGRICULTURE PLAN By 12/28/10 Draft Plan post on County Website and distributed to Board of Supervisors 1/5/11 Draft Plan reviewed by Agricultural Enhancement Board Last week January 2011 – Public Information meeting Revised Draft Plan posted on website and distributed to Board of Supervisors – February 2011 Public Hearing on Revised Draft Plan 3/8/11 Board of Supervisors adopt plan 3/22/11

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