State Agriculture Department Announces $1 Million Available to Bo...

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets today announced that $1 million is available to increase capacity within New York’s network of community-focused land trusts and local governments through the state’s first Farmland Protection Staff Capacity Grants Pilot Program. The program, which was announced in Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State Address, will bolster organizations across the state committed to protecting New York’s farmland for future generations. The announcement comes as the State marks a milestone, celebrating its Farmland Protection Implementation Grants Program’s 30^th anniversary.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “As the foundation for our food supply, farmland is one of the most important natural resources we have. Protecting our land and our rich soils helps to ensure that farmers can continue to grow our food, strengthen our local food systems, plan for the future, and play an integral part in our fight against climate change. By providing these additional resources to our local project sponsors, who are our partners and the boots on the ground, we will be able to further expand our reach and enhance our ability to preserve more farmland across the State through our Farmland Protection Program.” 

Linda Garrett, American Farmland Trust New York and New Jersey Regional Director, said, “As demand from New York farmers seeking to protect their farmland continues to rise, land trusts are facing growing workloads and increasingly complex projects. This moment is critical, as more than a third of New York’s farmers are at or nearing retirement age and own two million acres of farmland, a time when this land is most vulnerable. The Farmland Protection Staff Capacity Pilot Program will give local organizations additional staffing support to advance farmland protection more effectively – helping to save more farmland, improve affordability, and keep land available for farming for future generations.”

The Capacity Grants Program will support local agricultural and farmland protection goals by helping land trusts and local governments to hire their initial project staff or to add staff with the purpose of initiating or accelerating farmland protection projects. Applicants will apply for one of two project categories:

1. First Staff Hire for new Land Trust or Land Conservancy – Funding available to any not-for-profit conservation organization established within the last three years hiring of its first staff member dedicated to farmland protection.
2. Increased Staff Capacity for Farmland Protection – Funding available to applicants already engaged in planning and implementing farmland protection projects at the local or regional level but who intend to accelerate their rate of farmland protection.

Applications must be submitted via the Statewide Financial System Grants Management System (SFS GM) to be considered for funding. Proposals are due Friday, June 26, 2026, at 4:00 pm. To learn more or view the full request for proposals, visit the Department’s website.

The Farmland Protection Staff Capacity Grants Pilot Program complements the State’s ongoing efforts to implement farmland protection activities across the state. To date, the Department has helped preserve 134,800 acres of New York farmland through completed conservation easement projects, totaling more than $341 million on 447 farms through the Farmland Protection Implementation Grants (FPIG) program.

The FPIG program and the Department’s other farmland protection grant opportunities align with the State’s environmental goals. Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget Proposal provides $425 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, with $83 million for agricultural programs that are helping farms to implement environmentally sustainable practices and combat climate change. This includes investments in grant programs that conserve farmland, boost farm resiliency, and provide additional aid to New York’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Over the last five years, New York State has dedicated more than $160 million to agricultural programs administered by the Department that help protect on-farm water quality and preserve farmland, conserve natural resources, and combat climate change on farms across the state. This includes record funding for programs such as the Climate Resilient Farming (CRF) and Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Programs (AgNPS), with the AgNPS Program having been provided with a boost last year through the State’s Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. The CRF and Ag Non-Point programs function as part of the Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) framework, a broader effort that helps farmers achieve higher levels of environmental stewardship and more efficient, cost-effective farming systems.