NY Dept. of Agriculture & Markets And NYS DEC Announce $25 Million in Funding For Soil & Water Districts During Press Conference at Van Patten Farms

On Monday morning, at Van Patten Farms on Otisco Valley Road in Preble, $25 million dollars in funding was announced for Soil and Water Conservation Districts throughout the state to help farms in New York support agricultural water quality conservation projects, including Van Patten Farms. The amount of funding in this round is record setting after voters in the state overwhelmingly approved the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act during the last General Election.

Speaking first was Co-owner of Van Patten Farms, Steve Van Patten, who says the farm was founded in 1809 and is a seventh generation farmer for the farm. Van Patten Farms boards nearly 825 heifers and farms about 820 acres, Van Patten said. He added he works the farm with his uncle, father, and brother.

New York State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner, Richard Ball, says the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program, also known as Ag Nonpoint, provides funding for farms that focus on environmental planning or implementation of best management practices that protect New York watersheds.

Commissioner Ball says the program (Ag nonpoint) has been “oversubscribed” and in the past 30 years, 30 rounds of funding, over $275 million dollars on projects designated to protect the state’s watersheds.

“This is a record level of funding for New York State for Round 1 of Ag nonpoint and it’s been possible because of the good work that happens between DEC and Ag & Markets.” Commissioner Ball said. “I’m happy to tell you that the department of Ag & Markets and [DEC], we’ve never had a closer working relationship.”

Funding from the record-setting $25 million in funding came with $14 million from the EPF and $11 million from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. Ball says this will allow more farms to be reached, allow more projects, and help farms become more efficient in their operations. In total, 50 farms were awarded funding, including Van Patten Farms.

Steve Van Patten says the funding from the Ag nonpoint will help them improve their manure management and better utilize manure nutrients to help cut-down the use of other fertilizers. He says he and his family feel fortunate to have the Soil and Water Conservation District support their efforts to improve their farm and protect the water quality.

Amanda Barber, District Manager of the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District, says Cortland County has 320,000 acres of land with 300 farms located within the county; about 50 to 60 are dairy farms. She added over three quarters of the land in the county is either forestry or farming, adding the importance of the industry in the county. Barber says farmers working with the Soil and Water District is key when protecting resources.

Barber and her team at the County Soil and Water Conservation District have a proven success record. The district has obtained over $13 million dollars in the Ag nonpoint program during the 30 years with 45 grants and over 450 best management practices.

“These are the people that work long hours and put in the time and effort to get the grants here for these farms.” Barber said, highlighting her staff, board members, and County Legislature.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Cortland County Legislature, the NY Farm Bureau, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and New York State Senator Lea Webb’s Office.