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For Release: March 23, 2005 Town of Walworth receives $425,000 to save farmland Walworth, NY--- Governor Pataki announced the award of over $425,000
to the Town of Walworth to permanently preserve 250 acres of farmland.
The Town of Walworth comprehensive plan states “farmland and
open space preservation (is) one of the most critical aspects of
implementation.” The Town is working with the Genesee Land
Trust to preserve the Keyes and Weber farms on Route 350. Four farms
were in the October 2004 grant application, but only two were awarded
funding this year. “This is great,” states Supervisor
Guelli. “The people of Walworth like the rural character and
our farmers want to keep farming. This is a win-win situation with
no impact on the tax base and a minimal cost to the Town taxpayers.
Ora’s leadership has been instrumental in helping our Board
and farmers understand this program.” “It is very exciting and encouraging to see these first awards in Walworth and Ontario. Macedon started with three farms and built effectively over time,” states Ora Rothfuss, Wayne County Agriculture Development Specialist. “Their success has raised the level of interest of farmers and surrounding towns, with interest by five towns and twenty farmers owning over 5,000 acres of land. While this is only one business planning tool and one land-use planning tool, the NYSDAM grant program has encouraged towns to consider planning for agriculture..” To date, Macedon has successfully preserved 2400 acres of farmland with the purchase of conservation easements with over $4 million of grant funds through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM) and United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). An agricultural conservation easement is permanent and extinguishes the development rights on a farm while preserving the ability of the landowner to run the farm business. The easements are valued through an appraisal process utilizing the fair market value of the land today and the value of the land as a farm. Farmland typically is taxed at the agricultural value, as determined under the NY Agriculture and Markets Law 25AA. The protected farmland will continue to be taxed at the same rate. American Farmland Trust and many municipalities have conducted numerous studies that indicate farmland pays about $1.00 in land taxes for every 30 to 40 cents of government services which it requires. The same studies indicate that residential housing typically generates $1.10 to $1.20 of service demand for every $1.00 of revenue paid. The Governor’s press release can be found at http://www.state.ny.us/govern/year05/march18_05.htm
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