Area sites awarded grants to support farms

Agricultural unit, land conservancies among recipients

Several Capital Regionarea sites are among the recipients of state grants meant to support and maintain farms.

The statewide total of $35 million marks a historic level of funding awarded in a single round of the state’s Farmland Protection Implementation Grant program, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said last week.

Here are the local beneficiaries:

Agricultural Stewardship Association

■ $658,655 to protect property owned by the Cottrell family in Rensselaer County. The 383-acre property is leased to a nearby dairy operation and lies in the Hoosick River Watershed Priority Area. Once the property is protected, it will provide the opportunity for the owners of the nearby dairy farm to purchase it at agricultural value. The farm has extensive frontage along and serves as a buffer to the Walloomsac River.

■ $615,990 to protect a 422-acre property owned by Dustin and Kassie Gibson in support of their first-generation grass-fed livestock operation in Rensselaer County. The association will contribute $5,000.

■ $508,294 to protect a 286-acre property owned by the Sheldon and Cary families that helps support their 1,250-cow dairy operation in Washington County. The farm has extensive frontage along and serves as a buffer to the Battenkill River.

■ $650,017 to protect a 547acre portion of an organic pork and grass-fed beef operation owned by Mark Faille. It will help facilitate relocating the family’s farm operation from New Jersey to Washington County.

■ $603,349 to protect a 333-acre property owned by the Betts family that is leased to a nearby dairy operation in Rensselaer County.

■ $194,368 to protect a 100acre property owned by Ed Meagher in Washington County.

■ $700,265 to protect a 389-acre dairy operation owned and operated by the Hoag family in Rensselaer County.

■ $536,991 to protect a 351-acre orchard in Washington County owned and operated by Daniel Wilson, which is the state’s oldest pick-your-own orchard.

Saratoga PLAN

■ $219,914 to protect 65 acres owned by the Lendl and Stina families and leased to the largest dairy operation in Saratoga County.

■ $565,291 in Saratoga County to protect 127 acres owned by the Pott and

Van Vorst families. The landowners will contribute $30,000 toward this project.

■ $311,044 to protect 74 acres in Saratoga County owned by Michele Peters, who operates a horseboarding operation for retired show and race horses, for mares when it is time to wean their foals, and other horses when they need time to heal from injury or to take a break from training.

Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy

■ $389,710 to protect a 20-acre property, which is owned by Al Lansing and operated as Community Supported Agriculture in Albany County. Equity Trust and Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy will contribute a total of $130,500.

Town of Clifton Park

■ $408,750 to protect a 73acre beef cattle operation owned by Kurt and Juliette Swartz. The town will also contribute money to this project.

“Since 2000, the Town of Clifton Park has expanded our parks and recreational network and worked with our farming community to assist them in their efforts to remain successful businesses despite the many headwinds they face,” said Town Supervisor Phil Barrett said. “The New York State grant award announced today in partnership with the Town of Clifton Park and the Swartz Family, will ensure the picturesque Maple Hill Farm remains an important part of our community and economy.”

Columbia Land Conservancy

■ $478,551 to protect properties, totaling 117 acres, owned by the Saulpaugh, Myers and Kukon families. ■ $507,221 to protect a 205acre organic beef operation owned by the Grimaldi family in Columbia County.

— Staff report