GREENWICH, N.Y. — The Agricultural Stewardship Association (ASA) is accepting pre-applications for the state farmland protection program through October 31st. Informational workshops will be held in the coming months.

The state program provides financial compensation to farmers who voluntarily wish to conserve their farms for agricultural use by selling their development rights. Farmers often use the funds to make improvements on the farm, expand or diversify their operation, purchase support land, help transfer the farm to the next generation, or other ways to increase farm viability.

For the selected pre-applications, ASA, with the endorsement of the Washington and Rensselaer counties Agricultural and Farmland Protection Boards, writes the grants free of charge and submits them to the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markers for consideration. The state ranks the proposals on a regional basis.

Copies of the pre-application are available on ASA’s website, by emailing chris@agstewardship.org or stopping at ASA’s office at 2531 State Route 40 in Greenwich.

ASA has helped 156 families conserve 27,352 acres of working farms and woodlands in Washington and Rensselaer counties. ASA’s mission is to protect our community’s working farms and forests, connect people to the land, and promote a vibrant future for agriculture and forestry in the region. For more information about ASA’s work, visit www.agstewardship.org.

–Agricultural Stewardship Association