Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF, WE - Sag Harbor) today announced that nearly $38 million is now available through the Farmland Protection Implementation Grant program to help New York farmers protect valuable and at-risk farmland. This grant program is funded through New York State's Environmental Protection Fund, which was included in the State Budget at $300 million for the third consecutive year. The application deadline is August 31, 2018 and the Request for Proposals is available at www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html.

Municipalities, counties, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and land trusts are eligible to apply for individual grants of up to $2 million to help offset the costs of conservation easement projects that protect viable agricultural land from being converted to non-agricultural use.

The state has invested more than $62 million in 82 farmland protection projects statewide. This funding opportunity continues the state's commitment to provide financial and technical assistance for farmland protection on a predictable two-year cycle.

In an effort to explore new, additional tools in preserving land for agricultural production, this year the state has included preemptive purchase rights as an eligible cost that may be partially covered through the grant program. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has established certain criteria to guide the use of this unique easement provision in awarded projects. Preemptive purchase rights encourage agricultural land to remain in active production and to be sold to other farmers at its agricultural value. Certain requirements must be met in order for eligible applicants to use grant funding for these purchase rights, which will also provide a potential avenue for new and beginning farmers in acquiring land.

All farmland protection project proposals must be submitted through the New York State Grants Gateway. For more information, visit https://grantsgateway.ny.gov.