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Hawley announces funding to protect local farms

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) announced today that grant money will be distributed by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund directly to localities in Genesee County for agriculture and farm protection. Hawley said he is proud to announce that this funding is being delivered directly to his district and that agriculture remains one of his top priorities due to its prevalence and economic strength in Western New York.  

“I am proud to announce that $25,000 awards will be given to the towns of Alabama and Oakfield in Genesee County as well as a $50,000 award for the county as a whole,” Hawley said. “The funding will be used for farmland protection plans and I am confident that our region will continue to lead the way in farming and agricultural development.

"I have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle during my time in office to advocate on behalf of our farms here in Western New York, many of which are family owned, and it continues to be one of my top priorities as we progress through this year’s legislative session.”

Towns are required to fund at least 25 percent of the cost to develop an agriculture protection plan and county funding will be used to either update the plans or create new ones. Local government and farm collaboration is necessary to ensure that each plan promotes the local agriculture industry. Municipalities that have agriculture and farmland protection boards are eligible for these funds and applications can be accessed at http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html.

david spaulding

"The funding will be used for farmland protection plans " sounds very interesting to me...What is a farmland protection plan?... will a farmer share your knowledge and tell me what this means?
We all know where this money came from but I have two very important questions for Mr. Hawley. Mr. Hawley, exactly who will write the checks? and exactly who will receive it?
Maybe Oakfield and Alabama can chime in and tell all of us where their "awards" are being spent.
There is $100,000 dollars out there and after reading 3 long paragraphs I have No idea where it is going. Anybody else interested ?

Feb 9, 2015, 8:43pm Permalink

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