News from New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets

For more information contact: Jessica Chittenden, 518-457-3136

Media Advisory~Commissioner To Announce $35 Million To Protect Farmland

Thursday, December 20 at 10:00 am at McMahon’s E-Z Acres in Homer

ALBANY, NY (12/18/2007; 1525)(readMedia)-- New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker will be announcing the latest round of farmland protection grants at McMahon’s E-Z Acres in Homer on Thursday, December 20, 2007 at 10:00 am. The Commissioner, announcing on behalf of Governor Eliot Spitzer, will award nearly $35 million in farmland protection grants, which will represent the largest amount of funding and greatest number of acres protected in the program’s eleven year history.

The State’s Farmland Protection Program provides financial assistance to counties and towns to support local farmland protection activities. Once the State awards the requested funds, the municipality purchases the development rights on the farmland, which permits farm owners to utilize the equity in the land without selling the farm.

New York State has 7.6 million acres of farmland with 35,000 farms.

All media are welcome and encouraged to attend.

WHO: New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker State and Local Legislators, Farmers and Farmland Protection Advocates

WHAT: $35 Million in Farmland Protection Projects

WHEN: Thursday, December 20, 2007 at 10:00 am

WHERE: McMahon’s E-Z Acres, 5940 West Scott Road, Homer, New York 13077 Directions: Take I-81 to Exit 12 (Homer). Turn right onto Route 281 North. Travel 1.2 miles and turn left onto Route 41 North. Travel about 4 miles and turn left onto West Scott Road. McMahon’s E-Z Acres has blue barns and will be on the right.

For more information, please contact Jessica Chittenden at 518-457-3136 (office) or 518-527-3949 (cell).

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