The New York State Governor’s Interagency Task Force on Quality Communities recommended that a study be conducted to identify ways of protecting farmland, particularly in those areas not yet experiencing high development pressure.
Shepstone Management Company, together with Saratoga Associates, conducted a detailed study to help the Department of Agriculture and Markets develop an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of farming in these areas to aid in crafting practical policies that would strengthen the industry.
The analysis focused on four counties representing the full variety of New York State’s farm economy. These included Genesee County in the Western New York/Finger Lakes Region, Jefferson County in the North Country/Tug Hill area, Steuben County in the Southern Tier and Washington County in the Upper Hudson River Valley. The research led to several policy recommendations of a strategic planning nature to the Department.