Farmland Conservation

Conserving farmland is important to the long-term health of the economy, the environment, and the social fabric of our community.

Why conserve farmland

Farms define the character and lifestyle of our community and are a testament to the hard work of many generations who have managed the land to make it productive. Fertile lands used for farming are one of a family’s – and a community’s – most valuable assets.
In addition to maintaining a regional supply of fresh food, local farms can help improve drinking water quantity and quality and create resilient communities in the face of climate change.

Development pressure on farmland

Unfortunately, productive farmland is usually more economically valuable when developed than when used for farming. Saratoga County is the fastest growing county in NYS, placing significant pressure on conversion to non-farm uses such as residential, commercial and retail development. Despite the vital role of agriculture, Saratoga County lost 9% of its farmland from 2012 to 2017.

Conserving your farmland

Saratoga PLAN helps landowners preserve their farmland in perpetuity, ensuring that local farms can be passed on to the next generation of farmers and linking them with their hard-working forbearers.

Conservation projects are customized to meet the needs and complexities of each unique parcel of land and every individual landowner’s interests and circumstances.

Tori Roberts, Conservation Project Manager, and Seamus Briody, Conservation Assistant, are available to discuss land conservation options that may be applicable to the landowners’ situations. For a free, confidential consultation, call Saratoga PLAN at 518-587-5554 or email info@saratogaplan.org.

Hear what landowners who have gone through the conservation process have to say.