3.0 Agricultural Goals and Objectives
The following goals and objectives have been established for Steuben County's agriculture development and farmland protection program. These are based on the results of interviews with farm community leaders and the agricultural producer, agri-business and agricultural area resident surveys summarized in Appendix 5.3 of this report. The goals are intended to be multi-year in nature and reflect the basic policies of the County for agricultural development and farmland protection, while the objectives spell out more specific criteria by which policy performance can be measured. Measures of success are also suggested. Specific recommendations may be found in Section 4.0 of this Plan.
3.1 Goal: Promote Steuben County for further agricultural development so as to steadily increase the value of agricultural sales within the County, using tourism promotion as a means to attract new farmers and farm enterprises.
Objectives:
3.1.1 Identify Steuben County's marketable advantages for new agricultural endeavors (including agricultural tourism) and promote these both within the farm community and outside the County.
Measure: Development of promotional literature and/or videos around "Reasons to Farm in Steuben County," using funding from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and other economic development and tourism promotion programs.
3.1.2 Actively promote Steuben County as a location for new farm and agri-business enterprises, including additional Amish farms, through use of targeted advertisements and mailings in cooperation with the Sullivan Trail RC&D program, Southern Tier Central and real estate firms.
Measure: Number of new farm enterprises recruited.
3.2 Goal: Develop more strategic alliances among farmers and agri-businesses to expand markets, decrease costs and increase the profitability of farm operations.
Objectives:
3.2.1 Encourage the formation of new generation farm cooperatives for marketing purposes (particularly with regard to crops such such as potatoes), financing of new ventures and purchasing of raw materials (e.g., electricity).
Measure: Number of Steuben farmers participating in such cooperatives.
3.2.2 Form less formal bargaining groups to jointly purchase farm supplies, cooperatively advertise farm products, provide better outlets for cull-dairy cows and facilitate use of custom services.
Measure: Number of farmers participating in such bargaining groups.
3.2.3 Work with surrounding Counties to develop meat marketing programs and, if necessary, establish a regional U.S.D.A. slaughterhouse or set up similar arrangements with an existing slaughterhouse (e.g. Taylor Packing, in nearby Pennsylvania, or Wilson's Beef in Allegany County) to accommodate small producers.
Measure: Development of marketing program(s), number of farmers who participate and number of animals processed.
3.2.4 Use Cornell Cooperative Extension (or the Agricultural Development Specialist) to continually maintain lists of product sources for purposes of promoting intra-county purchases, similar to the State's "hayfinder" program but extending the concept to other forages and products (e.g. matching potato farmers with rotational crops to dairy farmers needing them, or grain growers to poultry farmers).
Measure: Lists of products, number of farmers who participate and amount of products sold through lists (consider using the Internet to offer the lists).
3.2.5 Maintain similar lists with regard to custom services and labor pools (e,g. relief milkers).
Measure: Lists of services, number of farmers who participate and amount of services and labor acquired through lists.
3.3 Goal: Protect and promote the abilities and rights of farmers to engage in all sound agricultural management practices.
Objectives:
3.3.1 Increase the level and frequency of farm community communications with the non-farm community by conducting more shared events, use of additional publications and employment of public service announcements and advertising (e.g., establishing an annual "Down on the Farm Day" for Steuben County or publishing a "Steuben County Farm Guide" for either the County as a whole or by regions).33
Measure: Number of communications to non-farm community and number of non-farm participants in events.
3.3.2 Increase the participation of farmers and agri-business owners in local government and, specifically, on town planning boards by getting all towns with significant agricultural activity to appoint agricultural members under the authority of § 271.11 of the Town Law. Also, conduct training programs for local officials on agricultural planning issues.
Measure: Number of Planning Boards with designated agricultural members and hours of training provided.
3.3.3 Encourage more positive interaction among farmers and their non-farm neighbors by using newsletters to provide examples of successful efforts (e.g.neighborhood pig roasts, free sweet corn, pre-notification when emptying manure pits, etc.) and offering guidelines regarding how to avoid conflicts.
Measure: Number of articles distributed.
3.3.4 Specifically address the lack of public knowledge regarding animal agriculture by promoting farm tours, utilizing videos such as "Feeding the Green Machine" and conducting educational sessions.
Measure: Numbers of showings and tours conducted and number of participants.
3.3.5 Streamline town land use and zoning measures to simultaneously accommodate both agricultural activities and development, incorporating the latest elements of State law affording protection for farmers and agri-businesses.
Measure: Number of towns with specific provisions in their land use regulations to not only allow but also protect agricultural enterprises.
3.3.6 Encourage development of sewer and water infrastructure within town centers rather than agricultural areas and encourage towns to promote hamlet development over highway-oriented suburban sprawl in zoning laws, so as to ensure development within and adjacent to agricultural zoning districts is fully compatible with farm activities.
Measure: Number of towns with strong incentives for hamlet and village development and disincentives for strip development.
3.3.7 Adopt a Right to Farm Law for Steuben County and encourage major agricultural towns to adopt similar or complementary measures at the local level.
Measure: Adoption of Steuben County Right to Farm Law and level of participation by towns.
3.3.8 Raise weight and width limits on local highways through road upgrades and encourage local and State governments to modify those restrictions that too severely restrict agriculture.
Measure: Number of limits raised and regulations modified for agriculture.
3.3.9 Encourage Federal and State agencies to provide small farmers more time to react to changing pesticide rules and develop alternative remedies through research and application.
Measure: Favorable changes in time limits and numbers of alternative remedies developed.
3.4 Goal: Achieve higher levels of management of farm woodlands for additional profit as secondary crops.
Objectives:
3.4.1 Encourage, through landowner education, greater use of best management practices for farm woodlands as a means of increasing value and returns.
Measure: Hours of training provided and number of farm wood lot owners who participate.
3.4.2 Create additional markets for wood products in the County by providing economic incentives for the development of new primary and secondary wood processing ventures (including on-farm enterprises).
Measure: Incentives provided and volume of products processed.
3.4.3 Make forestry-related technical assistance available through the purchase of additional services from existing providers or establishment of a County Forester position.
Measure: Man-hours of technical assistance provided to Steuben County forest owners and number of farm wood lot owners who participate.
3.4.4 Develop a new local chapter of the New York Forest Owners Association, and further alliances with the Sullivan Trail RC&D, NYS-DEC and industry representatives to promote the timber industry and professional management of forest resources, including providing help to municipalities interested in ensuring use of best management practices but avoiding over-regulation of the industry.
Measure: Development of a more active regional forest owners association program within the County, number of promotional materials and/or advertisements developed and sales of forest products.
3.5 Goal: Promote the development of new specialty crops and the establishment of niche markets for other Steuben County agricultural products.
Objectives:
3.5.1 Identify specific new agricultural product lines (e.g. quality hay as a rotation crop for potato farmers) and opportunities to add value to existing products.
Measure: Number of educational programs conducted to disseminate this data.
3.5.2 Provide training and technical assistance to farms and vineyards to develop additional entrepreneurial skills in marketing agricultural products, including identification and/or development of new outlets, pricing strategies and new promotional themes that can be employed with regard to Steuben County agricultural products (e. g. table stock potatoes marketed by variety or intended use such as "baking potatoes").
Measure: Hours of specialist training and technical assistance provided and volumes of new products marketed.
3.5.3 Work with locally owned/operated food stores to market local produce and develop new products such as specialty cheeses produced on a local dairy farm using an on-farm processing facility.
Measure: Number of local or regional stores handling Steuben County products and number of farmers producing for them.
3.5.4 Build on the Keuka Wine Trail success to expand and add other Steuben County farm products.
Measure: Number of wineries promoting locally produced cheeses, jams, syrups and other agricultural products as part of their offering.
3.5.5 Expand farm-based tourism by adding features to wine marketing programs, cross promoting with Bed & Breakfast operators, increasing farm-stand activity and the adding to the variety of offerings with more attractions like the existing draft horse school and corn mazes to take advantage of the existing flow of tourists into the County to see Corning Glass or visit the wineries.
Measure: Number of farm-based tourism enterprises along Wine Trail, number of Bed & Breakfast visitors and farm-stand sales.
3.5.6 Develop additional farmers' markets (e.g. Hammondsport) and new agri-tourism opportunities along the lines of a "farm trail" to take advantage of the Wine Trail tourism market.
Measure: Creation of functioning markets, number of visitors and number of vendors participating.
3.5.7 Establish shared agricultural economic development or marketing staff to work with both farm and non-farm agencies in promoting new farm and agri-business ventures.
Measure: Creation of an Agricultural Economic Development Specialist position serving Steuben County.
3.5.8 Encourage Federal and State governments to press for opening up of nearby Canadian markets for agricultural products from Western New York and simultaneously assist Steuben farmers in developing export markets.
Measure: Rule-making changes made for exports, export training offered and farmers participating in export markets.
3.5.9 Encourage the State to reduce regulatory barriers to the development of on-farm processing and direct marketing operations in New York State (particularly with respect to milk), patterning these efforts after the very successful Farm Winery Act.
Measure: Streamlining of State regulations regarding milk processing.
3.5.10 Develop a regional farm products wholesale/retail distribution center along the lines of the Windmill Market in Yates County or Virginia's "shipping point farmers markets," where fresh fruit and vegetable producers of smaller volumes have the opportunity for their products to be commingled, graded, packed and cooled to meet volume produce buyers' specifications together with a complementary retail sales site.
Measure: Development of a regional market, numbers of farmers participating and volume of sales.
3.6 Goal: Develop agriculture as a valued career path within Steuben County.
Objectives:
3.6.1 Work with schools and their guidance counselors as well as work force development program leaders to add agriculturist training tracks wherever possible and promote the "Ag in the Classroom" curriculum. Develop programs to expand and train the supply of agricultural workers.
Measure: Number of agricultural-related training programs available, number of participants and number of trained workers available.
3.6.2 Develop more broad-based public education efforts, promotional materials and other programs designed to increase public awareness of the value of agriculture as an industry and career opportunity. (Also, see Objective 3.3.1.)
Measure: Numbers of programs conducted, materials developed and non-farm participants.
3.6.3 Encourage more participation in Future Farmers of America and 4-H programs by broadening outreach into both rural and urban areas of the County, increasing the range of offerings to emphasize the high-tech nature of modern agriculture, promoting different forms of membership and extending the opportunities to join.
Measure: Numbers of participants.
3.6.4 Arrange for more on-farm demonstrations to emphasize the high-tech nature of modern agriculture, promoting these to both the farm and non-farm communities as a means of demonstrating the science involved in agriculture and capitalizing on the scientific reputation of Corning and the "Ceramic Corridor," thereby also creating farm tourism opportunities for Corning and other visitors to the area who are seeking to fill out their day with events.
Measure: Numbers of demonstrations and participants
3.6.5 Make it easier and more convenient for farmers to participate in County Fair events.
Measure: Numbers of farm-related events and participants at Fair.
3.7 Goal: Create new economic incentives for the development of agricultural enterprises.
Objectives:
3.7.1 Develop a new tax benefit program targeted to complement the Section 483 of the New York State Real Property Tax Law (10 yr. property tax exemption on newly constructed or reconstructed agricultural structures), by expanding benefits for agricultural support industries such as feed mills, agricultural processing operations and farm marketing buildings.
Measure: Adoption of a agricultural tax-abatement program and use of it by local agri-businesses.
3.7.2 Develop a program to purchase or lease development rights, financed through tax-abatements or by a realty transfer tax with respect to new development, on the most valuable farmland (e.g. vineyard land along Keuka Lake) so as to allow those farmers to capture their equity, reduce their carrying costs and continue farming.
Measure: Number of farmers participating and acres of farmland preserved.
3.7.3 Provide more developed and zoned communities within the County with education regarding the potential for Transfer of Density Rights (TDR) programs as vehicles for creating private markets for these rights that allow farmers to sell them and raise capital to continue in farming.
Measure: Number of educational programs and materials developed and number of communities considering TDR programs.
3.7.4 Develop and promote the availability of financing programs that can provide capital for farm and agri-business ventures, doing so in cooperation not only with farm agencies, but also the County Industrial Development Authority and other economic development entities.
Measure: Dollar volume of loan capacity available to creditworthy farmers. and number of institutions and programs available to help.
3.7.5 Establish and/or promote revolving loan programs specifically targeted at agriculture by working with Southern Tier Central.
Measure: Establishment of program, dollars committed and number of participants.
3.8 Goal: Maintain a comprehensive network of Agricultural Districts throughout the prime farming areas of the County as a means of both protecting farms and highlighting the value of agriculture to the County, consolidating districts as may be necessary to facilitate efficient administration of the program.
Objectives:
3.8.1 Identify Steuben County's most valuable farmland (particularly vineyards and areas within and bordering large dairy farms and muck land) for purposes of providing regulatory protection, defining agriculture districts, purchasing or leasing development rights and offering other incentives to stay in farming.
Measure: Maps produced (Ag District and otherwise) for local government use.
3.8.2 Encourage towns with zoning to enhance agricultural districts by developing agricultural zoning districts to provide for compatible forms of development within these districts.
Measure: Number of communities employing these measures in their zoning laws (if they have such laws).
3.8.3 Encourage farm landowner participation in the Agricultural Districts program by identifying candidate properties and specifically soliciting those persons through regular paid advertisements, FSA and Cornell Cooperative Extension newsletters and other techniques that allow the benefits of districts to be touted.
Measure: Number of landowners asking to be included in Agricultural Districts.
3.9 Goal: Add value to agricultural products by ensuring quality, encouraging maximum participation of the farm community in State and industry quality assurance programs.
Objectives:
3.9.1 Work with surrounding Counties to promote use of the recently developed "Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty" label (the name is one the most highly recognized of U.S. regions) for specialty food products, including wines, potatoes and dairy products.
Measure: Development of a Finger Lakes label and number of farmers and vineyard owners and wineries participating.
3.9.2 Increase Steuben County farmer use of the Pride of New York label as a means of capturing more intrastate as well as tourist sales.
Measure: Increase Pride of New York program participants to a minimum of 50.
3.9.3 Increase participation in other statewide and national quality certification programs, specifically including beef farm involvement in the New York State Cattle Health Assurance Program and similar endeavors.
Measure: Number of farmers participating in quality assurance programs.
3.9.4 Encourage the participation of more farmers and vineyard owners in state, national and international food competitions and the development of more regional competitions as a means of getting attention for products in the world economy in the manner that some of the County's wineries have already used successfully.
Measure: Number of competitions and number of farmers and vineyard owners and wineries participating.
3.10 Goal: Assist Steuben County's farmers in compliance with Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) regulations and other demands of water quality management connected with farming.
Objectives:
3.10.1 Provide farmers with technical assistance in responding to CAFO regulations and potentially turning these practices into profit through participation in water quality certification programs such as the "Chesapeake Milk" model successfully piloted in the Pennsylvania portion of that watershed.
Measure: Hours of training provided, number of farmers who participate in training and/or water-quality certification programs.
3.10.2 Provide farmers with greater financial assistance in responding to CAFO regulations by encouraging New York State to participate in the Chesapeake Bay Program and both the State and the Federal government to make EQIP and related funding available on a more equitable basis across watersheds throughout the County. Note: The Steuben County Legislature has already passed a resolution to this effect.)
Measure: Dollars available in all watersheds to make CAFO improvements.
3.10.3 Encourage greater use of economical and environmentally friendly practices such as rotational grazing as well as complementary management practices, including pasture fertilization programs, planting of turnip crops and similar strategies aimed at reducing costs and increasing yields.
Measure: Funding applications made and resulting increase in dollars available for promotion of rotational grazing and related or similar practices.
3.10.4 Provide for additional flood control measures along the Cohocton River as a means of reducing pollution threats and loss of prime farmland.
Measure: Funding applications made and resulting increase in dollars available for flood control.
3.11 Goal: Facilitate intergenerational farm transfers among and between families.
Objectives:
3.11.1 Promote intergenerational farm transfers by; promoting use of the Farm Link program, conducting intensive educational sessions, providing top-level legal and financial technical assistance in estate/business planning and identifying and/or establishing sources of start-up capital for young farmers; simultaneously providing for the retirement needs of older farmers.
Measure: Hours of training and technical assistance provided, number of participants and number of successful farm transfers.
3.11.2 Encourage Federal and State governments to eliminate all estate taxes, particularly in regard to farm transfers.
Measure: Elimination of estate taxes.
3.11.3 Develop a leased development rights program in return for abatement of local real property taxes as a means of decreasing the cash flow required during the early years while a farm is being purchased. (See also Objective 3.7.2.)
Measure: Development of an LDR program and number of farmers participating.
3.12 Goal: Increase the profitability of all farm enterprises and ability of farmers to deal with vacillating prices in a changing marketplace.
Objectives:
3.12.1 Train farmers in the use of the Dairy Futures Program, forward pricing and similar mechanisms as means of stabilizing milk and other farm prices and securing greater farm control over costs of farm inputs.
Measure: Hours of training provided and number of farmers who participate.
3.12.2 Provide farmers with general information and research findings on innovative and alternative farming practices that can lower the costs of inputs and/or improve quality for a greater return (e.g. rotational grazing, direct commodity purchasing and other least cost feeds programs).
Measure: Hours of training provided and numbers of farmers using methods.
3.12.3 Annually conduct an intensive training programs for farmers and vineyard owners on the availability of farm tax relief under both New York State and Federal law, including agricultural assessments, exemptions and refunds offered to farmers and vineyard owners apparently unaware of many of them.
Measure: Hours of training provided, number of farmers who participate in training and proportion of farmers who take advantage of programs.
3.12.4 Integrate agriculture into a County economic development strategy geared toward the development of additional commerce and industry that will help to achieve a more balance tax base and reduce the burden on farm land.
Measure: Specific inclusion of agriculture in strategy, development of an expanded commercial/industrial tax base in appropriate communities and lowered taxes for farmers in these communities .
3.12.5 Encourage extension of the Northeast Dairy Compact to New York State.
Measure: Passage of required legislation.
3.12.6 Encourage use of bargaining cooperatives as a device to negotiate over-order milk premiums and higher prices for other agricultural products (e.g. potatoes) on the basis of quality and volume.
Measure: Number of groups organized and over-order premiums secured.
3.12.7 Develop "train the trainer" programs for farm agricultural advisors (including bankers, accountants, lawyers and agency personnel), in relation to business and financial planning so that all such advisors are capable of offering farms good advice on issues of taxes and business management.
Measure: Hours of training provided and number of farm advisors who participate.
3.12.8 Conduct an annual agri-business forum for farmers, bankers, Farm Credit, agencies, and others engaging in serving the farm community to exchange information of programs, industry trends and opportunities.
Measure: Establishment of annual forum and number of participants.
3.12.9 Encourage more on-farm specialization within farm industries (e.g. raising high-bred cattle for export) as well as diversification among farm industries (e.g. combining dairy and beef operations).
Measure: Number of farmers adding profitable new lines of business.
3.12.10 Encourage greater use of recreational leasing as a means of supplementing farm incomes (e.g. "Farmer Phil's Cabins").
Measure: Number of farmers engaged in recreational leasing.
3.12.11 Professionalize real property assessment operations through consolidation and training so as to apply agricultural assessment and tax benefits more properly.
Measure: Hours of training provided, number of assessors who participate .
3.12.12 Train farmers in labor management to reduce employee turnover and related costs.
Measure: Hours of training provided and number of farmers who participate.
3.12.13 Directly train more farmers in the use of business planning methods.
Measure: Hours of training provided and number of farmers who participate.
3.12.14 Increase access to veterinary services in the southern portion of the County by providing incentives such as scholarships, guaranteed first-year salaries, office locations or tax-abatements to attract committed personnel.
Measure: Number of veterinarians available to southern Steuben County.
