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CLC’s Farmland Advocacy Timeline
1999
CLC participates in New York State’s first purchase of farmland development rights program, made possible under the Farmland Protection Implementation Grant (FPIG) Program.
2007
CLC establishes Farmer Landowner Match program, matching landowners with farmers seeking to lease farmland.
2008-to the present
From 2008 to 2016 no NYS FPIG grants available. CLC begins to partner with Scenic Hudson on farmland conservation easement projects with affordability components funded through Federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, now the Agriculture Land Easement Program.
Since 2008, CLC has protected a total of 35 farms in collaboration with Scenic Hudson and some also with Equity Trust, using a combination of federal and state grants, sometimes with landowner donor components as well.
2013
CLC begins collaboration with Dutchess Land Conservancy expanding Match Program into Dutchess County
2014
CLC collaborates with the American Farmland Trust to help establish and become part of the Hudson Valley Farmlink Network.
2018
Farmlink Network expands throughout the state as NYFarmlandfinder.
2018
CLC merges all farmland protection work under the Farmland Access, Resources and Matching Program (FARM).
2018
NYS Working Farm Protection Act provides public funding for an affordability provision in conservation easements. CLC awarded one of the two state-funded farmland protection projects under the Act, ensuring the farms will be protected and sold in perpetuity to qualified farmers at agricultural value.
2019
CLC purchases the Thompson-Finch Farm in Ancram with the help of multiple partner organizations and support of 300+ community members, and awards the existing farmers a long-term ground lease. Under the terms of this innovative agreement, the farmers retain ownership of farm buildings, will make improvements in infrastructure like fencing and irrigation, and have the right to recoup those investments when they are ready to transfer the lease to the next generation of farmers.
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