New York Farmland Protection Implementation Grants

The Farmland Protection Implementation Grants (FPIG) Program provides financial assistance to counties, municipalities, soil and water conservation districts, and land trusts to enable them to implement farmland protection activities consistent with local agricultural and farmland protection plans, including those created through the Farmland Protection Planning Grants Program. The most frequently funded activity is the purchase of development rights (PDR) on individual farms. However, FPIG may also award funding to enable other implementation activities, such as amendments to local laws affecting agriculture, option agreements (which lead to PDR), and covering the transaction costs of donated agricultural conservation easements.

Eligible applicants for FPIG include counties, municipalities, soil and water conservation districts, and not-for-profit conservation organizations (called “land trusts”). Joint applications are allowed. Landowners wishing to participate in an FPIG-funded project do not apply to the Department; rather, they should contact one of the eligible entities for more information. Interested farmers or landowners are urged to contact their county Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board to express their interest in participating.

Conservation Plan Requirements

Beginning in 2023, each application or proposal submitted for funding consideration through the Farmland Protection Implementation Grants (FPIG) program must contain an Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) or Equivalent Landowner Participation Verification Form.**  **If that application or proposal is awarded, the participating landowner(s) will receive a Notification to All Participating Landowners in Any Agricultural Conservation Easement Project Receiving a Farmland Protection Implementation Grant (FPIG) at the same time that the Department provides award notification to the entity that submitted that application/proposal. When the awarded entity submits a complete Project File (as required by the contract awarded to that entity) to the Department for review/approval, an additional required document shall also be included: Status of Conservation Plan Certification Form.

FPIG is routinely offered as a statewide grant round in the spring of even-numbered years. On occasion, FPIG may also be offered to address topically specific or otherwise timely farmland protection implementation activities.

• Fact Page