Erie County has released a draft of its updated Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan and is accepting public comments through June 27, 2025. The draft Plan can be viewed and comments submitted at erie.gov/agplanupdate.
Last updated in 2012, the Erie County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan will address the changes in the agricultural landscape over the past 13 years. The Plan outlines key strategies to enhance, sustain and revitalize Erie County Agriculture. The recommendations seek to preserve agricultural land, enhance the financial viability of farming, and promote locally produced agricultural products. It will serve as the roadmap for stakeholders, including farmers, landowners, policy makers, and community members to work collaboratively towards a sustainable agricultural future.
“Protecting our farmland for future generations is critical to the local economy and food supply in Erie County”, said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. “As of 2022, there were 918 farms totaling about 104,000 acres in Erie County producing approximately $192M in goods. But what is alarming is that between 2017 and 2022, Erie County saw an 8.4% decrease in the amount of cropland and a 16.8% reduction in pastureland. This updated plan will help our agricultural community prepare for the future.”
Public Comment Period:
Anyone with an interest in farms, farmland, and food production in Erie County is invited to review the draft, submit comments through June 27, and attend the two public open houses to learn about the updated Plan.
- In-person public open house- June 11 - 6:00 – 7:30pm -Aurora Town Hall - at 575 Oakwood Avenue, East Aurora, 14052
- Virtual public open house (Webex) – June 13 - 12:00 – 1:00pm- Registration is Required - The link to the meeting is bit.ly/agopenhouse
The Plan is guided by the Erie County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board (AFPB), an advisory board on agricultural matters to the Erie County and is funded by Erie County and New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The Erie County Department of Environment and Planning is leading the planning process with support from Labella Associates.
“I’d like to thank all of the farmers, growers, ag-related businesses, County and municipal officials and general public that showed up to multiple in-person and virtual Public Meetings across the County to provide the important input which drove this planning process and helped the AFPB update this Plan,” said Brett Kreher, Chair of the AFPB. “We believe this Plan gives us a renewed focus for the next 10 years”.
“We have seen an increase in development pressure impacting active farms and lands with high quality soils. That’s why it’s more important than ever to have a clear concise plan for the continued viability of agricultural production in Erie County,” saidMark Gaston, Executive Director of the Erie County Soil & Water Conservation District.
Daniel Castle, Commissioner of the Erie County Dept of Environment & Planning, added, “This Update Plan includes updated maps and data that provide a snapshot of the state of agriculture in Erie County, including the identification of active farms and areas of highly productive soils that should be protected from non-agricultural development. The Plan also includes urban farms for the first time.”
Following the public comment period, the feedback received will be addressed and incorporated into the final version of the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan. The final plan will be presented to the Erie County Legislature for approval later this year.
Visit erie.gov/agplanupdate to stay updated on the Plan’s progress, findings, and events.
For more information, contact agriculture@erie.gov.
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