“New York is blessed with rich soils, abundant water sources and a diverse terrain that makes New York a terrific place to farm,” the Commissioner said.  “Our farmers take care of a quarter of the State’s total land mass and therefore, it is important that we help them by providing the resources necessary to implement effective environmental management strategies that will keep our waters clean and safe for all New Yorkers.  The Governor’s Agricultural Environmental Management program and continued commitment in funding these projects demonstrates his appreciation for farmers by helping them be the environmental stewards of the land – yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

ANSCAP is a competitive grant program that is administered by the State Soil and Water Conservation Committee and the State Department of Agriculture and Markets.  It awards cost-share funding to county Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) to address water quality challenges facing farms around the State.  Funding for ANSCAP is provided through the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

Eligible ANSCAP projects include those that develop comprehensive nutrient management plans (CNMPs) or implement best management practices (BMPs) to protect water quality while maintaining the economic viability of New York’s diverse agricultural community.  Examples of projects include technical assistance, runoff buffers and waste management systems for watershed protection.  All projects will be implemented by county SWCDs and will be operated and maintained by the farm owner. 

State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Denise M. Sheehen said, “These grants will help our farming community ensure continued protection of our waterways and other natural resources by assisting farms in their efforts to control and reduce non-point source pollution.  I look forward to continuing the substantial progress that we have already made in advancing both our economic and environmental goals.”

New York Farm Bureau President John W. Lincoln said, “New York’s farmers lead the nation in taking environmental protection measures.  This project funding will help us continue with our commitment to voluntarily participating in programs that maintain the quality of the land we work with and protect it for future generations.”

Chair of the State Soil and Water Conservation Committee Dennis Hill said, “AEM is providing technical assistance and resources to farm families working to ensure quality food, a clean environment and a future for farming here in New York.  Through AEM, the State Soil and Water Conservation Committee, County SWCDs and New York’s farm families are leading the nation in conservation.”

The Agricultural Environmental Management program serves as the planning and implementation arm of this grant program.  AEM addresses non point source water pollution originating from farms through a voluntary, incentive-based program for developing and implementing management plans to comply with federal, State and local regulations relating to water quality and other environmental concerns.  Currently, more than 9,000 farms participate in the AEM Program.

To date, Governor Pataki has dedicated more than $43 million to ANSCAP.  In addition to ANSCAP, AEM participants are also eligible for other State, local and federal assistance to support their environmental stewardship efforts.

A list of the 31 projects receiving funding is attached.

Round XII Project Descriptions

Cayuga County SWCD - $394,400

Waste storage facilities on two farms in the Seneca River Watershed, which will reduce nutrient and pathogen loading into the watershed through proper nutrient management. 

Cayuga County SWCD - $24,500

Silage leachate management system on one farm in the Cayuga Lake Watershed, which will reduce nutrient and biological oxygen demanding waste loading. 

Chenango County SWCD - $176,340

Intensive rotational grazing systems in the Chenango, Unadilla, and Susquehanna River Watersheds, including fencing, alternative watering systems, access roads, and stream crossings. 

Cortland County SWCD - $198,737

BMPs in the Otselic River Watershed, including barnyard water management, milkhouse waste treatment system, and intensive grazing on five farms within Cortland and Chenango Counties. 

Cortland County SWCD - $353,042

Nutrient management with agricultural waste storage and transfer, and silage leachate and treatment on four farms in the Tioghnioga River and Chesapeake Bay Watersheds. 

Cortland County SWCD - $55,489

Barnyard water management system on one farm within the Owego Creek Watershed, which will reduce the amount of nutrient and sediment loading into the watershed.

Delaware County SWCD - $79,106

Riparian buffers and associated BMPs on three farms in the Susquehanna River Basin, which will limit access of all livestock from water courses, helping to decrease sediment, phosphorus and pathogens from entering the Susquehanna River Basin.

Erie County SWCD - $120,588

BMPs on four farms in the Cattaraugus Creek Watershed, which will include the construction of milkhouse waste treatment systems, silage leachate management systems, barnyard water management systems, laneway development, alternate water supply system, diversion system and fencing for livestock exclusion.  

Jefferson County SWCD - $189,518

BMPs on five farms in the Sandy Creek, Stony Creek, and Black Pond Watersheds, which will include silage leachate management systems, access road improvement and a composing facility to decrease the flow of nutrients, pathogens, and silt/sediment in the watershed.

Jefferson County SWCD - $15,928

CNMPs for two farms within the Sandy Creek, Stony Creek, and Black Pond Watersheds, which is in response to the AEM initiative to develop and implement farm plans.

Madison County SWCD - $256,413

BMPs on six farms in the Chenango River Watershed, which will include a silage leachate management system, barnyard water management systems, a manure transfer system, and a short duration grazing system to reduce nutrient, pathogen, and sediments from entering the watershed.  

Madison County SWCD - $341,403

19 BMPs on 10 farms in the Oneida Lake Watershed, which will include heavy use area protection, laneway and access road improvement, silage leachate management systems, barnyard water management systems, and milkhouse treatment systems. 

Madison County SWCD - $226,905

BMPs on seven farms in the Upper Tioghnioga River Watershed, which will include silage leachate management systems, barnyard water management systems, agricultural waste management facilities, grazing systems and manure transfer systems to reduce runoff of nutrients.

Montgomery County SWCD - $119,712

BMPs on two farms in the Flat and Lasher Creek Watersheds, which will include pasture management, composting facility, barnyard water management system, silage leachate management, and manure transfer to reduce the amount of nutrients, sediments, and pathogens entering the watershed. 

Niagara County SWCD - $96,390

BMPs on three farms in the Eighteenmile Creek and Johnson Creek Watersheds, which will include an agricultural waste storage facility and manure transfer, heavy use area protection system, and pesticide handling facility to reduce the amount of nutrient and pesticide loading and increase water quality.

Onondaga County SWCD - $167,101

8 BMPs on three farms in the Otisco and Onondaga Lake Watersheds, which will include barnyard water management systems, milkhouse waste treatment systems and prescribed grazing systems to improve water quality by reducing nutrients, sediments, and pathogens from entering the watersheds. 

Ontario County SWCD - $237,359

49 BMPs on eight farms in two subwatersheds of Canandaigua Lake, which will include barnyard water management systems, contour buffer strips, diversion, fencing, grassed waterway, heavy use area protection, streambank protection, and a silage leachate management system to reduce nutrient, sediment, pesticide, and pathogen loading.

Ontario County SWCD - $199,202

52 BMPs on 16 farms in the Keuka, Seneca, and Canandaigua Lake Watersheds, which will include barnyard water management, contour farming, streambank stabilization, wastewater treatment strip, and diversions to positively impact local water quality. 

Orange County SWCD - $127,560

BMPs on 19 farms in the Wallkill River Watershed, which will focus on streambank and shoreline protection, cropland erosion control, and barnyard water management to decrease nutrient, sediment, and pesticide loading in the Watershed.

Orleans County SWCD - $153,215

7 BMPs on six dairy farm operations in the Oak Orchard Watershed in Orleans and Genesee Counties, which will include silage leachate management systems, milkhouse waste treatment systems, and barnyard water management systems to reduce nutrient loading in the watershed.

St. Lawrence SWCD – $31,382

CNMPs on 12 farms in partnership with USDA NRCS, which will address nutrients, pesticides, oxygen demand, and pathogens in four priority watersheds through AEM.

Seneca County SWCD - $192,300

Prescribed grazing systems on 20 farms in the Seneca Lake, Catherine Creek, Seneca River and Lake Ontario Watersheds, which will include fencing, livestock alternate water supplies, livestock exclusion, laneway development, and brush and pasture management to minimize nutrient, sediment, pesticide and pathogen loading into the watersheds. 

Steuben County SWCD - $194,625

Prescribed grazing systems on 19 farms in the Chemung River Basin, which will include fencing, livestock alternate water supplies, laneway development, and pasture management to help reduce surface runoff and nutrient loading entering the Chemung River Basin.

Sullivan County SWCD - $33,550

BMPs on four farms in the Callicoon Creek Watershed, which will include rotational grazing and heavy use area protection to reduce nutrients, pesticides and coliforms from entering the watershed.  

Tioga County SWCD - $98,821

BMPs on one farm in the Catatonk Creek Watershed, which will include a silage leachate management system and composting facility to reduce nutrient and sediment loading.

Tompkins County SWCD – $86,983

Two barnyard water management systems and two milkhouse waste treatment systems on three farms in the Owasco Lake Watershed to address nutrient, pathogen and sediment loading.

Tompkins County SWCD - $314,231

Pasture management systems on 65 farms within the Upper Susquehanna River Watershed to reduce the flow of nutrients, pathogens, and sediments into the watershed.

Tompkins County SWCD - $117,130

Pasture management systems on 22 farms located in the Cayuga and Owasco Lake Watershed, which will reduce the flow of nutrients, pathogens, and sediments into the watersheds.

Tompkins County SWCD - $51,399

Agricultural waste management system on one farm in the Salmon Creek Watershed to improve water quality through the proper storage of manure and lessoning the potential for contamination. 

Wyoming County SWCD - $551,788

BMPs on seven farms located in the East Koy-Wiscoy Creek, which will include five agricultural waste storage facilities, four waste transfer systems, and one barnyard water management system to reduce the flow of sediments and nutrients into the Genesee River Basin.

Yates County SWCD - $127,119

BMPs on 27 vineyard operations in the Central Finger Lake Watershed, and will include mulching and the establishment of cover crops to prevent erosion and control sediment.

TOTAL AWARDED - 5,332,233

2006 Press Releases