(Schenectady County, NY)  Schenectady County officials today thanked Commissioner Richard Ball from the New York State Department of Department of Agriculture and Markets for agreeing to continue the Schenectady County Agricultural District for another eight years.

“We are very pleased that Commissioner Ball has recertified the Agricultural District for another eight years,” said Anthony Jasenski Chairman of the Schenectady County Legislature. “Schenectady County is committed to our agricultural industry and actively encourages local farmers and growers to request inclusion in the agricultural district.  The Agricultural District helps us preserve small local farms and maintain green space in Schenectady County.”

The Schenectady County Agricultural District was created in 1988 and must be reviewed and recertified by the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets every eight years.

The goal of the Agricultural District is to encourage the continued use of farmland for agricultural production and maintain and enhance the agricultural industry within Schenectady County. The district provides a combination of landowner incentives and protections, all of which are designed to forestall the conversion of farmland to non-agricultural uses. Included in these benefits are preferential real property tax treatment (agricultural assessment and special benefit assessment), and protections against overly restrictive laws that limit agriculture.

The Schenectady County Agricultural District consists of 18,764 acres. This represents approximately 13 percent of the total land area in the County.  The Agricultural District has grown by 2,159 acres since the last review was conducted in 2004.  The majority of the County’s agricultural district is located within the Town of Duanesburg (57%), followed by Princetown (17%), Glenville (14%), Rotterdam (11%), and Niskayuna (1%).

The Schenectady County Department of Economic Development and Planning completed the eight year program update with assistance from the County’s Agricultural and Farm Land Protection Board.  The updated Agricultural District was approved by the Schenectady County Legislature before it was submitted to New York State for review.

Each December, the County accepts applications for inclusion in the Agricultural District. For more information, contact the Department of Economic Development and Planning at 518-386-2225.