Agriculture

Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District (GCSWCD) assists Greene County farmers interested in participating in the statewide Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program. 

What is AEM?

AEM is a statewide, voluntary program led by the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts that helps farmers make sound economic and environmental decisions to help meet business objectives while preserving the state’s natural resources. GCSWCD AEM program staff help farmers by identifying environmental risks in their farm operation and offering conservation plans to address the concerns.

Five Tiers of AEM:

• Tier 1 – Identify current activities, future plans, and potential environmental concerns through the completion of a Tier 1 Questionnaire.
• Tier 2 – GCSWCD AEM program staff will visit the farm operation to view current practices and document land stewardship. Program staff will assess and prioritize any areas of concern.
• Tier 3 - Conservation plans will be developed to address concerns and highlight any opportunities which may benefit the operation.
• Tier 4 – Implement conservation plans using available assistance.
• Tier 5 – Re-evaluation of continued and implemented farm practices over time.

Am I eligible for AEM?

Any farm operation is eligible to participate in the AEM program.

What topics does the AEM assessment address?

The questionnaire and the AEM assessment addresses topics such as:

• Agriculture and the Community
• Heavy Use Area Protection
• Management of Feed Nutrients
• Manure and Fertilizer Storage
• Nutrient Management
• Pasture and Livestock Odor Management
• Pesticide Use and Storage
• Petroleum and Oil Product Storage
• Process Wash Water
• Silage Storage
• Soil, Forest, and Stream & Floodplain Management
• Waste Disposal
• Water-borne Pathogens
• Watershed Site and Farmstead Water Supply Evaluation

Who will see the information collected about my operation?

Information gathered through the AEM program is confidential and will only be viewed by GCSWCD AEM program staff. The information is used to help the farm operation understand which farm practices to maintain or amend in order to help meet the farm’s goals.

Does the farm assessment have to be done more than once?

Not necessarily, but it may be needed for other programs. New York State Grown & Certified requires the farm operation to participate in AEM Tier 2 (or higher) every three years.

To learn more about AEM, visit the Department of Agriculture and Markets' Agricultural Environmental Management  page or contact the GCSWCD Main Office at 518-622-3620.

GCSWCD assists Greene County landowners in the completion of Soil Group Worksheets (Form APD-1) and soil maps which are required for participation in the Agricultural Assessment Program. Agricultural Assessments are due March 1^st annually. This service is free to all Greene County landowners.

What is the Agricultural Assessment Program?

Through the Agricultural Districts Law, property tax bills can be reduced for eligible landowners with land used for agricultural production. Lands may be inside or outside of Greene County’s Agricultural District 124. Land rented for agricultural production may also be eligible for an Agricultural Value Assessment.

Am I eligible for an Agricultural Assessment?

Eligibility is determined by the local Town Assessor or a board of assessors in the municipality where the application is submitted. General eligibility requirements are listed below:

• Owned or rented land must be at least seven acres, contiguous or non-contiguous, which has been used in the preceding two years for production of crops, livestock, or livestock products and yielded an average of $10,000 in annual gross sales.
• Owned or rented land less than seven acres, contiguous or non-contiguous, which has been used in the preceding two years for production of crops, livestock, or livestock products and yielded an average of $50,000 in annual gross sales.

Note: Startup farm operations are eligible if they meet the same acreage and gross sales requirements listed above.

More information on the Agricultural Assessment Program, including eligibility requirements, can be found at the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance page.

You may also contact your local Town Assessor. Further information on the Town Assessor for each municipality can be found on the local municipalities’ website. A list of the Greene County municipalities’ websites can be found at the Greene County Government website.

How do I apply for an Agricultural Assessment?

Landowners must apply through their local Town Assessor for an Agricultural Assessment. Landowners must file one or more relevant forms with the Assessor by March 1st. Property owners should verify with their local Town Assessor which form(s) must be completed. Some of the most common forms are listed below:

• Form RP-305, Agricultural Assessment Application
• Form RP-305-r, Agricultural Assessment Renewal
• Form RP-305-c, Agricultural Assessment Written Lease Affidavit for Rented Land

These forms, as well as many other agricultural tax forms, can be found at the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance Property Tax Forms - Agricultural Assessment webpage.

How does GCSWCD help me complete my Agricultural Assessment Application?

GCSWCD will complete the first step in the application process by plotting all eligible farmland on each tax parcel enrolled in the program and creating individual soil maps for each parcel. Woodland areas and ineligible lands should be communicated with GCSWCD, though they may not appear on the soil maps. These maps are developed using tax parcel maps, soil maps, and the most recent aerial imagery for Greene County.

The farmland will be classified by soil productivity. This information will be recorded on the Soil Group Worksheet (Form APD-1) for each tax parcel. The Soil Group Worksheet is used to fill in the Agricultural Assessment Application.

Note: Soil values are updated annually at the beginning of each year. GCSWCD begins Soil Worksheets and soil maps when the new soil values updated, usually the end of January.

What information do I need to provide to GCSWCD?

Soil Worksheets and soil map requests can be made at any time. The District is aware of the March 1st deadline for the Agricultural Assessment Applications. In order to ensure the documents are completed in a timely manner, please make sure you provide all of the following information:

 Property Owner Contact Information

• Property Owner/Business Name
• Mailing Address
• Phone Number
• Email (optional)

Rental Status

• Is the land farmed by property owner or is it rented to another individual?
• Renter Contact Information
• Name of renter
• Phone Number
• Email (optional)

Property Information

• Tax Parcel ID (optional, if known. ex. XXX.XX - X - XX)
• Tax Parcel Local Address
• Agricultural District Inclusion Status
• Recent Property Changes (such as change in ownership, clearing of woods, subdivision, etc.)

Submit a Request Online

Requests can now be submitted online, using Tripetto! Please click the button below to access the online Agricultural Assessment Request Form.

Click here for the Agricultural Assessment Request Form! 

Submit a Request by Phone

To make a request over the phone, please contact the GCSWCD Main Office at 518-622-3620.

There are many additional agricultural programs available to Greene County agricultural producers. Contact the following agencies to learn more about additional agricultural programs. Please note that this is not a complete list of agricultural programs available.

Greene County Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Planning

Address: 411 Main Street, Suite 419, Catskill, NY, 12414
Phone: 518-719-3290
Visit Website

Conservation Programs:

• Agricultural District Program
  • Greene County Agricultural District No. 124 was established under Article 25AA of the NYS Agriculture & Markets Law. Land enrolled in the Agricultural District Program is protected by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets right-to-farm laws.
  • During the annual enrollment period between October 1 and October 30, landowners may request to include land in the Greene County Agricultural District No. 124.
  • Requests should be directed to the Greene County planning representative

NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

Address: 10B Airline Drive, Albany, NY 12235
Visit Website

Conservation Programs:

• Agricultural Non-point Source Abatement and Control
• Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning
• Climate Resilient Farming
• Source Water Buffer Program
• Ecosystem Based Management Program

In addition to the programs listed above, resources for new and expanding farm operations can be found at the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets Beginning Farmers page.

USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Ghent Service Center

Address: 1024 Route 66, Ghent, NY 12075-3200
Phone: 518-828-4385
Visit Website

Conservation Programs:

• Conservation Stewardship Program
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program
• Emergency Watershed Protection Program

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Ghent Service Center

Address: 1024 Route 66, Ghent, NY 12075-3200
Phone: 518-828-4385
Visit Website

Conservation Programs:

• Conservation Reserve Program
• Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
• Emergency Conservation Program
• Emergency Forest Restoration Program
• Farmable Wetlands Program

Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC)

Address: 33195 State Highway 10, Walton, NY 13856
Phone: 607-865-7790
Visit Website

Farm planning and best management practice installation programs are available to farms located within the NYC Watershed. Within Greene County, this area would be within the Schoharie Reservoir Watershed.