Community input on the future of farming

TOWN OF DELAWARE, NY — Farms are seen by many as being desirable and an asset to the community in the western part of Sullivan County. The question is, what can be done to keep them here and help farming grow?

Those matters were being discussed at a forum for the community held at the Jeffersonville Inn on December 13. About 20 residents from the towns of Delaware and Callicoon turned out to add their input.

Before that happened, however, Nan Stolzenburg, a farmer and planning consultant, made a brief presentation about the results of a survey taken of farmers in the towns.

Of the farms that participated in the survey, many have been in the area for quite a long time. The average age of farms was 75 to 78 years of age, which indicates that many of the farms are multi-generational family operations.

Most farmers in the area depend to a greater or lesser degree in earning income at a secondary activity. Only one farm in Delaware and three in Callicoon, out of dozens in the towns, indicated that they earn more than 75 percent of household income from family farming.

The survey indicated that farmers thought in the future there would be fewer large farms in the county, and farms would be moving away. But the plans they had for their own operations did not reflect that. More farmers indicated that they planned to expand their farming operations in the next 10 years, than those who said they planned to sell. In that sense, said Stolzenburg, the farmers appeared to be optimistic.

After the presentation, residents of the community discussed the place of farming in the community and the challenges faced in the years ahead.

One challenge at the top of the list was that “county agencies seem to support other kids of enterprises, but not farming.” This was repeated by various participants, including Sonja Hedlund of Apple Pond Farm and legislator Frank Armstrong, who is also a farmer.

Armstrong said he would like to see an agency at the county level whose only mission would be to support farming in the county. He said it was not enough to simply try to protect farming here. Instead, the county and towns should be actively working to expand farming, which is still the top industry in the county. He and others suggested there should be more incentives to help get new farmers started in the industry.

Another top goal for some of those on hand was that tourism, which is the second largest industry in the county, should be more closely linked to agriculture as a means of drawing visitors and second home owners.

Other concerns that routinely come up in discussions about farming also cropped up, such as the competition between farmland and land for development, and the challenges posted by the rising costs of everything from labor to fuel and taxes.

The discussion was held as part of a program to develop farmland protection plans for the towns of Delaware, Callicoon, Bethel and Liberty. Another such session is planned for the Towns of Liberty and Bethel at the Cornell Cooperative Extension on Loomis-Ferndale Rdoad in Liberty on January 10, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

For more information call the Sullivan County Department of Planning and Environmental Management at 845/794-3000, ext. 5028, or visit planningbetterplaces.com and click on the current client pages link.

The River Reporter devotes this series to the people of the Upper Delaware region and their perspectives on various community issues. To share your perspective, contact Sandy Long at 845/252-7414 or email sandylong@riverreporter.com.