ALBANY, NY — The week of June 4, a bill sponsored by both Assembly Member Paula Elaine Kay and Senator Peter Oberacker to include Sullivan County as a designated community for Sullivan County municipalities to establish their own locally tailored farmland preservation plans was passed in the Assembly and the Senate. Assembly Bill A9411 and Senate Bill S8938 both passed their respective houses with an overwhelming majority. 

Assembly Member Paula Elaine Kay said, “This bill will give our municipalities the freedom to create their own farmland preservation plans through the establishment of a community preservation fund, as is already the case in many of our neighboring counties. I echo those who are shouting, ‘No Farms, No Food,’ because in Sullivan County, we recognize every day just how true that is. The farms in Sullivan County are some of the State’s most valuable treasures, and who knows what our farms need better than the farmers who run them and the municipalities that support them? I am happy that my partner in the Senate, Senator Oberacker and I were able to get this bill done for Sullivan County, for all of our municipalities, and, most of all, for the farmers of Sullivan County.” 

Senator Peter Oberacker said, "Sullivan County's farms are the backbone of our rural communities, and this legislation ensures that the people closest to the land have the tools and the authority to preserve it for generations to come. I'm proud to have partnered with Assembly Member Kay on this bill, and I'm grateful to the farmers, local officials, and advocates who pushed for it. State government works best when it empowers local communities to make their own decisions, and that's exactly what our legislation does." 

Orange County Land Trust Community Liaison Michael Sweeton said, “Passage of this legislation will allow Towns in Sullivan County to preserve critical farmland and protect the source of local food for the Hudson Valley. The Orange County Land Trust is proud to have been a partner in helping to secure the future of farming in Sullivan County. Thank you to Assembly Member Kay, and Senator Oberacker for sponsoring this historic legislation.” 

Chair of the Sullivan County Legislature Nadia Rajsz said, “I’m so grateful to Assembly Member Kay and Senator Oberacker for listening to us and getting this legislation done for Sullivan County. This will help preserve valuable farmland across Sullivan County and pay dividends for our constituents for generations to come. Thank you again to Assembly Member Kay and Senator Oberacker, and I look forward to Governor Kathy Hochul signing this bill into law later this year.” 

Sullivan County District 1 Legislator Matt McPhillips said, “I applaud the hard work and collaboration that made this legislation possible, from its proposal by the Sullivan County Agriculture Board, to unanimous passage by the Sullivan County Legislature through my position as the chair of the Planning Committee and the strong support from our municipalities and state leaders. This effort has been a shining example of bipartisan cooperation across all levels of government to deliver a positive result for Sullivan County.” Matt continues, “I look forward to Governor Hochul signing this bill into law so that participating municipalities will have an important new tool to help preserve agricultural land, protect environmentally significant areas, and encourage smart, sustainable growth throughout Sullivan County.”