Agriculture is the #1 year-round business in Sullivan County. Because it is so important, several Sullivan County towns have collaborated to develop agricultural enhancement plans. Callicoon together with Delaware and Bethel together with Liberty have received funding from New York State to support development of these plans and have formed committees to start work.
Sullivan County’s agricultural products contributed $78.2 million toward the community’s economy, according to the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Sullivan County. CCE also concluded that each dollar generated at the farm turns over three times in the community, so the total economic impact of agriculture in the County is $234.6 million. This revenue, from only 382 farms in 2007, illustrates the huge impact farming has on the area and the importance of agricultural contributions to the economy.
The Farmland Protection Plans are being developed with funding support from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, via Municipal Farmland Protection Planning Grants. The State awarded two grants of $50,000 for each joint application (Callicoon/Delaware and Bethel/Liberty) to create four individual Municipal Farmland Protection Plans. The collaboration between the municipalities was encouraged by the State as farming related activities, infrastructure and land use activities often extend beyond town boundaries.
This page hosts the documents, maps, and other information related to these plans. For documents and information pertaining to the individual plans, please go to the Callicoon/Delaware page, or the Bethel/Liberty page.
Announcement:
The committees are now reviewing the first full drafts of the plans in preparation for presentation to the public in November.
Copies of the Plans will be available at:
Callicoon: Town of Callicoon Town Hall (482-5390), available October 20th
Delaware: Town of Delaware Town Hall (887-5250), available October 20th
Bethel: Town of Bethel Town Hall (583-4350), available October 30st
Liberty: Town of Liberty Town Hall (292-5111), available October 30st
All four Plans will also be available at the Sullivan County Planning Office after these dates
,and online at:
www.planningbetterplaces.com/CallicoonDelawareAgPlans.html and
www.planningbetterplaces.com/BethelLibertyAgPlans.html
October 31, 2008 Press Release for the Farmer's Survey
