Farmland Protection and Food System Plan

Essex County's Farmland Protection and Food System Plan provides a big-picture vision for sustainable growth within the larger food system. When we set out on this journey in 2019, we knew we needed to address the interconnected and holistic nature of the food system in order to address long-term protection of farmland in Essex County. The Plan provides compelling qualitative and quantitative analysis regarding the economic viability of our farms, as well as a concrete set of action items and maps highlighting key farmland to protect.

Ultimately, this Plan serves as a guide for systems planning, county projects, and the numerous partner organizations working in complementary capacities to ensure farming remains viable. In order to ensure all key players and stakeholders in the system are working together on the most efficient path toward positive growth, this Strategic Plan contains action items and indicators to track progress over time. These Plans were signed into law by the County Board of Supervisors in 2022, ensuring local politicians are made aware of the viewpoints and needs of the citizens and organizations. Finally, this Plan may be used as a reference document for grant applications and a strong justification for funding throughout the food system.

The Plan

Section 1

Contextualizes how food system planning and development has the potential to “feed two birds with one scone” by protecting the working landscape, building a stable economic foundation, generating amenities that are attractive to people, providing some level of food security, and developing a buffer against future disturbances (page 1).

Section 2

Reviews findings from the 1997 plan (page 16).

Section 3

Analyzes common challenges that all food systems experience, including challenges that are particularly difficult for small places with limited resources to overcome (page 21).

Section 4

Identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that Essex County’s food system faces (page 63).

Section 5

Describes a set of opportunities and strategies for maximizing Essex County’s strengths (page 87).

Appendices

Survey results are shared in the appendices (page 191).

This Plan was made possible through the support of Essex County, as well as a New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Farmland Protection Planning grant and various community partners who contributed invaluable expertise and time, including the Farmland Protection Board. CCE Essex, Essex County Community Resources and Adirondack Land Trust led the way. A special thank you to Scott Sawyer, lead consultant who prepared the Plan, bringing expertise from his work in food systems planning across the nation to our rural Adirondack county.