Resource and Environmental Management
RESOURCE & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Agriculture
Jefferson County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board
The Department administers and supports the Board in two main areas.
NYS Certified Agricultural Districts
The County Agriculture Districts Program includes over 246,000 acres of land in three separate Districts in the County. New York’s Agricultural Districts Law, Article 25-AA PDF of the NYS Agriculture and Markets Law, was enacted in 1971 to help keep farmland in agricultural production.
There are two processes at the county level for the addition and review of these districts. Each Certified Agricultural District is required by New York State to undergo and Eight-Year Review to determine if the district still consists of predominantly viable agricultural land. There is also an annual individual inclusions process where agricultural land may be added to an existing certified agricultural district.
The New York State Agricultural Districts Law requires counties to establish an annual 30 day period to allow parcels of predominantly viable agricultural land to be added to existing New York State Certified Agricultural Districts. The Jefferson County Board of Legislators has set June 1st through June 30th of each year for this purpose.
Viable agricultural land is land that is actively farmed as well as inactive and non-farm acreage which is highly suitable for agricultural production. A parcel of land is “predominantly” viable if a minimum of 51% of the parcel meets the above definition.
Certified Agricultural Districts are designed to protect agriculture through a combination of landowner incentives and protections that discourage the conversion of farmland to non-agricultural uses, including:
• providing reduced property tax bills for agricultural lands - property owners must apply annually with their local assessor for an agricultural assessment
• providing the framework to limit unreasonable local regulation on accepted agricultural practices
• providing Right to Farm provisions that protect accepted agricultural practices from private nuisance suits
• modifying state agency administrative regulations and procedures to encourage the continuation of agricultural businesses
• modifying the ability to advance public funds to construct facilities that encourage development
• preventing benefit assessments, special ad valorem levies, or other rates and fees on farmland for the finance of improvements such as water, sewer or nonfarm drainage
• modifying the ability of public agencies to acquire farmland through eminent domain
Certified Agricultural Districts primarily benefit owners of land that is farmed. Being part of a Certified Agricultural District does not:
• directly affect the use of land beyond existing requirements, for example, zoning
• directly reduce or increase tax assessments—agricultural landowners can apply to the local tax assessor for an annual agricultural assessment
Jefferson County 2024 Agricultural Districts Town and Village Maps
Summary of Agricultural Districts Law Section 303-B
Jefferson County Agricultural Districts
Southeast District #1
The Southeast District consists of land within the Towns of Champion, Rodman, Rutland, Wilna, Worth and portions of the Towns of Adams, Hounsfield, Watertown and Lorraine.
The next Eight-year Review will commence in the spring of 2028.
North Agricultural District #2
The North District consists of land within the Towns of Brownville, Pamelia, LeRay, Lyme, Orleans, Philadelphia, Antwerp, Cape Vincent, Clayton, Theresa, and Alexandria.
The next Eight-year Review will commence in the spring of 2031.
Southwest District #3
The Southwest District consists of land within the Towns Hounsfield, Henderson, Ellisburg and portions of the Towns of Adams, Watertown, and Lorraine.
The Southwest Eight-year Review will commence in the spring of 2025.
Some landowners with land currently enrolled in the Southwest District will receive a Farm Survey that is intended to gauge the state of agriculture in the District. Landowners who currently own an agricultural operation within the Southwest District or rent their land to an agricultural operation are asked to complete and return the survey by June 30, 2025. The compiled results of the survey will be included in the Jefferson County Farmland Protection Board’s eight-year review report to the Jefferson County Board of Legislators. Individual responses will not be detailed in the report.
After the open period ends, the Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board will review the requests and prepare a report that is submitted to the County Board of Legislators for their consideration. The Board will then hold a public hearing to receive feedback on the requested modifications, if any. Once the County Board of Legislators has approved of the changes, the report is finalized and sent to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for recertification of the North District. This process typically takes eight to ten months.
2025 Southwest District Survey form SW Agricultural District Press Release
2018 Southwest District Report Agricultural District FAQs
For more information contact:
Sam Wilson, Community Development Coordinator
Jefferson County Department of Planning
(315) 785-3144
swilson@jeffersoncountyny.gov
Annual Agricultural Inclusions
Landowners can request to have their property added to a Certified Agricultural District during Jefferson County's Annual Individual Inclusions open enrollment. The Jefferson County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board announces that the next annual open enrollment period for the addition of viable agricultural lands into Jefferson County Agricultural Districts will take place from June 1st through June 30th . Note that property can only be removed from an Agricultural District during the District's eight-year review.
Agricultural Districts are intended to encourage the continued use of farmland for agricultural production. Enrollment of viable agricultural lands into a State-certified Agricultural District provides protection of accepted agricultural practices through New York State Agricultural Districts Law. Viable agricultural land is land highly suitable for, or currently used for, agricultural production.
For more information contact:
Sam Wilson
Jefferson County Department of Planning
(315) 785-3144
2025 Inclusion Enrollment Form
2024 Agricultural Inclusion Report
2023 Agricultural Inclusion Report
County's Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan
The importance of agriculture to Jefferson County cannot be understated. Agriculture has an important economic role and is also a critical feature of the landscape, contributor to tourism, and is valued as a land use contributing to the quality of life in the County.
The Jefferson County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board, with the assistance of Community Planning and Environmental Associates, has updated the 2002 Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan.
The 2016 Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan provides the County:
• A long-term vision and direction to guide policies and programs that can enhance agriculture;
• Strategies to maintain agriculture as a critical land use and economic driver;
• A framework for organization and collaboration to promote existing and new farm operations;
• Identification of potential project partners and sources of funding; and
• Data, maps, and other information that can be used to support agricultural economic development, public relations, marketing, grant writing, and other programs related to agriculture.
A variety of approaches were used to learn what farmers, agri-businesses, and agencies involved with supporting agriculture think are issues and opportunities to be addressed in this Plan. Public outreach and farmer input was gathered through a comprehensive process that included:
• Workshop for Farmers;
• Roundtable discussion with the Jefferson County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board;
• Discussion with the Jefferson County Agricultural Round Table;
• A farmer’s survey;
• Focus group meetings to learn about CAFO Farms, dairy processing, land trusts and farmland protection in the County, agri-businesses, ag-tourism, and ag-economic development; and
• Interviews with several farms.
The public input received from these efforts was organized into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to agriculture. From this, the vision and goals were developed along with a list of issues to be addressed and new strategies to implement.
Call the Jefferson County Department of Planning if you have any questions, (315) 785-3144.
2016 Jefferson County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan
Part 2 State of Agriculture in Jefferson County
Jefferson County Right to Farm Law
Jefferson County Purchase of Development Rights Executive Summary
Stormwater Management Program (MS4)
Septic System Replacement Program
Jefferson County is participating in the NYS Septic System Replacement Program. The purpose of this fund is to replace existing cesspools and septic systems that are having significant and quantifiable environmental and/or public health impacts to groundwater used for drinking water, or a threatened or impaired waterbody.
In Jefferson County, Priority Geographic Areas identified for this program include: Moon Lake, Red Lake, Indian River, St. Lawrence River, and Guffin Bay.
More detailed information is provided below.
Septic Repair and Replacement Program Outline
Septic System Replacement Fund Program Summary
Septic System Replacement Grant Application
Septic System Replacement Grant Eligible Costs
Septic Replacement Program Grant Press Release - 7/8/2024
FEMA – FLOOD MAP INSURANCE & CONTACTS
Snowmobile Grant-In-Aid Program
The Department works with snowmobile clubs and administers this NYS grant pass-through program on behalf of the County. The 2013-2014 grant will be the 23rd consecutive year that the County has participated in the program to enable access to trail maintenance and grooming funds.
