Fair Farming: AG Protections depend on where you live in NY

NEW YORK (WABC) -- There's a fight sprouting up just outside of New York City, a fight to preserve and protect farmland.

Farmers who live throughout the state can apply to have their land become part of what's called an Agricultural District. It protects the land from development, prevents unreasonable local restrictions and allows the farmer to apply for federal grants.

But Eyewitness News discovered getting the designation all depends on where you live.

"I think we are the next generation of what farming looks like," said Dan Honovich.

In just the past three years, Dan and his wife Arielle have accumulated more than 100 acres of farmland in Putnam County.

It's an idea that grew between the couple after buying their first piece of property.

"I thought of the idea of getting goats, so we didn't have to weed whack an entire hillside," said Dan Honovich.

"And then we got some friends and we got the donkey to help protect the goats," said his wife Arielle.

Now, they have cows and a variety of other animals.

"It's a 24/7, 365 lifestyle," said Dan.

They operate Ridge Ranch, a small farm where they breed animals and host events where the community can get up close with the animals.

"Farming is not an easy thing to make profitable, to survive every little bit helps," he said.

The family applied to become protected by an agricultural district. More than 25,000 farms in the State of New York already have the designation.

"For us, it's make it or break it, it would be hard for us to stay in the area if we don't get the support needed," said Arielle.

The Putnam County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board approved their plans. But the entire Putnam County Legislature didn't sign off on the plan. The board claimed the farm doesn't have the right soil. Even though they've given protection to thousands of acres of Putnam County land with similar soil in the past.

The Chairman of the Putnam County Legislature Paul Jonke told Eyewitness News a local resolution or rule was passed close to two decades ago requiring farms to have a certain type of soil and minerals. It's a rule they haven't enforced until now.

The State Department of Agriculture and Markets runs the program and has no soil requirements but it's up to local counties to send recommendations to the State.

Eyewitness News reached out to more than 30 counties in New York. Out of the 15 counties that responded, none of them have certain soil requirements like Putnam County. The counties that responded range from Orange to Suffolk, to Genesee and Westchester Counties.

Regardless, after a tense County legislative board meeting in August, Putnam County voted down not just the Honovich family' s application, but all ten farmers who applied.

Chairman Jonke said, he wants the local law reviewed first before moving forward and wants input from community members. There's no timetable for when that will happen.

"I think the county would prefer to have themselves and local government control the things we can and cannot do," said Arielle.

The Honovich's say, getting the agricultural district protections could help determine whether their farm is here for the next generation to come, or not.

"Sadly, if we can't be an AG District, the alternative would be selling this property to a developer who would put 30 houses here and this land would be forever lost," said Dan.

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