ROOM AT THE TABLE - Intersight - University at Buffalo

2. Facilitate farmers’ greater involvement in Agricultural Districts
(Medium Priority)
Agricultural districts help bring about preservation and protect the
rural character of farmland. Currently, there are 14 Agriculture Districts
within Erie County. The number of Agriculture Districts should be increased
to 18 within 3 years. Because of the amount of land required to create an
Agriculture District (the greater of 500 acres or 10% ownership of the entire
land), this would sizably promote higher farming involvement in these
agriculturally designated areas. These state­generated districts, combined
with an effective agriculturally­targeted regional policy, would further
promote agricultural interests.
3. Identify potential new cropland (Low Priority)
Currently, there is 99,445 acres of cropland in Erie County. Potential
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The Agricultural Land Preservation Board should work to increase a 15
percent increase in the number of cropland acres within 5 years. Identifying
areas that are high­yield and fertile that are not currently zoned as farmland
(See Figures 2.2 and 2.3). All potential agricultural land, including purely
unused land, should be inventoried and examined for possible incorporation
into current farm use, instead of operating under the assumption that the
unused land will simply be developed. Another small­scale effort could
be to encourage backyard farming, providing them with information on
cultivation of fruits and vegetables. This may create a connection in the
minds of local residents that food can be grown in their own backyard,
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4. Establish a seed bank (Low Priority)
Currently, there is no resource for farmers to obtain local seeds. The
Agricultural Land and Preservation Board should research the extent to
which farmers would utilize such a seed bank. Sales from greenhouses and
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