Agricultural & Farmland Protection Board

Members

January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2018

• Shawn Gilson
  3699 State Route 21
  Wayland, NY 14572
• Tom Massi
  246 Victory Highway
  Painted Post, NY 14870

January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2019

• Charles Painter
  295 Murray Road
  Addison, NY 14801
• Mike Slayton
  7195 County Route 27
  Hornell, NY 14843

January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2021

• Ken Ward, MJ Ward and Sons
  P.O. Box 747
  Bath, NY 14810
• Matthew Doyle
  Doyle Vineyards Management
  P.O. Box 476
  Hammondsport, NY 14840

Ex-Officio Members (Voting)

• Robert V. Nichols, Steuben County Legislator, District 11
• Chairperson, Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors, or Designee
• Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension, or Designee
• Steuben County Planning Director, or Designee
• Steuben County Real Property Tax Service Agency, or Designee

Advisory Members (Non-Voting)

• James C. Johnson, Executive Director, Steuben County Industrial Development Agency

Overview

Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board, established by the Steuben County Legislature, includes five active farmers, one agribusiness person, and ex officio members, as required by New York State Agriculture and Markets Law. The board advises the Legislature regarding Agricultural District Reviews and leads the effort to implement the Steuben County Agricultural Development and Expansion Plan (PDF) that was approved in 2015. The board also reviews Notices of Intent for the reasonableness of proposed actions in Agricultural Districts that involve government funds or acquisition of land by a government. The board may also ask the New York State Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets to review state agency rules and regulations that affect farming in Agricultural Districts. Steuben County has a Right to Farm Law (PDF) and the Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board is sometimes called upon to mediate disagreements between farmers and their neighbors as outlined in the law.