Orange County Land Trust urges Sullivan County to consider Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act for farmland protection

Mike Sweet of the Orange County Land Trust told the Sullivan County Legislature’s planning committee that a recent state operating-budget allocation and a county-level option under the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act could help preserve farmland in Sullivan County.

Sweet said the 2025 state operating budget included $75,000 to contract with the Orange County Land Trust to work on farmland preservation. He told the committee that state and federal programs will pay major shares of easement costs but typically require a local match, and that the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act (HVCPA) offers one path for communities to generate matching funds through a voter-authorized real estate transfer tax.

The presentation outlined how farmland conservation easements work and how communities have funded local match. Sweet described easements as deeded restrictions that “run with the land,” preserving the property’s agricultural use while generally prohibiting residential subdivision. He said easements allow ongoing farm uses such as accessory buildings, agritourism, logging notifications and pond dredging…