West NY News

Cattaraugus County has announced the annual 30-day period for landowners to request the inclusion of agricultural land within an existing agricultural district. This period, established under Agriculture and Markets Law Section 303-b enacted in 2003, will run from January 2 through January 31, 2025. Landowners interested in this opportunity must submit a "Landowner Request for Inclusion" form to the Cattaraugus County Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism by the deadline.

Connor Maxwell can be contacted at 716-938-2387 or csmaxwell@cattco.org for paper forms. Additional forms and information are available online at https://www.CattCo.gov/Ag-Land-Inclusion.

A public hearing will be scheduled later to review all requests and recommendations from the Cattaraugus County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board.

The Agricultural Districts Law was created in 1971 to support farmland use for agriculture. The program provides incentives and protections to prevent farmland conversion to non-agricultural uses. Benefits include protection against restrictive local laws, government-funded projects, and private nuisance suits related to agricultural practices. Agricultural operations within these districts are prioritized for land use, promoting farm continuation and preservation of agricultural land.

It is important not to confuse this with the agricultural assessment program, which taxes eligible farmland based on its agricultural value. For more information on agricultural assessments, landowners should contact their local assessor.