In New York State, agriculture is often a significant land use in waterfront communities. It is important for its economic value, its positive contribution to character of the landscape and as an open space resource and often for its role in the history and development of the community. While agriculture that lies within our coastal areas and along our major waterbodies is not a significant percentage of all agriculture within the State, it is often among the most valuable and productive agriculture. These areas include much of the State's orchards and vineyards, which benefit from the moderating climatic effects of the water bodies. Dairy farms, the largest segment of agriculture in the State, as well as examples of many other types of agriculture, can also be found along major waterbodies.

Agriculture faces many threats. Agricultural land goes out of production as a result of regulated and unregulated market forces and as result of competition from other land uses, especially residential development. This latter threat is particularly strong in waterfront communities because of the high demand for homes and other uses near the water. While communities cannot directly affect market forces they can affect the loss of agricultural land to other uses. Agriculture can also be a source of environmental problems, including increased nutrient loading, pesticide contamination, and nuisance odors. However, when properly managed, maintaining land in agriculture can be an excellent way to preserve community character and heritage, provide economic benefit, conserve open space, increase scenic amenities, and protect the environment.

In order to maintain farmland a community needs to first understand the nature of the agriculture that exists. You will need to know:

• What is grown and where is it grown?
• What are the market forces affecting the profitability of farming in your community ? While you may not be able to affect these you need to economic environment in which farmers are operating
• What farm support services exist? Is there sufficient farming in the surrounding area to support the suppliers and distributors necessary for efficient farm operation?
• How strong is the demand for other uses of farmland?
• What are the existing land use regulations of the farmland, what restraints do they place on normal farm operations, what other land uses do they permit?
• What development restrictions on the farmland exist, for example, is it in an Agricultural District, or have development rights been purchased?
• What are the soils and which of these soils have been identified as particularly important for agricultural production?
• What is the history of farming in the community, have farms been in the same family for centuries?
• Are there abandoned farms or old fields that also contribute to the character of the landscape?

In developing your plan to support the continuation of agriculture in your community you should involve all those with an interest in the matter. This would include in addition to the farmers, farm organizations including the New York Farm Bureau and the regional and county farm bureaus, and the American Farmland Trust, private developers, State and federal agricultural agencies, local and county government agencies, land trusts and conservation organizations, environmental and community organizations, and other community leaders and decision makers. Soil surveys exist for each county and are developed by the National Resource Conservation Service and they can be reviewed in County Soil Conservation District Offices, libraries, and other public offices.

The means that you select to maintain farming in your community will depend on the type of farming, the nature of the competition for farmland and the external forces effecting trends in the products of the farms. In consultation with all stakeholders you should select the combination of approaches that best fit the circumstances of your community. Among the options that can be considered are the following:

• Encourage participation in the State Agricultural District Program, or in individual participation in agricultural value assessment programs
• Enact zoning regulations that at a minimum allow for farming and where necessary prohibit other uses or establish large lot sizes that reflect the agricultural activity, e.g., 40 acres, and that reduce the market for competing uses
• Establish, or encourage participation in, purchase of development rights programs
• Provide in your zoning for the transfer of development rights
• Review your land use regulations and eliminate standards for farms that unnecessarily restrict normal farming practices, for example, aesthetic standards in site plan review for new farm buildings
• Require the clustering of development to preserve the best farmland where other uses are allowed on farmland
• Require new non farm uses to provide a buffer between the new use and any farming activity
• Encourage implementation of comprehensive measures to reducing polluted farm runoff
• Preserve historic barns
  
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The Department of Agriculture and Markets administers several funding programs including the New York State Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program (ANSCAP), the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Implementation Project Program, and the Farmland Viability Program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources and Environment can provide assistance with rural development and help communities with natural resource concerns, such as erosion control, watershed protection, and forestry. NRE is composed of the Forest Service (FS) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).