-For Immediate Release-

January 25, 2008

Genesee Land Trust Announces 600 Acres Preserved in Wayne County

Genesee Land Trust, in partnership with the towns of Ontario and Walworth, has preserved three family farms through the purchase of their development rights.  The state and federal farm protection programs provided substantial grant funding that covered the purchases plus transaction and other fees, securing these conservation easements and enabling the permanent protection of these working farms in Wayne County.

With a seven generation history, the 339 acre Albright farm is located along Lake Road in the town of Ontario. The Keyes farm, 129 acres on Ontario Center Road in Walworth, has been worked by the family for over forty years. Lastly, the Weber family’s 123 acres along Ontario Center Road in Walworth is adjacent to other parcels creating hundreds of contiguous acres of working farmland.

“The protection of these three farms is the result of the commitments made by many to ensure healthy and productive farms in our region for the future, including: the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the USDA NRCS Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, who awarded grant funding; Ora Rothfuss, Wayne County Agriculture Development Specialist,  who guided all through the grant process; the towns of Ontario and Walworth who have pursued farmland protection as part of their vision for the future, and most of all the individual farmers and their families who voluntarily chose the option to protect their land,” said Gay Mills, executive director, Genesee Land Trust.

Genesee Land Trust, a non-profit land conservation organization, currently protects over 3,000 acres in the greater Rochester area. Visit: www.geneseelandtrust.org

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 Contact:

Margaret Potter

Assistant Director

Genesee Land Trust

500 East Avenue, Suite 200

Rochester NY 14607

(585) 256-2130

info@geneseelandtrust.org