Farming and the resource base of farmland are vital to the economic health, culture, and natural beauty of the Washington County Region. Local farmers and other citizens concerned by the loss of farmland in our area incorporated the Agriculture Stewardship Association in 1990 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust. ASA's primary mission is farmland conservation: to permanently protect the land available for agriculture in the Washington County Region.
Over the past fifteen years, ASA has helped landowners in the region conserve over 5,420 acres of land producing food, fiber and forest products by placing those lands under conservation easement. These lands have been protected primarily through the donation of development rights (DDR) and purchase of development rights (PDR), in cooperation with the Washington County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board, the State of New York and the United States Department of Agriculture.
Since 2002, ASA has worked in partnership with The Conservation Fund on high priority farmland protection projects. The Conservation Fund is a national conservation organization that helps local, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations work with willing landowners to protect working landscapes, open space, wildlife habitat, public recreation areas, river corridors and historic places.
ASA has a dedicated board of directors, a full-time executive director and professional staff. We also receive assistance from committed volunteers.
Board of Directors
- President: Seth Jacobs, Vegetable Grower, Argyle
- Vice President: Sean Quinn, Heifer Facility Operator, Easton
- Secretary: Mary Ellen Williams, Retired Librarian, Greenwich
- Treasurer: Tom Jilek, Dairy Farmer, Salem
- Nancy Brown, Beef Farmer, Jackson
- Leon Clark, Dairy Farmer, Hampton Town Supervisor, Hampton
- Philip Gitlen, Attorney, Easton
- Remus Preda, Attorney, Argyle
- Glenwood Rowse, Beef Farmer, Cambridge
- Jim Ruhl, Land Use Planner, Ballston Lake
- Meg Southerland, Flower and Berry Farmer, Salem
- Margaret Stokowski, Stokowski and Sons, Granville
Staff
- Executive Director: Teri Ptacek
- Senior Program Manager: Renee Bouplon
- Membership and Office Coordinator: Rachael Buhler
- Senior Project Manager: Maria Trabka
- Land Steward: Janet Britt
Funding
ASA is funded in part by the contributions of members, The Conservation Fund and the New York Conservation Partnership Program. The New York Conservation Partnership Program is administered by the Land Trust Alliance Northeast Program with support from the State of New York.
