About ASA
The Agricultural Stewardship Association (ASA) is a nonprofit, community-supported land conservancy dedicated to protecting local farm and forest land.
ASA Mission
Protecting our community's working farms and forests, connecting people to the land, and promoting a vibrant future for agriculture and forestry in our region.
Your art purchase will allow us to:
- Conserve a 420-acre grass-fed, organic dairy farm operated by the 6th generation of the family
- Allow us to work with eight farm families to submit grant applications for new farmland protection projects
- Expand the trail network at the Cambridge Community Forest
- Work to conserve a 141-acre vegetable farm that sells at farmers’ markets and restaurants
- Add stewardship capacity to meet the needs of our expanding list of conserved farms
- Provide workshops and resources on soil health and productivity
- Offer farm tours for urban children through our Farm-to-Fork program
ASA saves farmland for the future
(Pictured above: The Hoag Family - Hoacre Farm Conserved in 2021)
Read more about their conservation story here: Hoacre Farm
Since 1990, ASA has helped conserve over 30,200 acres on 169 properties in Washington and Rensselaer counties in the Upper Hudson River Valley.
Land conserved for agricultural purposes remains available for farming for future generations.
Each family that has protected their land has a unique story, and every conserved farm contributes in its own way to our vision for the continued vitality of agriculture in our region.
There are several options available to landowners who are interested in permanently protecting their land from development. In some cases, ASA can help landowners (usually active farmers) apply for government funding to reimburse the landowner for giving up their development rights in perpetuity. Where government funding is not available, landowners may be able to donate their development rights by giving up those rights for free. This may provide the landowners with certain tax advantages.
We’ll advise on the suitability of each option, based on the goals of the landowner, the attributes of the land, the availability of funding and various other factors.
Once the land is protected by a conservation easement, ASA takes on a permanent responsibility for stewardship, including annual visits to the land and meetings with landowners to ensure that conservation goals are maintained.
Conservation easements endure forever, meaning these acres will always be kept as farmland. Forever.
Visit the ASA website to learn more here
ASA involves the community
The work of ASA is actively supported by many dedicated individuals who donate time, assets and professional expertise. We are fortunate to live in a community that shares a love for the land and takes an active role in protecting it.
ASA offers a variety of events and programs throughout the year, including workshops, farm visits, hikes, bike tours, and a well-regarded art sale, Landscapes for Landsake. All of ASA's endeavors are tied to the land in some way and focus on community involvement in farmland conservation.