Environment DEC
From the September 2003 issue
Governor Announces Recipient of 2003 Environmental Stewardship Award
Governor George E. Pataki announced last month that the Chambers families of Salem, Washington County won the 2003 Environmental Stewardship Award. This award is given each year to a New York farm family that incorporates exceptional conservation practices on their farm.
The award winners were chosen from
nominees across the state who incorporate
exceptional conservation practices on their farms
"New York is known for its rich soils, abundant water supply and diverse terrain, and we are fortunate to have families like the Chambers, whose good stewardship of the land keeps our landscapes so productive and viable," Governor Pataki said. "I congratulate the Chambers families on their accomplishments and the Washington County SWCD (Soil and Water Conservation District) for their assistance in helping to protect our precious resources."
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Nathan L. Rudgers presented the award to the Chambers families at the annual Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls. He said, "The Chambers are well deserving of this award and have done an outstanding job in utilizing conservation techniques that have helped protect their land, while allowing their dairy operation to grow. I also commend the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District on its strong role in assisting the Chambers families, and other local farmers, to achieve these accomplishments and for keeping agriculture an environmentally sound industry in Washington County."
The Environmental Stewardship Award is co-sponsored by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, American Agriculturist Magazine and the Empire State Potato Growers. The award winners were chosen from nominees submitted by county soil and water conservation districts across New York State.
Chambers Valley Farm
Brothers Robert and James Chambers and their families own and operate Chambers Valley Farm. They have been very proactive in addressing the conservation needs of their farm, particularly with preventing erosion on the bottomlands of the White Creek Valley, where much of their cropland is located.
Other conservation practices have included: rock riprap and biotechnical streambank stabilization projects, riparian grass buffer projects, rye cover crop plantings on highly erodible soils, the installation of a 2400 square foot concrete pad for heifer feeding, and 300 feet of natural channel construction and fish habitat improvement. Currently, the Chambers are working with the Washington County SWCD on developing a comprehensive nutrient management plan.
Although Chambers Valley Farm has significantly expanded over the past 33 years, it still has the character of a family-based operation. The farm's dairy herd consists of 600 lactating animals. It also has about 80 dry cows and 190 heifers, and an additional 235 replacement heifers are being raised at a local facility.
The Chambers grow more than 500 acres of corn silage and nearly 600 acres of hay. The newest component of the family business is the Dry Brook Sugar House, a 150-acre, 5500-tap sugarbush that produces about 1300 gallons of maple syrup annually.
Family Farms and the Washington County SWCD
In addition to working with the Chambers Valley Farm, the Washington County SWCD has been at the forefront in the agricultural community in participating in conservation programs, obtaining grant funding and providing assistance to local farms. The SWCD has promoted involvement in the Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Program and given assistance in securing the necessary permits for the streambank stabilization and channel modification projects.
Agricultural Environmental Management Program
New York's Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Program serves as a national model of how a voluntary, incentive-based approach can successfully result in protecting and enhancing the state's soil and water resources, while meeting the economic needs of our diverse agricultural industry. The AEM partnership of local, state and federal agencies, environmental groups, and businesses and farmers, provides the technical, educational and financial assistance to develop and implement sound conservation plans. Chambers Valley Farm was one of the first farms in Washington County to incorporate AEM into its farm management.
