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The Resources corttirZ11,61 froni previous page ■ New York State Department of Agriculture and. Markets' mission is to prornote a competi- tive and financially sound agricultural industry, foster environmental stewardship by agricul- tural producers, and safeguard the food supply of Neer Fork residents. Search the 'Web site at http: / /www.agmkt. state .ny.us /TheDepartment.html or contact the department at 518 -457 -3880 or 1- 500 - 554 -4501. 0 Natural Resources Conservation Service, a. division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides technical assistance and information, and sometimes financial incentives, to help farmers, ranchers, and other private landown- ers conserve their soil, water, and other natural resources. N'RCS works with local conservation districts and. local. governments. Check the Web site at http: / /www.nres.usda.gov/ for more information acrd links to other programs. ■ Each county in the state (:but for New York City) has a Soil and IVater Conservation Dis- trict, which is overseen by the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee. The districts implement soil and water conservation measures and agricultural nonpoint source wa- ter quality programs. (moo to the coinmittee's Web site at littp: // www.agm kt. state .ny.us /soilwater /home.html, check the telephone directory for your county district, or call the state office at (518) 457 -3738. 36 ■ Th.e Agricultural and Farmland Protection Program authorizes counties to create agricul- ture and farmland protection boards. These boards are responsible for planning and imple- menting policies that protect local farmland and encourage agricultural expansion. One key part of the program enables local governments to purchase development rights on farms, which permanently protects agricultural acreage from development pressures. For more information, call your county clerk and ask if there is an AFPB, Also check out http:// www. cals .cornell.edii /agfoodcommunity/ afs_temp3.cfm ?topicID =368, w1iich is loaded with relevant information, resources, and links. ■ For additional reference material, see Culti- uatingr Farm, Neighbor; and Contrrur.rt.ity Rela- tions, by Durlcan Hilchey, Community .Food and Agriculture Program, Cornell University, and Nathan Leonard, Area Extension Specialist PRO- DAlR1' Program, Cornell Cooperative Ex- tension. Go to http://www.cardi.cornell.edu/cd_tool- box_2 /tools /farmers_community.cfm for ex- cerpts and an order form.