Environment & Planning
The Erie County Department of Environment and Planning has announced that its Office of Agriculture has been recognized by the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association with a 2026 Implementation Award, in recognition of its innovative approach to integrating agriculture into land use planning, strengthening local food systems, and protecting farmland across Erie County.
Established by County Executive Mark Poloncarz in 2020, the Office of Agriculture has become a model for how local governments can align planning policy with agricultural sustainability and economic development.
The Award acknowledges several forward-thinking initiatives that contributed to this recognition, including:
- Agricultural and Municipal Planning Grant Programs have supported dozens of municipalities in updating comprehensive plans and zoning to incorporate agriculture and food system priorities.
- Farm-friendly zoning analyses, developed as part of the County’s 2025 Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan update, provide actionable guidance to protect working lands and support farm viability.
- Erie Grown and the Erie Grown Passport promote the purchase of local and regional farm products, and to encourage all county residents to buy local from the more than 150 local farms that have registered to participate.
- Disaster relief funding, totaling over $2 million, has helped farms recover from extreme weather events, strengthening thier long-term viability.
- Policy initiatives, such as the Countywide sky lantern ban, to proactively protect agricultural infrastructure and livestock.
More information on the Office of Agriculture is available at: erie.gov/agriculture.
More information on the Erie Grown Passport program is available at: erie.gov/eriegrown.
