Madison County SWCD

6503 Wes Rd

Hamilton, NY 13346

315-824-9849 ext 5

Welcome to Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District’s Website

Serving landowners in Madison County since 1940

Stream with newly installed buffer rocks

small tree in a pot labelled Giving Back

Who We Are

Our mission

The Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) works to conserve soil and water resources through conservation planning,
design & implementation.

Our programs focus on controlling and preventing soil erosion, floodwater and sediment damages, conserving water to help preserve natural resources and wildlife, and to protect public and private lands within the county. Madison County SWCD provides technical assistance to Madison County’s residents and municipalities with all manners of natural resource issues. In response to the 1989 Amendment of the Soil and Water Conservation District Law, we are also helping to improve the quality of the county’s surface and groundwater by fighting non-point (widely separated or diffuse) sources of water pollution.

what we do

Programs & Services

Annual Tree Sale

Our 2025 Tree Sale is over. Thank you to all that placed orders.

We typically have marking flags and recycled stakes available for purchase year round. Flags are red or yellow and are $.21 each. The stakes are $1 each.

If you would like to be added to our email list to be notified when next year’s sale begins -or- would like a tree or shrub we don’t currently offer, please email Joann Burke at joann-burke@madcoswcd.com We typically take orders from the 1st week in January until mid-March.

Stream & Flood Mitigation Program

The District continues to receive funding from the Madison County Board of Supervisors to implement flood mitigation projects around the County on both public and private property. District staff complete site visits and evaluation of potential project sites, assist public and private entities with required environmental permits, develops engineered designs and over sees construction of selected projects. If you are experiencing repeated flooding issues, please contact the office to set up a site visit from our staff.

Tillage Program

The district owns a 15 foot John Deere no-till drill to plant small grains. No till planting can help increase soil organic matter and fertility, promote water infiltration, reduce erosion, and limit pest and disease outbreaks. The drill is available for use by farms in the county interested in implementing this practice. For more information please contact the office.

Available Equipment

The District has a 15 foot John Deere no-till drill and a post pounder available to farmers in Madison County to be utilized on their farms free of charge. Due to the high demand of the post pounder, we will only loan it out for pasture management projects and water quality purposes.

NYS Agricultural Environmental Management

The District is active in the NYS Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program. This voluntary and confidential program delivers technical support and financial incentives to help farmers implement conservation practices critical to the protection of water quality and other natural resources.

This five-tier approach consists of Tier 1, a single-page inventory of farm information such as farm acreage and number of animals. Tier 2 assesses current environmental stewardship and opportunities for improvement through worksheets. A plan (Tier 3) is then developed to address the resource concerns from the Tier 2 worksheets. Tier 4 is the implementation of the plan utilizing available financial and technical assistance. Tier 5 is the evaluation of the plan and practices implemented.

AEM takes a whole farm view to address not only nutrient management but also farmstead management, soil erosion, and streambank erosion. In today’s climate of environmental awareness, AEM’s technical and financial resources are valuable in assisting farmers in maintaining their commitment to conservation. Proactively advancing conservation practices is central to economic viability on today’s farms. Any farm can participate in AEM.

Madison County SWCD is currently reviewing potential projects for funding through the AEM process.

Soil Group Worksheets

An Agricultural Assessment through your local assessor’s office allows owners of farmland to receive reduced property tax bills for land in agricultural production by limiting the property tax assessment of such land to the value of their land for agricultural production, rather than its full development value.

A soil group worksheet is one part of the process. It lists the soil types on your property and tells how many acres of each soil group. Your assessor will use this worksheet, along with the rest of your application, to help them determine your tax assessment. We can prepare these for you at the cost of $10 per parcel if under 25 acres or $20 per parcel if 25 acres or more. Please allow us at least 1-2 weeks before your filing deadline to prepare these.

Honors

O’Mara Farms in Canastota awarded our 2025 Conservation Farm of the Year

by Troy Bishopp

Canastota, NY— “Farming is a profession of hope”, waxed BC farmer and writer, Brett Brian. Scott O’Mara, from the multi-faceted, O’Mara Farms, knows this sentiment and tradition very well. “Without hope, plenty of coffee and a strong support network of farmers and local customers, it would be a tough proposition to farm. We are grateful to be part of the agricultural community here in Madison County that cares”, said O’Mara.

Because of this grit, and eye on always improving land management for feeding beef cattle and people, the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors has awarded the O’Mara family with the prestigious 44^th annual 2025 Madison County Conservation Farm of the Year at a ceremony attended by family, friends, customers, supporting agri-businesses and partners in conservation.

Nearly 50 years ago, Paul and Cynthia O’Mara decided to start O’Mara Farms in Canastota, NY. Their vision was to produce high-quality food to feed as many people as possible, with their first venture, growing green beans and squash for Birds Eye Foods in Fulton, NY. The vegetables were rotated with corn, wheat, peas, cauliflower and other cash crops.

Over the years Paul and Cindy grew and diversified the farm business with their children and employees. They transitioned fields into row crop production, wheat, hay, specific vegetable crops and non-GMO barley production on owned and leased land, which is used to finish their Black Angus cattle, an enterprise added in 2005.

With over 350 acres of pastureland, it supports 200 head of grazing cattle that are managed by Scott O’Mara and his family. Their pasture-to-plate beef is sold at their retail farm store on Route 5 in Canastota and at local restaurants. You can see the selections at https://omarafamilyfarms.com/.

Their land ethic is shared in the farm’s mission statement: “O’Mara Farms strive to preserve and protect the land we farm and respect the animals we raise, bringing you a superior product.”

Many of their land management strategies stem from saving money by reducing passes over the fields, like no-till planting, and enhancing soil health with crop rotations and cover crops, which are next year’s wheat crop. “Having something covering the land is vital for our operation and diverse income streams”, said Scott. This thinking also extends to their 100 acres of solar panels with the Nexamp company on marginal land. “We sat down as a family and we talked about the pros and cons for us. What if we just consider solar panels as another crop? Solar was a really good crop in our risk management plan,” said Paul in this video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO3fonjX1xQ)

The Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District has been a partner, independent advisor in brainstorming, planning, designing and finding solutions in the land and animal management context. Working in tandem with the O’Mara family, they have developed nutrient and pasture management plans, installed pasture systems with fencing, watering and buffer components, built culvert crossings and short-term manure storage, implemented grassed waterways and other water catchment practices in crop fields.

This partnership is bolstered by the farm’s participation in the NYS Agriculture Environmental Management Program, (AEM) and the operation’s commitment to investing many of their capital resources and equipment into implementing best management practices for the care of local land and water resources. Cost-share funding from the Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance, The Upper Susquehanna Coalition’s Cover Crop Initiative and the Madison County SWCD mini-grant implementation program has also supported their efforts.

“We are proud of our farming practices & beliefs. Leaving the land better than we found it, through constant improvement is the legacy we are passionate about for our children and local community, said Scott O’Mara. Working with the Madison County SWCD staff has greatly improved this lifelong pursuit and we thank them for their ground-up, practical approaches in helping us”.

Madison County SWCD District Manager, Steve Lorraine emphasized the importance of working collaboratively with operations like the O’Mara family. “To solve ecological challenges, we must work together and strive to find solutions by putting eyes and boots on the farm or land while sharing ideas and practices that fit the farmer’s context.” “Behind the scenes, most wouldn’t realize what it takes to get the job done. The trust factor and willingness to help us in our SWCD mission for the residents of Madison County is why we appreciate and honor the O’Mara family today.”

APPRECIATION

Annual Appreciation luncheon

Madison County SWCD Celebrates another Busy Year

Contributed by Troy Bishopp

Morrisville, N.Y. – Flannel shirts, calloused hands and colorful stories mark another year of putting conservation on the ground for the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District. In the spirit of gratitude, the District held its 14th annual appreciation luncheon at the Madison County CCE building in Morrisville, New York. The casual get-together continues to honor the family of stewards who help the District put conservation in action.

“It’s a small gesture of praise for our local family farmers, local contractors, county employees, elected officials, agri-business companies, engineering support and state and federal conservation partners.” said District Manager, Steve Lorraine.

A record crowd of over 100 guests, Lorraine highlighted a variety of 2024 projects that he and staff worked on using the NYS Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program planning matrix. These plans led to survey, designing tile drainage and implementation of grade stabilization projects, road culvert projects, stream remediation, manure storages, pasture systems, spring developments, milk-house waste systems, heavy use areas, riparian buffers and planting over a 1000 acres of cover crops locally.

In addition, the District mentored interns, developed nutrient management plans, cleared logjams, secured stream permits, led educational training events and held the popular annual tree sale within their busy work schedule. As the lead for the Madison County Water Quality Coordinating Committee and member of the Upper Susquehanna Coalition, district staff also worked in tandem with its partners on a variety of climate resilient projects in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed as well as grant writing.

“We appreciate the opportunity to thank all the hands that help us achieve our mission. It’s a time to reflect and reconnect over a relaxing meal and continue the personal and professional relationships that support our rural communities, while protecting Madison County’s natural resources and assisting local agriculture and municipalities to make sensible land and water management decisions. It’s frankly a team effort, where a rising tide raises all boats”, said Lorraine.

To learn more about the work the Madison County SWCD does for the community, contact the district at (315) 824-9849 or visit www.madcoswcd.com.)

Get involved

Board Meetings

Board Meetings are held the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm April through October and at noon November through March, unless otherwise posted. Meetings are held in the conference room at 6503 Wes Rd, Hamilton, NY and are open to the public. Recent Agendas and Minutes are below. If you would like to see previous months, please contact us.