WYOMING COUNTY AGRICULTURAL & FARMLAND PROTECTION PLAN UPDATE

Location:	New York
Posted:	Oct 6, 2025
Due:	Oct 31, 2025
Agency:	Wyoming County
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	C - Architect and Engineering Services - Construction F - Natural Resources and Conservation Services H - Quality Control, Testing, and Inspection Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

Bid Title:	WYOMING COUNTY AGRICULTURAL & FARMLAND PROTECTION PLAN UPDATE
Category:	Planning Services
Status:	Open
Bid Recipient:	Scott Schrader, County Administrator

Description:

The Wyoming County Planning and Development is soliciting proposals from qualified consulting firms

to undertake the updating of the Wyoming County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan (AFPP).

The objective of the update is to provide an accurate assessment of current agricultural conditions

in Wyoming County and devise strategies to increase and expand the economic viability of the

agricultural industry, encourage the protection of farmland and to increase public interest and

awareness of local agriculture.

Publication Date/Time:

10/6/2025 12:00 AM

Closing Date/Time:

10/31/2025 4:00 PM

Submittal Information:

Submit all proposals, one (1) original (unbound) and six (6) copies, to: County Administrator

Contact Person:

Questions regarding this RFP and the required services are to be sent by e-mail to the attention of Angela Ellis, Director of Planning and Development, at aellis@wyomingcountyny.gov AND Samantha Horn, Administrative Assistant, at shorn@wyomingcountyny.gov no later than 4:00 PM on October 20, 2025.
Only written Requests for Information (RFIs) will be accepted.

Qualifications:

REFERENCES/COMPANY INFORMATION:

Each responding Consultant’s proposal must provide the following:
• The history of its company.
• A minimum of three (3) references, excluding Wyoming County, for similar work completed. For each reference include contact name, telephone number, date of contract, term of contract, and brief description of the work performed. Specific emphasis should be placed on similar work performed in the previous five (5) years.
• Résumés for the key personnel to be involved in providing services to the County.
• Each responding Consultant must designate an individual as the Project Manager who will be directly responsible for all activities of the organization relevant to this RFP and the awarded contract. The Project Manager must have managed the implementation of at least one (1) other project of similar scope and nature. A description of that project must be submitted with the resume.

Special Requirements:

To fulfill grant requirements, the updated Plan shall be completed before March 4, 2027, and must be prepared in accordance with Article 25-AAA of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM) Law and NYSDAM Circular 1500 Section 324.

Miscellaneous:

Submit all proposals to:

Office of the Wyoming County Administrator
143 North Main Street
Warsaw, New York 14569

Please mark in the lower left-hand corner of the envelope: “RFP - Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan proposal”.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

WYOMING COUNTY

AGRICULTURAL & FARMLAND PROTECTION PLAN UPDATE

Issued: October 3, 2025

Office of the Wyoming County Administrator

143 North Main Street

Warsaw, New York 14569

Proposals due October 31, 2025

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

(1) INTRODUCTION

The Wyoming County Planning and Development is soliciting proposals from qualified consulting firms to

undertake the updating of the Wyoming County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan (AFPP). The

objective of the update is to provide an accurate assessment of current agricultural conditions in Wyoming

County and devise strategies to increase and expand the economic viability of the agricultural industry,

encourage the protection of farmland and to increase public interest and awareness of local agriculture.

The AFPP update will be prepared under the oversight of the Wyoming County Agricultural and Farmland

Protection Board (AFPB). An Advisory Committee will also be created to provide direction to the awarded

Consultant. Other agricultural agencies expected to participate in the development of the updated Plan

include Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wyoming County, the Wyoming County Soil and Water

Conservation District, Genesee-Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, and the Genesee Valley

Conservancy. Overall grant administration and contract management will be performed by Wyoming

County Planning and Development. Other Wyoming County agencies may be involved in the development

of the plan, and will be included at the discretion of the County.

To fulfill grant requirements, the updated Plan shall be completed before March 4, 2027, and must be

prepared in accordance with Article 25-AAA of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

(NYSDAM) Law and NYSDAM Circular 1500 Section 324.

Background Information

Wyoming County is a rural county located in Western New York and part of the Finger Lakes region of the

state. It is bordered by Genesee County in the north, Livingston County in the east, Erie County to the west

and Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties to the south. The County encompasses 596 square miles and has a

population of about 40,000. A portion of the County’s eastern border is formed by Letchworth State Park

and the Genesee River. The County is home to 16 towns and 8 villages, as well as a number of

unincorporated hamlets that contribute to the rural character of the County. Silver Lake, often referred to

as the westernmost Finger Lake in New York State, is located wholly within the County. Silver Lake is in

the Genesee River Watershed, which ultimately drains into Lake Ontario. Multiple NYS highways run

through the County in close proximity to Interstate 390, Interstate 90, and the Southern Tier Expressway

Interstate 86. Norfolk-Southern’s Southern Tier Main Line runs north-south in the County. The Perry

Warsaw airport, owned by the towns of Perry and Warsaw, is located at 6522 State Route 20A in the Town

of Perry.

Wyoming County’s number one industry is agriculture. As of 2022, there were 638 farms in the County

comprising nearly 204,000 acres, with 50 farms comprising 1,000 acres or more. 97% of these farms are

family-owned and generate over $14 million in income through farm-related receipts and contribute more

than $421 million in total agricultural sales to the local and state economies. The County has over 298,372

acres designated for agricultural use, representing about 80% of the County’s total land area. Wyoming

County ranks second in the state for milk sales, reporting $305 million in 2022. In 2022, Wyoming County

had a total of 93,232 cattle, including 48,484 milk cows, representing an increase from 47,228 in 2017. The

County is second in the state for livestock production, with $337.8 million of total farm sales coming from

livestock, poultry and products, primarily milk, and it leads the state in cattle and calves. Wyoming County

ranks third in New York for hay and haylage production. The County is ranked first in the state for maple

production, with 320,339 maple taps, placing it thirteenth nationally in the number of taps per county.

Agribusinesses in Wyoming County produce over 115,000 gallons of maple syrup, making it the 10th most

productive county for maple syrup in the United States, with sales reaching $4 million in 2022. Wyoming

County ranks seventh in the state for vegetable, melon, potato, and sweet potato production. The County

ranks fourth in the state in honey production. (Source: 2022 Census of Agriculture/CCE Wyoming County

2022 Census Charts of Note)

Purpose

Farming and agricultural businesses in Wyoming County represent a significant component of the local and

regional economy. Large areas of high-quality soils provide the basis for stable, productive farms. The

AFPP was adopted in 2005 with funding through NYSDAM. The Plan can be found on the County’s

website at:

https://www.wyomingcountyny.gov/773/Active-Projects or,

https://www.wyomingcountyny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19359/2005-Wyoming-County-Agricultural-

Development-and-Farmland-Protection-Plan?bidId=

There is a need to update the Plan to reflect evolving agricultural practices, economic conditions,

environmental changes, and development pressures. While the agricultural industry is the leading industry

in Wyoming County, a Plan update is needed to ensure a current blueprint exists for protecting viable

farmland, maintaining the agricultural economy and cultural heritage of farming, and guiding decisions by

community leaders, farmers, and other stakeholders for decades to come.

Some issues to be addressed include workforce development and workforce housing, education, succession

planning, agritourism, farm consolidation, non-local ownership of land and farm operations, farmland

protection and balancing of competing land uses, and the role of energy and changing technology and

agricultural methods.

In addition, the State’s new Climate Action Scoping Plan may have an impact on the agricultural industry

in Wyoming County, and an update to the AFPP would provide an occasion for public dialogue and input

for the role of climate sustainability and resiliency in the agricultural economy.

The AFPB will exercise general oversight over the preparation of the Plan update. The AFPB is comprised

of local farmers and other county and agency representatives. This Board will meet on a regular basis

during the preparation of the updated Plan. An Advisory Committee will be established to provide

additional input into the direction of the Plan update. Grant administration and contract management will

be carried out by the Wyoming County Planning and Development Department.

Staff from the following agencies and organizations will also participate in the Plan update:

 Wyoming County Planning and Development

 Wyoming County IDA

 Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wyoming County

 Wyoming County Soil and Water Conservation District

 Genesee-Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council

 Genesee Valley Conservancy

(2) SCOPE OF SERVICES

The selected Consultant must comply with all terms and conditions of the agreement between Wyoming

County and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Additionally, all work product

completed by the awarded Consultant shall be satisfactory and will require approval of the County, the

AFPB, and the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Wyoming County is currently developing its first Comprehensive Plan in partnership with the Genesee-

Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council (GFLRPC). The consultant will coordinate the work being

performed as part of this scope of services with the County and GFLRPC to ensure that the AFPP Update

is meaningfully integrated and included as an appendix to the Wyoming County Comprehensive Plan

Update.

Project Components:

A. Data collection, mapping and research

Necessary data will be collected by the Consultant with the cooperation of participating agencies

and through the public participation process. Data will be mapped and analyzed by the Consultant

using Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS Pro) software compatible with the GIS system

maintained by Wyoming County Planning and Development. This element of the project will

include the following at a minimum:

1. Document economic importance and needs of agricultural industry

Document the importance of agriculture and agribusiness to the economy of Wyoming County.

Summarize the information that has been collected from other sources regarding the agricultural

industry. Data sources will include, but not be limited to, the most recent Census of Agriculture,

farm data from the Farm Service Agency, and the Wyoming County Agricultural District

program. Include information about service providers, processors, and other agricultural support

industries. Compare data for Wyoming County with data for other counties in New York State,

as well as other states.

Products: Document addressing the importance of agriculture and agribusiness in Wyoming

County that synthesizes relevant agricultural industry data sources, including factors affecting

economic viability. Minutes or meeting summaries for any meetings conducted, including action

items and timelines.

2. Identify needs and opportunities for agricultural economic development

Identify needs and opportunities relating to agricultural economic development. For example,

should certain types of processors be recruited to locate in Wyoming County? Should efforts

be extended to retain certain types of agribusinesses? Are there additional markets for Wyoming

County or regional agricultural products? What role should the Wyoming County Industrial

Development Agency and other economic development organizations play in maintaining and

enhancing the agricultural industry? How will emerging technologies, markets and

infrastructure needs impact agricultural lands and practices? This key component of the updated

Plan will identify ways to improve the economic viability of agriculture and agribusiness in

Wyoming County.

Products: Document summarizing needs and opportunities in Wyoming County as they pertain

to agricultural economic development. Minutes or meeting summaries for any meetings

conducted, including action items and timelines.

3. Examine new and emerging issues and analyze impact on the Wyoming County agricultural

economy

The issues to be examined shall include, but not be limited to the following:

 Alternative energy facility development, including solar, wind and battery energy storage as

a pressure on farmland resources.

 Potential emerging development pressures on County resources, such as infrastructure

expansions (water, sewer, broadband, etc.).

 Workforce development, especially education and housing, including for new or beginning

farmers, potential worker shortages, and the challenges related to larger farms.

 Succession planning, including profitability issues for starting farmers, potential impacts of

consolidation into larger farms by non-local owners, and strategies for continuing and

expanding local ownership of farmland.

 Changing and advancing technologies (such as AI, precision farming, agrivoltaics, and

biotechnology) and their impact on agricultural practice.

 Local response strategies to state and federal regulations or policies that may affect farm

profitability and local ownership, such as the New York State Climate Action Scoping Plan

and the Climate Resilient Farming Program.

 Resource management strategies for the County’s limited water and plentiful land

availability, including how potential changes in other parts of the country may increase

development pressures, raise costs for farmers, and otherwise impact County operations and

resources.

 Impacts of market forces and changing dynamics (i.e., trade policies), as well as emerging

markets and diversification opportunities to increase economic viability for County farm

operations.

Products: Document summarizing new and emerging issues, analyzing potential impacts.

Minutes or meeting summaries for any meetings conducted, including action items and

timelines.

4. Identify target areas for farmland conservation

Utilizing information compiled during the GIS mapping component of the work plan, the

updated Plan will identify those areas in Wyoming County that have the greatest value as

farmland. The areas will be identified based on soils, locations of major farms, existing land

use and existing and proposed infrastructure, and potential development pressures.

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

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WYOMING COUNTY AGRICULTURAL & FARMLAND PROTECTION PLAN UPDATE

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See also