CONSERVATION FARM OF THE YEAR 2022
WHEREAS, Youngman Farms, operated by the Youngman Family, as a fourth generation family-owned and operated farm in the Towns of Butler and Wolcott where the farmstead is located on VanVleck and Smith Roads have been named the 2022 Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Conservation Farm of the Year. This 450 acre farm (300 owned – 150 rented) was originally started in 1946 by Gordon and Barbara Youngman and is now run by their son Allen and his wife Kimberly, along with their son Shawn and his wife Tasha and their children with extra special assistance from Uncle Art; and
WHEREAS, Youngman Farms began as a fruit farm, then evolved into a dairy operation before transiting into its current beef operation where they focus on all-natural high quality beef. The farm has between a 225 to 250 head of cattle, which consists of Angus, Hereford, Hereford/Angus crosses and some Charolais. The cattle graze on almost 100 acres of pasture that the animals rotationally graze during the season. The farm strives to produce all of the animal’s feed needs on the farm; and
WHEREAS, Youngman Family have been working strategically to build an operation that provides quality food for their community while addressing water quality as part of the Wolcott Creek Watershed of Port Bay through active planning, management and implementation of conservation systems which include but are not limited to a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan, Prescribed Rotational Grazing System, Livestock Heavy Use Area Runoff Management Systems, Silage Leachate Control and Treatment System, Access Control/Stream Crossing System and Cover Cropping; and
WHEREAS, Youngman Farms have continued to be stewards and partners within the agricultural community working with both United States Department of Agriculture and Wayne County Soil & Water Conservation District through the New York State Agriculture Environmental Management Program for crop production and management of other natural resource issues; and
WHEREAS, the Youngman’s’ are very community oriented family, having used the farm for Pasture Walks and other demonstrations on the conservation practices they have implemented on the farm as well as having a store on the farm to sell their products. They are constantly looking for ways to improve the farm environmentally, maintain sustainability and still be financially viable. Their stewardship and enthusiasm are infectious and have been a joy to work with; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Wayne County Board of Supervisors acknowledges and congratulates the Youngman Family as the 2022 Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Conservation Farm of the Year because of their dedication and commitment to protect and conserve the natural resources within our community through the New York State Agricultural Environmental Management Program.
