Nominations are now being accepted for the 2026 New York Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) – Leopold Conservation Award.
Donor Name: Sand County Foundation
State: New York
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Awards and Prizes
Deadline: 05/15/2026
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The New York award is presented with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and American Farmland Trust. Sand County Foundation and national sponsor, American Farmland Trust, along with state partners, present the Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states.
The $10,000 award honors farmers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land.
Criteria
In New York, the Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Leopold Conservation Award honors a landowner and their nominating Soil and Water Conservation District. Interested candidates should contact their local county Soil and Water Conservation District. Contact information can be found at https://agriculture.ny.gov/soil-and-water/soil-waterconservation-district-offices.
The New York Agricultural Environmental Management Leopold Conservation Award will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Conservation Ethic – Describe how the nominee has voluntarily exceeded the minimum obligations of regulation to enhance and conserve natural resources.
- Resilience – Describe the business and conservation methods used by the nominee to make the operation productive into the future.
- Leadership and Communication – Describe significant efforts the nominee has made to share his/her conservation ethics and techniques with others inside and outside of agriculture. Describe community service, positions held, leadership roles and media outreach.
- Innovation and Adaptability – Describe how the nominee has taken risks by utilizing or experimenting with new techniques to adapt to change (consumers, markets, weather, regulations, etc.).
- Ecological Community – Describe how the nominee’s agricultural operation works with natural systems (soil, water, plants and wildlife, etc.). Describe how this benefits others
For more information, visit Sand County Foundation.
