Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced September 16, a grant of $790,000 to the Scenic Hudson Land Trust to protect 96 acres of Scholldorf Farm in Rhinebeck. Scenic Hudson will apply the funds toward the purchase of property development rights of the town's last remaining dairy farm. The grant would cover 75 percent of the cost of the conservation easement, with the remaining 25 percent shared evenly between Scenic Hudson and Dutchess County. The state awarded a total of $18.6 million in support of conservation easement projects on 25 dairy farms statewide. Since early 2018, New York State has provided more than $30.7 million to dairy farms, according to a statement from the governor's office. State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said the state's dairy farmers have faced daunting challenges in recent years with low milk prices and trade uncertainty. "...These funds help farmers adapt to changes in the marketplace and remain in business, while preserving the land and our farmers' way of life," he said. Read the full press release at governor [dot] ny [dot] gov.