Acres of farmland protected

Together, two Amherst farm families have permanently protected 178 acres of adjoining and active farmland. Brothers Don and Dan Spoth, of Donald Spoth Farms, and Rick and Karen Vilonen, of Ben Brook Farm, have protected their farms forever from development through the Town of Amherst Farmland Protection Program.

Since the program's inception in 1998, 716 acres of farmland have been protected.

A celebration recognizing the donation was held on Friday at North Amherst Fire Hall on Tonawanda Creek Road.

"As fifth-generation Spoths on the farm, we believe that we are fulfilling our father and grandfather's visions to grow and become a stable farm operation. The reality for us is that the Amherst Farmland Protection Program is the only way to permanently protect our land," Don Spoth said.

Funding for these projects was provided by grants from the New York State Farmland Protection Program and the USDA Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, as well as with partial donations by each of the farmers.

Ben Brook Farm and Donald Spoth Farms are the 14th purchase of development rights projects in the 10 years that the Town of Amherst has been protecting farmland.

Diane Held, New York field representative for American Farmland Trust, said, "Amherst has been proactive in guaranteeing that the town will always have land available for local agricultural use."