The Cattaraugus County Soil & Water Conservation District has selected Colonial Hill Farm for the 2021 Conservation Farm if the Year Award. Jim & Jenny Dye and their family operate a heifer replacement farm in the Town of Dayton. The Dye family has been actively participating in NY State’s Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program and has worked in close cooperation with various partner agencies and organizations, including the Conservation District, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service & Farm Service Agency and Western NY Crop Management Association to implement many conservation practices to address agricultural runoff, agricultural nutrient management and erosion & sediment control. In addition to conservation practices, the farm also implemented a number of additional projects to improve operational efficiency of the farm. Practices and projects implemented through cooperation with the District and partnering agencies include:
- Construction of a concrete manure storage structure, which allows for application of nutrients at optimum times of the year for improved crop production and reduced runoff potential.
- Construction of a bunk silo leachate collection & treatment system to control concentrated runoff from their feed storage area.
- Participates in cover prop program (150 acres) to reduce soil loss due to sheet and rill erosion and improves soil structure and stability.
