Husband and wife Bruce and Sandy Howlett, and their son Michael and his wife Carly, have protected their 5th generation family farm with lands in Avon and Caledonia.
The Howlett family has placed four conservation easements across 500 acres of highly productive farmland in the towns of Avon and Caledonia, ensuring these lands will not be divided or developed and will remain in agricultural use for the community, forever.
“Our family has been connected to the land through agriculture for five generations, and this project ensures that the next five generations, and beyond, will have the same opportunity to farm and steward productive and profitable soils.”
Howlett Farms is a family-owned cash crop and grain farm and elevator that started in 1880 and has evolved into its current niche of growing corn, soybeans, and wheat/straw while also diversifying their production with other agribusinesses that help the producing community, including assisting farmers with getting their products to the market. Their grain elevators help farmers move their products to markets around the world and their feed business helps farms convert grains to food blends that can be returned to farms to feed animals.
The farm began when Charles Fredick Howlett moved to Henrietta and began milking two cows and working 13 acres of land. In 1980, Charles’ grandson, Eugene, shifted the farms focus to specialty crops and vegetables. In the late 1980’s, Eugene’s son, and current owner/operator, Bruce, purchased ground in Livingston County. Bruce moved the business into a more vertically aligned operation by building a rail spur and grain facility so Howlett Farms could not only grow products, but help get their, and neighboring farms, products to markets.
In 2019, Howlett Farm was recognized as the Livingston County Farm of the Year for their success and operation that positively impacts the local farming community. A few years later, in 2021, the New York State Agricultural Society recognized Michael Howlett with their Next Generation Farmer Award to credit the Howletts continued transitions to future generations and Michaels stepping into leadership and ownership of the farm business.
This conservation project involved accepting the 25th and 26th conservation easements in the town of Avon by the Conservancy and the 139th easement accepted by the organization since its founding in 1990. The total land protected via Genesee Valley Conservancy is now 34,055 acres.
The lands protected by this project include over 70% USDA Prime soils, which helps the farm consistently produce higher than average yields.
Lands protected as part of this project include over 4 miles of scenic road frontage which will remain as intact vistas of the rural, agricultural landscape, that defines Avon’s and Caledonia’s character and the broader Livingston County.
This project was the result of a collaboration between Genesee Valley Conservancy, Livingston County Board of Supervisors, Livingston County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board, Town of Avon, Town of Caledonia and New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
To-date, the collaborative effort between Genesee Valley Conservancy and local partners has resulted in over $40 million invested in protecting 23,273 acres of some of the State’s most productive agricultural lands, here in the Genesee Valley.
The Town Board of Avon endorsed this project, which aligns with the town’s Comprehensive Plan to grow Avon’s agricultural economy, protect the environment, and support farmland protection. The Town Board of Caledonia also endorsed this project, hoping such land protection efforts will help encourage smart growth by pushing development to less productive land, so highly productive soils like the Howlett farm continue to benefit the local economy.
Genesee Valley Conservancy works throughout the Genesee River watershed to protect high quality habitat, open space and farmland for the community. The Conservancy now oversees the protection of 34,055 acres.
Landowners in the Genesee River watershed interested in pursuing conservation options for their property, be it farmland, habitat, or a potential public nature preserve, should contact Genesee Valley Conservancy for more information
