Watershed Agricultural Council

What Watershed Agricultural Council does

Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1993 and headquartered in Walton, NY, that delivers voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs to farm and forest landowners across the New York City Watershed (1,972 square miles spanning the Catskill/Delaware and Croton systems). Its mission is to protect drinking water for over 9 million NYC residents — delivering 1.1 billion gallons of clean water daily and supporting the city's EPA-issued Filtration Avoidance Determination — by promoting the economic viability of agriculture and forestry and conserving working landscapes. WAC's core service offering is Whole Farm Planning, a customized methodology built on the New York State Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) process and USDA NRCS standards, which identifies water-quality risks across 11 pollutant categories and prescribes Best Management Practices (BMPs) including Nutrient Management Planning (NMP) under NRCS 590 and Precision Feed Management (PFM). The organization also administers a Conservation Easement Program (agricultural and, since 2015, forest), grants programs, the Pure Catskills regional buy-local branding campaign (~350 members), logger education and BMP programs, and watershed forestry education.

WAC operates as a public-private partnership, with funding primarily flowing from the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), USDA NRCS, the US Forest Service, and the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets, supplemented by Office of the NYS Attorney General environmental settlements and tax-deductible donations to a $43 million Conservation Easement Stewardship Endowment. Programs are delivered at no direct cost to eligible farmers, with 100% cost-share for approved BMPs, through regional offices in Walton (West of Hudson HQ and agricultural program), Patterson (East of Hudson HQ), and Yorktown Heights. Cumulative outcomes include 350+ farms with Whole Farm Plans, 7,000+ BMPs implemented, 30,000+ acres conserved under easement, 120,000 acres of managed forestland, 500+ miles of stabilized logging trails, and $255M+ spent in the watershed — supporting a 90% historic farm participation rate and a multi-generational installed base of participating landowners.

The organization's GTM motion is community-led and relationship-driven: outreach flows through Cornell Cooperative Extensions, County Soil & Water Conservation Districts, USDA NRCS, and direct engagement at workshops, farm tours, and farmers markets, with the buy-local Pure Catskills brand providing consumer-facing demand support. WAC is governed by a board of directors that includes the NYC DEP representative, USDA liaison, and active watershed farmers, and is operationally structured around program pillars (Agriculture, Conservation Easements, Economic Viability/Pure Catskills, Forestry, and East of Hudson) each with dedicated program management.

Name

Watershed Agricultural Council

Legal name

Watershed Agricultural Council

Website

https://nycwatershed.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Watershed Agricultural Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs to farm and forest landowners in the NYC Watershed to protect drinking water for 9 million New Yorkers, with 350+ Whole Farm Plans, 7,000+ BMPs, and 30,000+ conserved acres.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) Program Development & Administration (AFAMAMAF), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Watershed conservation services
• Agricultural best management
• Forest stewardship programs
• Conservation easement programs
• Nutrient management planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Walton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Primary funding from NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Forest Service, and NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets. Funding also includes Office of New York State Attorney General environmental settlements.
2. Conservation Easement Payments: WAC purchases development rights on private land, allowing landowners to retain ownership while receiving one-time payments. Participation is voluntary through free appraisal.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions to the Conservation Easement Stewardship Fund and general operations. WAC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC) delivers voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs to farm and forest landowners in the New York City Watershed to protect drinking water for 9 million residents. Core offerings include Whole Farm Planning, Nutrient Management Planning, Precision Feed Management, Conservation Easements, a Pure Catskills buy-local campaign, and forestry education/BMP programs. All Best Management Practice implementation is 100% cost-shared at no direct cost to participating landowners.

Product overview

Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC) offers a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on water quality protection through agricultural and forestry conservation. The core offerings include Whole Farm Planning and Nutrient Management Planning services for farmers, the Pure Catskills buy-local branding campaign, Conservation Easements (Agricultural and Forest), and various grants programs. The Forestry Program provides logger education, Best Management Practice support, and landowner programs including the 480a Incentive Programs, Management Assistance Program, MyWoodlot, and Trees for Tributaries. Educational offerings include the Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers, Field Trips, Virtual Field Trips, and Green Connections. The East of Hudson Agricultural Program serves farms in the Croton Watershed. Together, these programs form a comprehensive, incentive-based approach to protecting NYC's drinking water supply.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pure Catskills: A regional buy-local branding campaign supporting the local food community and working landscapes in the Catskills region. Works with farm, food and wood-product businesses throughout Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster Counties in New York State. Represents nearly 350 diverse farm and forest-based businesses.

Products and services

• Whole Farm Planning Whole Farm Planning (WFP) identifies and prioritizes water quality resource concerns on farms using the NYS Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) process and USDA NRCS standards, then develops Best Management Practices (BMPs) to protect NYC drinking water. Serves farm landowners in the NYC Watershed.
• Nutrient Management Planning
• Precision Feed Management
• Conservation Easements Program Agricultural and Forest Conservation Easements that protect working landscapes by purchasing development rights on private land while allowing landowners to retain ownership. Includes both Agricultural and Forest Conservation Easements. WAC has stewarded over 30,000 acres of working lands since 2001.
• Pure Catskills Pure Catskills is a regional buy-local branding campaign supporting local food and farm products from producers in the Catskills region, with nearly 350 diverse member businesses across Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties in New York State.
• Grants Programs
• Watershed Logger Education Initiative Specialized training for loggers covering Forest Ecology & Silviculture, Game of Logging, First Aid & CPR, Erosion Control Methods, Wildlife Habitat, Logger Rescue, and Log Truck Maintenance, with all trainings approved by New York Logger Training (NYLT).
• Best Management Practice (BMP) Program for Loggers
• 480a Incentive Programs
• Management Assistance Program
• MyWoodlot
• Trees for Tributaries (T4T)
• East of Hudson Agricultural Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivers 1.1 billion gallons of clean water to NYC residents daily
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funding partner and program collaborator. DEP funds WAC's conservation programs as part of NYC's watershed protection strategy to avoid costly filtration plants. The partnership enables delivery of clean water to 9 million NYC residents.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical and funding partner providing standards (NRCS 590, 592) for nutrient management and feed management planning. Collaborates on Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and other conservation initiatives.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers farmer education programs, workshops, and technical support. Partners on the Agricultural Environmental Innovation Demonstration Program with Cornell University's Farmers DataLab.
• Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner providing conservation planning and implementation support for watershed agricultural programs.
• United States Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding and programmatic partner supporting forestry education programs and watershed stewardship initiatives.
• NYS Department of Agriculture & MarketsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner supporting agricultural programs and regulatory coordination for watershed farming operations.
• Cornell University Farmers DataLabmajorTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner implementing the Agricultural Environmental Innovation Demonstration Program, providing data and analytical support for precision agriculture initiatives.
• USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner supporting farm programs and agricultural conservation in the watershed region.
• Farm Bureau Delaware CountysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chapter partnership supporting farming families in the West of Hudson Watershed through collaborative programs and member services.
• County Soil & Water Conservation DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of local conservation districts providing technical guidance and resources for water quality protection programs.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Trust for Public Land: National land conservation organization working to protect land for public use and conservation. Conducts conservation easement transactions and land deals in similar regions of New York, sharing WAC's easement-based protection model at a national scale.
• Riverkeeper: New York-based water quality advocacy and patrol organization protecting the Hudson River and NYC's drinking water supply. Shares WAC's focus on NYC water quality but operates through advocacy, litigation, and water sampling rather than direct landowner programs.
• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit dedicated to farmland preservation and sustainable agriculture. Comparable mission around preventing farmland conversion and supporting working farms, though at a national rather than watershed-specific scale.
• Open Space Institute: Regional conservation organization protecting significant landscapes across the northeastern US, including the Catskills. Comparable conservation easement and land protection work, but at a broader geographic scale with a larger portfolio and more varied funding sources.

Direct peers

• Scenic Hudson: Conservation organization protecting land along the Hudson River corridor in New York through land acquisition, conservation easements, and policy advocacy. Highly comparable operating model and mission around protecting working lands and water resources in NY.
• Catskill Watershed Corporation: Public benefit corporation established under the NYC Watershed Memorandum of Agreement to protect water quality in the West-of-Hudson Watershed. Direct operational peer, administering complementary programs including septic system rehabilitation and small business grants to watershed residents.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension: University-affiliated agricultural extension service delivering farmer education, technical assistance, and applied research in New York State. WAC partners directly with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County for farmer education and outreach, sharing program delivery methods and target audience.
• Delaware Highlands Conservancy: Regional land trust operating in the Upper Delaware River region of New York and Pennsylvania, with a similar mission of protecting working forests and farmland through voluntary conservation easements and landowner partnerships — directly comparable in geography, easement model, and stakeholder base.

Emerging players

• Catskill Mountainkeeper: Catskills-focused environmental advocacy organization working on water quality, farmland protection, and rural economic issues — overlapping geography and stakeholder base with WAC, though focused more on advocacy than direct on-farm program delivery.

Regional players

• Western Reserve Land Conservancy: Large regional land trust in northeastern Ohio protecting natural and agricultural lands through conservation easements. Comparable easement-based operating model and working-lands focus, but serving a different geographic region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/waterfarmforest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WatershedAgCouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/Watershed.Agricultural.Council
• Instagraminstagram.com/purecatskills
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/watershed-agricultural-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Watershed Agricultural Council