Founded in 2012, the Essex Farm Institute became a program of the Adirondack Council in October 2018.

EFI’s vision is for working farms in the Adirondack Park to:

• Provide prosperous, secure, long-term livelihoods for farmers and their workers.
• Mitigate climate change through healthy agricultural soils and leadership in renewable energy.
• Directly improve human health through available, accessible locally grown healthy food.

The mission of the Essex Farm Institute (EFI) is to support, promote and train farmers to build resilient, diversified farms that are economically viable, socially responsible and environmentally beneficial.

EFI carries out its work through advocacy and education. EFI is a voice and a resource for farmers in the Adirondacks of New York State. We act as an advocate, representing the policy interests of local farmers and we educate our decision-makers and legislators about the realities of farming in the Adirondacks. EFI is also a convener, bringing together diverse partners and their knowledge to work on behalf of farmers in the Adirondacks.