Keep_Farming_presentation_Agriculture_Commission_4_2010
• LAND PRICES ESCALATING • HIGHER COSTS OF PRODUCTION • LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE • INCREASING REGULATORY CHALLENGES THREATS TO FARMING:
• DEMANDS FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES INCREASE • AVAILABILITY OF FRESH FOOD DIMINISHES • COMMUNITY CHARACTER AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY ARE LOST WHEN YOU LOSE FARMING:
QUALITY OF LIFE DECREASES WHEN YOU LOSE FARMING:
THE LOCAL ECONOMY BENEFITS WHEN YOU KEEP FARMING: For every $1 spent locally, 45¢ is reinvested in the community. Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture
FRESH FOOD IS MORE AVAILABLE WHEN YOU KEEP FARMING:
COMMUNITY CHARACTER IS PRESERVED WHEN YOU KEEP FARMING:
NATURAL RESOURCES ARE PROTECTED WHEN YOU KEEP FARMING:
EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT
GET ORGANIZED THREE PHASES: GET THE FACTS TAKE ACTION
phas e • Farmers • Agricultural organizations • Elected and appointed officials • Business leaders • Local environmentalists • Community residents MOBILIZE THE COMMUNITY
Teams of volunteers examine: • Economic impact of farming • Availability of local food • Protection of natural resources • Changing land-use patterns GET THE FACTS phas e
THE POWER OF DATA A discovery from one community: Farmers spent more than $1,250,000 on local providers of goods and services. Annual gross sales of all farms studied were $4,660,000.
• Develop custom action plan • Present action plan at community-wide strategic action forum • Implement action plan TAKE ACTION phas e
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORIES
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: CHATHAM, NY
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: CHATHAM, NY THE NEED • Bogged down in Comprehensive Planning process • Needed guidance to address effects of development • Wanted to explore agricultural
land preservation options
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: CHATHAM, NY THE DISCOVERIES • Farmers contributed more than $1.25 million to local economy • Different farming sectors began to understand the power of working
together • 60% of land being farmed not owned by farmers
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: CHATHAM, NY THE ACTION PLAN: • Obtained funding to identify farmland for protection • Gained approval of county and state • Established Community Preservation
Fund • Developed comprehensive plan for educating the community
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: CHATHAM, NY THE RESULTS • Finished Comprehensive Plan • Established Town Agriculture Board • Developed Broad Community Commitment to Support Farming
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: DURHAM, NY
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: DURHAM, NY THE NEED • Greater agricultural economic development • Infrastructure to support remaining dairies
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: DURHAM, NY THE DISCOVERIES • Dairy was not viable • Opportunities were being overlooked Forestry Products Pasture/Livestock Agri-Tourism
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: DURHAM, NY ACTION PLAN Create business plan templates enabling farmers to: • Take advantage of opportunities • Obtain bank financing or grant funding
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: DURHAM, NY THE RESULTS • Profitable use of plentiful woodlots • New sales for livestock producers • Agri-tourism revenue
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY THE NEED • Increase amount of land in farming • Promote sustainable farming • Increase markets for food produced in Rockland
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY THE DISCOVERIES • “Changing face of farming” – new-entry farmers using less land • New land available for farming • Enormous support for
local agriculture that was previously dormant
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY THE ACTION PLAN • Obtain not-for-profit status for Rockland Farm Alliance • Develop business plans to put new farmland into production
KEEP FARMING SUCCESS STORY: ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY THE RESULTS • The Rockland Farm Alliance given land • County Farmland Protection Board reinstated • 600 volunteers recruited
THE KEEP FARMING PROGRAM IS ADAPTABLE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES
• Training and Guidance • Resource Materials • Access to Colleagues • Website Set-up Community Glynwood Commitment: Commitment: • Leadership • Volunteers • Time • Pilot program commitment
Glynwood was always there to support us, train us, help us move on to the next step. They listened to us, and really paid attention to what we were going through. Donna Starron, Farmer
Chatham Keep Farming
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Ben Grosscup Keep Farming Regional Representative Glynwood Center 413-658-5374 bgrosscup@glynwood.org www.glynwood.org