MDAR: Western Mass Winter Ag Commission Gathering

WESTERN MASS WINTER AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION GATHERING

Hancock Shaker Village – Saturday, December 7, 2013

(REGISTRATION FORM below or online)

AGENDA

8:30 – 9:00 Registration and Coffee

9:00 – 9:15 Welcome

9:15 – 9:30 Mass Association of Agricultural Commissions (MAAC) – Dick Ward, President: the evolving role of AgComs, what MAAC can do for local AgComs, upcoming issues, other events

9:30 – 11:00 Roundtable: how can AgComs stay active & engaged – new members, challenges and problems, work plans, accomplishments of AgComs around the state (Kathy Orlando, moderator)

11:00 – 11:50 Morning Panel: Land Access, Farmland Protection, Farm Profitability, and Keep Berkshires Farming – Melissa Adams, Glynwood & MDAR; Kathy Ruhf, Land For Good; Rick Chandler, MDAR; Amy Kacala, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission; Kathy Orlando, Sheffield Land Trust & MAAC; Barbara Zheutlin, Berkshire Grown.

11:50 to 12:40: Farm Business Principles and Opportunities and Farm Transfer Planning – Rick Chandler & Melissa Adams, MDAR; Kathy Ruhf, Land For Good.

12:00-12:45 Buffet Lunch, Informal Discussion (& report by Lisa Damon, Farm to School Project)

1:00 – 3:00 Afternoon Panel and Roundtable – Nuisance Complaints / Best Management Practices vs “Normal” Practices / Other Current Legal Issues – Frank DiLuna, Murtha Cullina; Brad Mitchell, Mass Farm Bureau Federation; Bob Ritchie, former MDAR General Counsel

3:00 Conference Adjourns

Sponsors: Mass Association of Ag Commissions, MDAR, USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), CISA, Conservation Districts, Mass Farm Bureau, American Farmland Trust, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Franklin Land Trust, Franklin Council of Governments, Keep Berkshires Farming, Berkshire Grown

REGISTRATION FORM – 2013-14 Western MA AgCom Gatherings

(    ) Dec 7 HancockShakerVillage

 

Name __________________________________            Town ____________________

Mailing Address_____________________________________________________

Zip _________________

Phone _____________________________

Email Address _________________________________

AgCom Member (  ) Yes  (  ) No                   $15 Registration Fee Enclosed   (  ) Yes

Please make checks payable to “CISA.” We encourage all to register by Dec 2 for Hancock and by Jan 6 for Northampton so we can get an accurate lunch count.

Send to:  CISA, One Sugarloaf Street, South Deerfield, MA 01373, Jennifer@buylocalfood.org