Understanding the diverse business and land use needs of local farms as well as the quantity, quality, and location of farmland in a community is at the core of developing effective town policies, plans and programs and can be a powerful tool for building awareness about the amount and variety of local agricultural activities. The second webinar in the five part series will explore methods for gathering information on farms and farmland and engaging local farmers in municipal government – such as through farm and farmland inventories, community farm surveys, and agricultural commissions. Attendees will hear from two panelists who currently serve on municipal agricultural commissions in Maine.
Presenter: Thacher Carter, Municipal Policy Associate, Maine Farmland Trust
Moderator: Shelley Megquier, Policy and Research Director, Maine Farmland Trust
Panelists:
Kate Newkirk – Agricultural Commission Chair, Town of Winslow
Leslie Stevens – Agriculture & Food Security Commission Chair, Town of Eliot; Owner, Sturgeon Creek Farm in Eliot