Eastford pg 3 5-6-10
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Eastford, Hampton, Windham, and Woodstock have been accepted into Eastern Connecticut’s AGvocate Program. These municipalities will receive technical assistance from a circuit rider “AGvocate,” to strengthen the farm-friendliness of community regulations and improve the long-term viability of agricultural businesses within their community.
According to Jennifer Kaufman, AGvocate program director, 10 of the 25 communities in Connecticut’s Last Green Valley Heritage Corridor are now AGvocate Towns. Each AGvocate community has its individual differences but is facing similar struggles and can learn from one another. It is our hope to bring the agricultural community together in each of these towns and to have the AGvocate communities share information.”
Delia Fey, Town Planner in Woodstock, said in their AGvocate application that, while Woodstock is friendly to agriculture, “it needs to develop a long-term vision…where it retains both its existing functional agriculture, promotes new agricultural ventures, and works farm friendliness into land use regulations so as to retain the agricultural character of the community.” Hampton’s First Selectman, Kate Donnelly, sees the AGvocate program as a way “to assess the real needs of those working in agriculture and put into place a plan to truly help the community”. According to Town Planner James Finger, Windham hopes participating in the AGvocate program will assist in providing a “balance between agricultural and residential uses.” Eastford’s AGvocate application contained a petition of support for the AGvocate program from 31 citizens, elected officials, and representatives from the agricultural community.
In early 2009, the state Department of Agriculture awarded the first Farm Viability Grant to establish an AGvocate Pilot Program. Six towns — Ashford, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Franklin, Sterling, and Thompson — have been working with the AGvocate to implement tools and create action plans to help promote farm viability. The original six AGvocate Towns will continue to receive support from the program. Also, two AGvocate Workshops to be held in November 2010 and March 2011 will be opened up to the general public.
For more information about the AGvocate program please contact Jennifer Kaufman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 860-450-6007.
AGvocate Steering Committee: Ben Bowell, New England Field Rep, American Farmland Trust •Lois Bruinooge, Deputy Executive Director, The Last Green Valley, Inc. (TLGV) • David Fuss, Town of Brooklyn Planning and Zoning Commission •John Guszkowski, President, Eastern CT RC&D • Rick Hermonot, Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm, & Farm and Business Consultant, First Pioneer Credit • Jennifer Kaufman, AGvocate (Staff) • Kevin Kennedy, Director of Planning, Town of Thompson • Joyce Meader, Dairy /Livestock Educator, UConn Cooperative Extension • Dawn Pindell, Executive Director, Windham County Farm Service Agency • Norma O’Leary, Chair, TLGV Natural Resources & Agriculture Committee • Elizabeth Rogers, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.