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About the Project | Events | Contact Information | Resources Farmland Preservation Public Meeting You are invited to attend a public information workshop on Farmland Preservation hosted by the Haywood County Agriculture Advisory Board and the Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District. Topics will include the Voluntary Agricultural District ordinance, the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Districts ordinance (passed by the Haywood County Board of Commissioners on March 5, 2007) and other tools you can use to protect your land. The presentation is free and will be a valuable networking opportunity for you or members of your family that may be interested in this program. If you have questions, please feel free to call our office at 828-452-2741 x3. There is no need to RSVP. We will see you there! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Past Events: Land Conservation
Strategies and Tools Workshop (download brochure, pdf 142k) Who Should Attend? About the Workshops Agenda for each workshop: Registration Sponsored by ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- American Farmland Trust's National Conference: Farming on the Edge Join American Farmland Trust and the Delaware Department of Agriculture Saving American Farmland was an innovative idea when American Farmland Trust was founded in 1980. Today it is national policy. Local, state and federal programs and the collective efforts of thousands of individual landowners and land trusts have protected millions of acres in perpetuity. Yet despite the impressive public support and private action, more than 3,000 acres of farmland continue to be lost each day. The pressures are great; there’s much work left to do. As the face of the American farmer changes and urban influences suffuse our working landscapes, Farming on the Edge: The Next Generation is the only national conference that brings together people who care about America’s rural legacy, land use and the future of farming and ranching. Participants and presenters will share information and ideas, network, find allies and form partnerships to achieve a healthy balance among sustainable agriculture and sustainable development, farmland protection and environmental quality. The core workshop and keynote sessions of the conference will be held November 13–15 in Newark, Delaware, with special bus tours and other activities scheduled before and after. Proactive strategies to curb sprawl and protect farmland and other important resources have made Delaware a visionary leader. The Mid-Atlantic region offers unrivaled opportunities to learn from national experts about model plans, proven programs and creative solutions to problems facing all of American agriculture. The theme of the 2006 conference is "The Next Generation"—the next generation of national farm policies, farmland protection programs, community plans, production practices and markets, and the next generation of farmers themselves. The 2006 conference is hosted by the Delaware Department of Agriculture. "Livable Delaware" initiatives, protective strategies to curb sprawl and the Department of Agriculture's protection of 442 farms and nearly 80,000 acres have made Delaware a visionary leader in farmland preservation. Help shape the future of agriculture. Who Should Attend? The Mid-Atlantic region is home to some of the nation's oldest farmland protection programs. Its rich and diverse agricultural heritage offers conference participants many opportunities to learn from model programs and innovative solutions. The region’s knowledgeable and seasoned experts will be featured in more than 30 workshops, keynote sessions, panel discussions and bus tours. Workshop presenters include agricultural educators and researchers; conservationists; economic development officers; farmland protection program managers; farmers, ranchers and foresters; land trust staff and volunteers; planners; and local, state and federal officials and policymakers. Keynote speakers are author and farmer Michael Ableman, AFT President Ralph Grossi, and Stonyfield Farm Chairman and President Gary Hirshberg. Other featured speakers include Delaware's Governor Ruth Ann Minner and Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. For more information, contact Doris Mittasch. The Farm Prosperity Project will be presenting at the conference ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 29, 2006, 9AM-1PM This workshop is targeted towards higher volume farmers who are interested in expanding into and improving their sales to mid-large scale markets. It will include sessions on basic business practices, professionalism, food safety, packaging, communication, and marketing techniques to create and maintain a great farmer/buyer relationship. Questions about the workshop? Visit Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project at http://asapconnections.org/special/highervolume/conference.htm or call ASAP at (828) 236-1282 or send an e-mail to kate@asapconnections.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 30, 2006 Registration for all workshops begins at 9:30 a.m. and the workshop is from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided at each workshop. Brochure available at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/forest/feop/easements/CE64-mailer.pdf
Waynesville, N.C., August, 28, 2006 -- The Farm Prosperity Project will host a free tour of a tomato study and a workshop highlighting new crop opportunities for our region on August 28th beginning at 10 a.m. Come help celebrate this year’s tomato harvest! Walk the research plots at the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville as experts from North Carolina State University share valuable information gained from tending to the many varieties of this summer’s bounty. For directions to the station visit www.agr.state.nc.us/research/mrsmap.htm or call the station at (828) 456-3943. The tour will begin with registration and an introduction followed by a description of this year’s tomato project from tomato breeder, Dr. Randy Gardner and N.C. Specialty Crops Program Coordinator, Dr. Jeanine Davis. Attendees will tour a field study comparing production of heirloom tomatoes with disease resistant heirloom-type hybrid tomatoes grown in organic and conventional systems. The new heirloom-type varieties were developed to have the flavor of heirlooms with resistance to late blight. Late blight prevents many organic growers from producing tomatoes in western North Carolina. A taste test will allow participants to compare the varieties. Following a light lunch of fresh ‘mater sandwiches and fixins’, a presentation on “Specialty Crops Options” will be offered. This event is the second in a series provided by NCSU’s Farm Prosperity Project. Opportunities in organic agriculture, medicinal herbs and specialty vegetables will be discussed. More information about the project is available at www.ncspecialtycrops.org/farmprosperity/. July 25, 2006- The Farm Prosperity Project will host a free introductory workshop, Keeping Farms Prosperous: Conservation Makes $ense, designed to help farmers and landowners understand land conservation options. The event is open to the public, and will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center, 455 Research Drive, Fletcher, NC on July 25th, 2006. Workshop topics include; The ABC’s of the Conservation Easement, Role of the Local Land Trust, Wetlands Reserve Program, The Ecosystem Enhancement Program, Land Planning for the Farmer, and Transition Assistance—Keeping the Farm in the Family. A catered lunch is available for $5, or participants may bring their own brown bag lunch. Call (828) 684-3562 extension 134 for lunch reservations. Payment will be taken at the door the day of the event. This workshop is the first in a series provided by the Farm Prosperity Project Contact Agatha Kaplan at agatha_kaplan@ncsu.edu or call 828-684-3562 extension 134 for more information, directions or lunch reservations. Agenda
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