HomeMy WebLinkAboutAG Minutes 2017-07-25 Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee Meeting
July 25,2017,7:00 pm
Final Minutes
Members Present: Debbie Teeter(Chair), Russ and Paula Wedemeyer, Ariel and Michael Casper, Claire Forrest,
Christianne White, Lisa Ferguson
Town Representatives: Mike Smith (Senior Planner), Bill Goodman (Town Supervisor)
1. Person to be heard: none
2. Member announcements and concerns: none
3. Chair and Coordinator reports: Debbie mentioned that in NYS there is a proposed new regulation regarding
concentrated animal feeding (CAFO).Teeter mentions that this kind of issue is a good issue for the Town Board to run
past the ag committee before commenting on. The Town was asked to join an amicus brief, which they did, without the
input of the Ag Committee. Issues include public knowledge of location of underground storage tanks, required written
nutrient plans, and whether the regulations apply only to the 250 largest dairy producers in the state. Instead of a
general permit and individual permit would be required. The Town does want to monitor water quality, especially water
that goes into the lake. Ag & Protection Board could have been a resource to the Town. This is a complicated issue.
Misinformation was used to make a point.
Mike mentioned that the Eddy property on Bostwick Road is coming in for a 2-lot subdivision. Jacqueline Eddy is
keeping the existing houses and the barns and majority of land is being sold to the adjacent Sweyolakan Farm. A portion
of this property has a permanent grazing easement on it through the MRCS.
4. Ithaca Town Board report: Bill said that the Town Board is forming a Deer Management Committee. This is a first
move towards creating a deer management program. Volunteer bowhunters might hunt at baited sites. Town would
get permits, and try to find spots for this management program on private land first. This is a hot button for some
people and there is some question as to whether there is a need for this program. Committee should have
representation from Conservation Board, Ag Committee, and Village of Cayuga Heights. There is a fenced deer exclosure
area on Sandbank/Townline Road, where Finger Lakes Land Trust is monitoring deer browse effects. Lisa Ferguson
mentions the parasite that white tail deer carry which kills small ruminants, and causes big economic losses to those
raising sheep and goats. Christianne and Lisa were interested in serving on the new committee. Lisa agreed to be the
Ag Committee representative.
There has been an initial meeting with the consultants working on an economic feasibility study along the Elmira Road
corridor. In a month or so they will get input from the public.
NYS has been talking to Alfred and Steve Eddy about getting rights along the inlet for the Black Diamond Trail. The Town
and County may step in to help contact the right people. Roger Becker and Cortright's also would be involved.
Development on West Hill news: Apartments on West Hill might be bought/built by an affordable housing developer.
The County owns some land in the Biggs complex area and is looking for development ideas. There is a parcel of about
70 acres below West Haven Road zoned MDR that is for sale. Development on West Hill is heating up.
Cornell plans to redo the whole East Hill Plaza complex at some point. Dave Auble and Evan Monkmeyer want to
develop areas of South Hill.
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West Hill Wildway is making progress. Andy Zepp from Finger Lakes Land Trust was instrumental in getting a
conservation easement put on Suwinski property, 300-400 acres. Someday it might be possible to hike from Lower
Treman to the hospital to connect with the Black Diamond Trail. The Town has purchased 3 parcels between Culver and
Bostwick Roads- Dress Woods Preserve, Gerda Knegtman's Glen Preserve, and Marcia's Woods Preserve. In 1997 Town
started to put aside money, about$75,000 per year, now up to $100,000/year, to purchase land or PDR, purchase of
development rights. Lisa Ferguson and Indian Creek have benefitted from this fund. There is now about$750,000 in the
account, mostly to preserve open space.
5. Approval of March 28, 2017 minutes: Lisa moves and Claire seconds, all approved.
6. Plan for the next Town Board farm tour:The farm tour for Town officials was discussed. The group would like to
continue with the tour, with a date sometime in October. Potential farms to include this year—Casper's Farm,
Suwinski's, Wedemeyer's, and Sweyolakan Farm (Baker). Mike will check with Town Board members on a date and
contact farms to see which are available and interested.
7. Regular reports: Debbie reported that Cooperative Extension is working on a one-stop web site. Cornell Small Farms
newsletter is a good resource.
Debbie Teeter gave report on the upcoming Farm City Day. Many times has been held on a dairy farm. 18 farms are
participating in this Open Farm Day, on both the east and west sides of the lake. This will be held on August 121"and
131", between 12 and 4. CCE has a page on their web site to describe it. They are partnering with the Chamber of
Commerce to produce a 2 fold publication. They have $for this. Also support could come from Farm Bureau and Ag and
Farmland Board.This has been modelled after Madison County. Six markets are also on the route.There is a social
media presence on Facebook. The Wedemeyer equestrian farm is participating in the event.
8. Other business: Industrial Hemp:The state would like to promote hemp production for nutritional and fiber uses.
Most hemp is grown in Canada. Hopefully production can be promoted much the way craft breweries and Greek yogurt
have been successes. Cornell Cooperative Extension has a site on growing hemp
(http://erie.cce.cornell.edu/agriculture/growing-hemp).
Casper Farm needed more electricity, and called NYSEG. They were surprised there wasn't a farm electricity rate or
discount. More information needed. Must apply for rebate by July 1.
Lisa Ferguson asked about a revolving loan program. The Director of the Chamber of Commerce,Jennifer Tavares, is
promoting agritourism and has experience in this type of loan program in the Catskills. Would revolving loans for
farmers be a good thing? Maybe Alternatives could fund this. Everyone needs fencing, for instance, for pasture fence.
For agritourism, to be a stop you need things like parking or turn-a-round for buses and toilet facilities. Empire Tractor
has been good at issuing credit to farmers. It was suggested that maybe Jennifer could be invited to a future meeting to
help with this discussion. Mike will contact her about attending the November or January meeting.
Lisa is doing a grazing trial with two groups of bucklings; one on birdsfoot trefoil and one on regular pasture. She lost five
goats in a week to a deer-borne parasite. %of her 23 goats are infected and 13 of those are in treatment. Trefoil is high
in tannins, which may create an inhospitable environment for parasites.
Lisa Ferguson is considering using sprouted barley as fodder in winter. Lisa mentioned the Chamber of Commerce's
agritourism event at La Tourelle.
9. Ad00ourn: 8:15pm
Minutes drafted by Christianne McMillan White
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