HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-05-13Dryden Ag Advisory Committee
May 13, 2015
Town of Dryden Agriculture Advisory Committee
May 18, 2015
Members Present: Evan Carpenter (Chair), Joe Osmeloski, Doug Barton, and Kim
LaMotte
Town Hall Staff: Ray Burger (Planning Director) and Mary Ann Sumner (Town
Supervisor)
Liaisons Present: John Kiefer (Planning Board), Craig Schutt (Conservation Board)
and Jason Leifer (Town Board)
Guests: Monica Roth, Cornell Cooperative Extension and Steve Foote, potential Ag
Committee candidate and Nancy Munkenbeck, Conservation Board
Meeting was called to order at 7:35PM
Discussion regarding the Dairy Day booth:
The booth will be open from 9 -3. Members were asked to man the booth and it was
left that folks will wander in and out as they are available.
Ms. Roth has some posters that she may be able to bring some farm oriented posters.
She is also going to put together a “why we need an ag plan” explanation and will
bring additional surveys.
In reference to the Ag surveys:
Pressure for farmland from the larger farms was a concern for some of the smaller
farmers. Most of the Committee members didn’t believe this was an issue for most of
the farmers. There are only certain areas of the Town that face that challenge.
The discussion moved into an explanation of how farmers, big and small, need each
other to continue operating. Each member had a story to share that showed the level
of cooperation among the farm community. There is a romantic ideal out there of the
small farmer but the reality is that the small farms need the larger farms; they share
services and work together to help each other.
The members agreed that the public doesn’t have an honest view of farming and
farmers. They tend to see large farms in the same light as big corporations and fail to
see the positive changes that have occurred in the farming community. Most farmers
are incredibly careful with their land – it is not a renewable resource so farmers have a
vested interest in maintaining the quality of the soil and water resources.
The community tends to be unaware of the reality of the positive agricultural
practices. 16,000 acres out of 60,000 of harvested crop lands in Tompkins County are
organically managed. Ms. Roth also pointed out that most crops do not require the
application of any chemicals. GMOs and the hormone issue are potential hot issues.
C. Anderson suggested that the Town of Dryden invest in signs that indicate this is a
“right to farm” Town. Several other Towns have similar signs at the Town’s points of
entry.
Dryden Ag Advisory Committee
May 13, 2015
J. Kiefer asked if the zoning laws in the Town were a challenge to farmers and whether
the zoning should be reconsidered. The Committee agreed that the current zoning is a
potential issue due to the limitations it applies to certain applications. A current
example is a larger farm trying to build farm worker housing which is permitted under
Ag and Markets law but according to the Dryden zoning, it is considered a boarding
house.
For Dairy Day, the priority appears to be educating the public about local farming.
Maps of the Ag districts as well as maps of the Town will help people understand. One
of the challenges to farming in Dryden is the misunderstanding of farming by the local
community.
Ms. Roth has been looking at plans for other communities. One of the ideas that stood
out was a reserve fund to assist farmers; for example, if a farm is for sale but none of
the farmers have the ability to pay for it up front, the Town could potentially purchase
the property and later sell it to farmers. That will keep the land in farming.
She is hoping to have preliminary strategies identified by the fall and intends to do
some farm surveys to identify more information. C. Anderson brought the conversation
around to the idea of identifying the smaller farms in the Town. The USDA identifies a
farm as earning $1000 per year but for ag assessment it is $10,000 per year (gross
sales) for two years in a row and have 7 acres or more. For 6 acres or less, the gross
sales need to be $50,000.
The Committee decided that as information is processed, categories will start to form.
Those that make under $1000, those that make between $1000-$10,000, $10,000 -
$40,000 and then those above $40,000. Ag exemption is not a great marker, it will
identify some but there are a lot of smaller farms out there that do not apply or qualify
for whatever reason. To identify the smaller farms, the local farmers markets, local
businesses like Agway and Lilley’s (both farm supply stores), and the personal
knowledge of the committee members will all be considered.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Erin A. Bieber