HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-11-14Agricultural Advisory Committee
November 14, 2018
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AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
November 14, 2018
Members Present: Evan Carpenter (Chair), Kim LaMotte, Jeremy Sherman, Brian Magee, Marie McRae
Liaisons: Alice Green (Town Board), and Craig Schutt (Conservation Board)
The meeting was called to order at 7:41 pm
Review and approval of the minutes from October 10, 2018 meeting
M. McRae made a motion to approve the October 10, 2018 minutes, seconded by K. LaMotte, and
unanimously approved.
New Business
Deborah Teeter from CCE of Tompkins County provided a list of farmers in the Town of Dryden to be
reviewed and updated. She indicated the committee can identify those operations that might want
their operations/products/services listed on the town’s website.
The committee went down through the list and made any corrections they were aware of and added
several farms that were missing from the list. Discussion ensued regarding which farms might have
services/products that they might want advertised on our website.
E. Carpenter will deliver the list with his notations to D. Teeter and asked that I email her a copy of the
list with my notes so she can go through both lists and produce one updated list.
Discussion ensued regarding updating the list, contacting the farms to make them aware that the option
to list their farm/products on our website is available, and leaving it up to each farm to decide if they
would or would not be interested.
Old Business
Right to Farm Signs
M. McRae – composed a draft of an informational post for our town website explaining the right-to-
farm signs:
The signs announcing that the Town of Dryden is a "Right to Farm"
community, which were placed at the town’s major roadway and highway
entrances in Fall of 2018, affirm Dryden's 1992 law supporting local farming
as a vital and welcome activity. Farming contributes to the quality of life
Agricultural Advisory Committee
November 14, 2018
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here, generates economic activity, provides open space and pastoral
views, and supports wildlife habitat. Dryden wishes to encourage and
preserve farming traditions and stimulate the expansion of farms within its
borders.
However, some common farming practices may not be well understood by
new neighbors, and the year-round mechanics of maintaining and fertilizing
large fields, planting and harvesting crops, and caring for livestock, may, at
first, be questioned. Dryden's Right to Farm law recognizes the potential for
such conflict and is written to ensure that Dryden farmers can be free from
any aggressive pressure that opposes sound agricultural practices. In
writing the law, Town of Dryden elected officials followed and strengthened
NYS's Agricultural and Markets Law 25AA.
E. Carpenter made a motion to pass the following resolution:
RESOLUTION #8 for 2018 Right to Farm Statement to place on Town website
Whereas the Committee reviewed the informational post for placement on the Town website.
Therefore, be it resolved that the Dryden Agricultural Advisory Committee approved informational post
to be placed on the Town website.
J. Sherman seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.
Newsletter
E. Carpenter inquired about the Town of Dryden having a newsletter.
A. Green advised there was one at one time, but it has been discontinued. There is a possibility there
will be one again in the future.
E. Carpenter thought a newsletter would be a good place to put positive articles about agriculture and
what is going on around town depending on the season.
C. Scutt advised there was a newsletter back when Maryanne Sumner was supervisor. You could either
subscribe on the website or have it emailed to you.
M. McRae mentioned printed copies at places like the library or the café would be a good idea.
A. Green will convey that there is interest in having a newsletter again.
Rules and procedures
C. Schutt advised the Agricultural Advisory Committee Rules and Procedures were presented to the
Town Board and the Town Board accepted them as written.
E. Carpenter thanked the Town Board.
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A motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 pm was made by K. LaMotte and seconded by M. McRae, and
unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Chrystle Terwilliger
Deputy Town Clerk