Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan Adopted May

Once upon a time … Five years ago … at another Agriculture Planning Workshop… “Nobody in my town cares enough.” 2

Once upon a time … Five years ago … at another Agriculture Planning Workshop… “Nobody in my town cares enough.” “I’m a farmer and nobody talked to me!” 3

Once upon a time … Five years ago … at another Agriculture Planning Workshop… “Nobody in my town cares enough.” “I’m a farmer and nobody talked to me!” “Planning is complicated, costs too much.” 4

Once upon a time … Five years ago … at another Agriculture Planning Workshop… “Nobody in my town cares enough.” “I’m a farmer and nobody talked to me!” “Planning is complicated, costs too much.” “Farmers & conservationists won’t ever agree.” 5

Once upon a time … Five years ago … at another Agriculture Planning Workshop… “Nobody in my town cares enough.” “I’m a farmer and nobody talked to me!” “Planning is complicated, costs too much.” “Don’t talk to me about ag exemptions… it just makes my taxes higher!” “Farmers & conservationists won’t ever agree.” 6

Once upon a time … Five years ago … at another Agriculture Planning Workshop… “Nobody in my town cares enough.” “I’m a farmer and nobody talked to me!” “Planning is complicated, costs too much.” “Don’t talk to me about ag exemptions… it just makes my taxes higher!” “Nothing will come of it…so why bother?” “Farmers & conservationists won’t ever agree.” 7

Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan Adopted May Avoiding the Six Predictable Planning Pitfalls

Build on Community Interests #1 9 Agriculture, Open Space, Conservation

Dairy Livestock Fruits & Vegetables Horses Hay & Crops Get Farmers on Committee: represent Town’s diversity 10 Get farmer participation #2

11 Face the complexity & expense of planning head on #3 Plan communications at the start

12 Develop common ground between farmers and conservationists #4 Protect water quality

13 Explain Agricultural Exemptions #5 Cows don’t go to school

Make things happen! 14 #6

Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan Adopted May Avoiding the Six Predictable Planning Pitfalls