AgCom Conference and Meeting Information

Cape Agricultural Commissions Gathering
April 10, 2010
Hosted by Harwich Agricultural Commission

Agenda

"Value-added Products - Increasing Year Round Income"
Bonita Oehlke, MDAR. Specialty Foods Program
Kim Foley, Asst. Director, MA Department of Health, Food Protection Program

"Farm to Institution/School Marketing"
Kelly Erwin, Managing Consultant, MA Farm to School Project

Massachusetts Agricultural Commissions’ Conference
Worcester State College
Saturday, March 20, 2010

I. Conference Program

II. Presentations

Massachusetts Agricultural Commissions:
Making a Difference in our Community

January 23-24, 2009

I. Conference Program

II. Presentations

     A. Agricultural Inventories

• The Value of Agriculture in our Towns, (.ppt) J. Jaffe, First Pioneer Farm Credit
• Strengthening Connections to our Farms, (.ppt) J. House, Rehoboth AgCom
• A New Look for Protecting Pioneer Valley Farms, (.ppt) C. Clay, The Trust for Public Lands
• The Status of Agriculture in Barnstable County, (.ppt) T. Stone, Woods Hole Research Center & K. Beauchamp, Association for the Preservation of Cape Cod

B. Funding

• How to get Grants, M. Greendale, Ag Consultant

C. Laws

• Laws Affecting Agriculture, F. DiLuna, Partner, Murtha Cullina
• Documents & Handouts, B. Ritchie, General Counsel, MDAR
• Agriculture, Forestry & the Wetlands Protection Act, D. Lenthall, USDA, NRCS, L. Farinon, Conservation Agent, Rochester

D. Public Relations

• Anatomy of a News Release, D. Petit, USDA,NRCS
• Looking Good on TV, D. Petit, USDA, NRCS
• Creating Effective Relationships with the Media, D. Petit, USDA, NRCS
• Getting your News in the Newspaper, D.Petit, USDA, NRCS
• Tips for Emailing News Releases, D. Petit, USDA, NRCS
• Public Relations Planning, D.Petit, USDS, NRCS
• Celebrating Agriculture in Your Community, T. Anderson, CLASH, Cape Land and Sea Harvest

E. Massachusetts Buy Local Programs

• Be a Local Hero-Buy Locally Grown Campaign, K. Coleman, CISA
• Cape Buy Fresh Buy Local, J. Gunnard
• Northeast Harvest Buy Local, J. O'Brien
• Buy Fresh Buy Local SE Massachusetts, S. Cogswell, SEMAP
• Berkshire Grown, B. Zheutlin
• Massachusetts Farm to School Project, K. Erwin and Anne Cody

F. Nuestras Raices "Our Roots"

• Fostering Economic, Human & Community Development in Holyoke through Projects Relating to Food, Agriculture & the Environment, D. Ross, Executive Director, Nuestras Raices

2007-2008 Regional AgCom Gatherings

Click on links to see results of:
AgCom presentations and discussions (Dec. 1st Meeting)
AgCom presentations and discussions (Dec. 8th Meeting)
AgCom presentations and discussions (Jan. 12th Meeting)