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Every year, America loses 1.2 million acres of farmland - an area twice the size of Rhode Island - much of it our best and most productive farmland near where most Americans live. In Connecticut and across the nation, American Farmland Trust is a vital link between farmers, conservationists and policymakers, working to protect the best farmland, direct growth away from agricultural resources, provide healthy local food to all citizens, and help communities sustain local farms and farming.
What's New
The recently reestablished Governor’s Council for Agricultural Development met for the first time on January 5 in Hartford, reminding us all that it is an exciting time for Connecticut farms. The committee, reestablished in part after advocacy efforts by the Working Lands Alliance, a project of American Farmland Trust, is charged with finding ways to meet local demand for Connecticut-grown agricultural products. “This is a tremendous opportunity to grow agriculture in our state,” remarked Agriculture Commissioner Steven Reviczky addressing Governor Malloy, Senator John Kissel, committee members, and members of the Connecticut Food Farms and Jobs Working Group. We’re proud to have members of our Working Lands Alliance steering committee serve on the governor’s council and contribute to
recommendations from the working group.
Another year has come to pass and with it a list of successes—and challenges—impacting farms and food across New England. 2011 was marked by unusual weather, underscoring the need for effective policies and programs to keep farms thriving despite the inherent risks and to help support strong local food systems.
This year, we worked with a wide variety of partners throughout New England to promote the critical importance of farms and farmland to New England’s economy, environment, public health, community character and livability. Here are a few highlights from our work across the region. Read more about our accomplishments from the past year in New England and see a snapshot of what lies ahead.
Farm Transfer Training Through New England Land Access Project
 Do you help farm families address farm succession and transfer planning? If so, you may be interested in a training being offered on November 17 by the Farm Transfer Task Force of the Land Access Project. The training is intended to guide farm transfer planning practitioners through best practices, planning approaches and challenges, use of farm transfer planning teams, and farm transfer planning resources in the region. For more information or to register for the workshop, visit the Land For Good website.
Looking
for Land Trusts Engaged in Farmland Protection!
 Are you a
land trust protecting farmland within a 100-mile radius of Boston
or New York City?
If so, the Connecticut-based 1772 Foundation is looking to help you. The
foundation is offering grants to land trusts for three general purposes:
land protection; capacity building, including membership building, planned giving
programs and training; and internal revolving loan funds to cover transaction
costs. In addition to meeting the geographic criteria, land trusts must have a
primary interest in farmland protection and have adopted the Land Trust Alliance’s
Standards and Practices. Letters of inquiry are due by February 12,
2012.
 Call for Nomiations for the Farmland Preservation Pathfinder Awards
The Working Lands Alliance is currently seeking nominations for the 2011 Farmland Preservation Pathfinder Awards. Established in 2003, and administered by the Working Lands Alliance, the Farmland Preservation Pathfinder Awards are designed to recognize individuals and groups that have significantly advanced farmland preservation through leadership, advocacy, planning, and education.
Download the 2011 nomination form.
Farmland ConneCTions: A New Guide for Land Leasing
Access to land can be a major obstacle to young and veteran farmers alike. Leasing farmland from towns, institutions and land trusts provides an opportunity for beginning and expanding farmers to embark on new farm ventures or grow their farm businesses. Whether five acres or 100 acres, leased land can help keep farms thriving while creating jobs and providing local food. To help landowners and land seekers think through farm leasing and develop successful lease arrangements, we developed a new guide along with the University of Connecticut called Farmland ConneCTions: Leasing Farmland in Connecticut [PDF]. Two upcoming webinars on the guide will cover tenure options, practical and legal considerations in drafting a lease, community farms and risk management options.
Learn more about the guide!
American Farmland Trust Welcomes Leah Mayor
 We recently welcomed Leah Mayor to our New England Office, where she will serve as the Working Lands Alliance Project Director and New England Project Manager. Mayor brings an extensive background in education and community leadership, as well as experience with sustainability initiatives focused on food and agricultural systems. Her work has focused on leveraging enthusiasm of a growing local foods movement to protect farmland, natural heritage and artisanal traditions. Mayor is also the founder and principal of Taking Root, an ecotourism initiative devoted to stimulating local economies, building community viability, and celebrating our connections to food and culinary history. Please join us in welcoming Leah!
Connecticut Town Planner Receives National Award for Supporting Farms and Food
 Lebanon Town Planner Philip Chester has been awarded the title of 2011 Outstanding Small Town and Rural Planner by the American Planning Association (APA). Chester, who served on our Advisory Committee for Planning for Agriculture: A Guide for Connecticut Municipalities, has helped Lebanon protect more than 1,000 acres of local farmland; dedicated annual funding to farmland preservation; implemented cluster zoning regulations and agricultural buffers for new subdivisions; enacted a right-to-farm ordinance; and initiated a thriving farmers market. “Too often municipal leaders focus on developing land versus preserving agriculture. Both have their pluses, but only agriculture provides sustainable value in terms of the environment, municipal finance, aesthetics and food security, which can be appreciated by everyone,” said Chester.
Connecticut Continues Its Commitment to Farmland Protection
 Despite a challenging economic climate, Governor Dannel Malloy and members of the General Assembly demonstrated their strong commitment to farmland preservation by authorizing $10 million per year in new bond funding for 2012 and 2013. This funding is needed to maintain the increased pace of land protection under the state’s Farmland Preservation Program, which is likely to protect more than 20 farms in 2011. As the legislative session ended, state leaders also revised the Community Investment Act to restore funding to the Farmland Preservation Program while continuing the state’s safety net for dairy farmers.
 In late April, Sen. Don Williams highlighted six years of accomplishments through the Community Investment Act (CIA) at a press conference in Hartford. Describing the CIA as an "economic engine" that has helped to "sustain the character, and strengthen the economy, of nearly every town and city in Connecticut," Sen. Williams vowed to protect the CIA this year from the funding raids that occurred in previous years, when a portion of the fund was used to help balance the state budget. The press conference coincided with a display of 40 success stories—10 for each of the four CIA sectors: agriculture and dairy; historic preservation; open space; and affordable housing.
The celebration continued into May—which is "Preservation Month" in Connecticut—when Sen. Williams discussed the economic benefits of land protection through the CIA on the WNPR program, "Where We Live."
Spreading the No Farms No Food® Message at Ag Day
 The No Farms No Food® was well received by lawmakers at a recent “Ag Day” held at the Connecticut Capitol. The day represents a key opportunitiy to celebrate agriculture and highlight the importance of farmland preservation to lawmakers.
On March 16, Working Lands Alliance, a project of American Farmland Trust, helped showcase the importance of agriculture to Connecticut and joined Governor Dannel Malloy, newly appointed Commissioner of Agriculture Steven Reviczky and other legislators in sampling the tremendous diversity of Connecticut-grown foods. We spoke with state leaders about legislative priorities [PDF], especially the importance of new funding for farmland preservation in this tough economic climate.
Help us keep agriculture a vital part of Connecticut’s economy and natural beauty, while retaining the family farms that provide healthy, local produce for families throughout the state. To coincide with our 10th anniversary, Working Lands Alliance, a project of American Farmland Trust, is launching a new membership drive and has set a goal to reach at least 300 dues-paying members by summer 2010. Please consider becoming a founding member of Working Lands Alliance—YOUR voice for farmland preservation in Connecticut! Learn about the benefits of WLA membership.
 Updated Guide Describes Farmland Conservation Options
Conservation Options for Connecticut Farmland, a joint publication of American Farmland Trust and Connecticut Farmland Trust, describes farmland protection options and programs available in Connecticut, and answers some frequently asked questions about agricultural conservation easements. This practical guide is intended for landowners, land trusts, and municipalities. The new release of the guide includes updated information about state and federal agricultural and land conservation programs, tips for estate planning and farm transfer, and considerations for forestland owners. To obtain a hard copy, contact AFT’s Connecticut office.
Click here to read the full guide.
After more than 30 years of preservation activity and despite recent increases in funding by the state and its many partners, Working Lands Alliance estimates that only 36% of the statewide goal for farmland protection—130,000 acres—has been reached. The goal of 130,000 acres protected-set in 1980 and based upon 1976 food production and consumption levels-was established in order to supply a portion of the state's total consumption. Plowing Ahead: Farmland Preservation in 2010 and Beyond reports that at the current rate of farmland protection, the program won't reach its goal until 2090, by which time continued farmland loss might have made the goal obsolete.
Thanks to support from members of the Working Lands Alliance coalition, including American Farmland Trust, a bill offering new market opportunities for Connecticut farmers recently passed the legislature with overwhelming support. The Farms, Food, and Jobs bill (now Public Act 10-103) allows on-farm production of acidified foods such as pickles, tomato sauce and salsa and their sale at farm stands and farmers markets; allows turkey and poultry producers to process their birds and sell directly to consumers and restaurants; and authorizes funding for marketing Connecticut-grown dairy products. The bill is now on the governor's desk.
 Two of the most influential women in American agriculture—Deputy USDA Secretary Kathleen Merrigan and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), chair of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee—both strong supporters of farmland protection, spoke at the Working Land Alliance’s 10th anniversary conference in March at Yale's Kroon Hall. The conference also featured sessions on farmland protection tools and financing, community farms and farmland access, and linking farmland protection with regional food security and access. Working Lands Alliance released a white paper outlining the status of farmland preservation efforts in Connecticut.
View the materials and presentations for the conference, Plowing Ahead: Farmland Preservation in 2010 and Beyond.
Policy Update
A pivotal part of our advocacy work in Connecticut is performed by the Working Lands Alliance (WLA). Established in 2000, WLA is a statewide coalition of farmers, conservationists, anti-hunger groups and municipal leaders working together to increase the state’s commitment to farmland preservation. WLA’s efforts focus on strengthening the state’s commitment to Connecticut’s Farmland Preservation Program and other new agriculture viability programs.
Thanks to efforts by Working Lands Alliance, a major recommitment of funding for the State Farmland Preservation Program was secured when Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams and Governor Jodi Rell agreed to restore bonding levels for the program to $10 million per year through FY 2011. This important move ensures the state’s continued commitment to farmland protection and will allow the state to continue to match increased federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program allocations to Connecticut.
On November 18,
our voice of farmland preservation in Connecticut, the Working Lands Alliance, welcomed supporters to its 9th Annual Meeting and Luncheon. The luncheon featured a seasonal bisque prepared by Chef Kevin Cottle (runner-up on the tv-reality show, Hell's Kitchen) and a roasted vegetable and pesto dish made with herbs grown by The Sound School students and prepared by Chef Tim Cipriano aka the 'Local Food Dude' of New Haven Public Schools Food Service. Dessert using locally grown apples and milk was prepared by the Local Routes team at University of Connecticut. Two guest speakers—Peter Orr of Fort Hill Farms and Liz MacAlister of Cato Corner Farm— highlighted this year’s topic of Dairy Diversity. Legislator and Pathfinder awards will also be presented.
Legislator awards for outstanding leadership on behalf of farmland preservation policy were presented to Representative Bryan Hurlburt and Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams; Gordon Gibson, CT State Grange, was awarded the Outstanding Individual Pathfinder Award; Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation & Development, Inc. was awarded the Outstanding Group Pathfinder Award.
The last of the acclaimed Dinners at the Farm were held over three beautiful nights at Old Maids Farm in South Glastonbury, CT. Working Lands Alliance—a project of American Farmland Trust—was one of only four organizations selected as a beneficiary. At the same time, Good Tastes Kitchen of Newburyport hosted a farm-to-table event at Cider Hill Farm, in Amesbury, MA. Chefs at both events delighted guests with a feast of locally grown products sourced from the host farms and other local producers. The hugely popular dinners are intended to generate awareness of the vitality of the local farming community and the delicious food it provides.
American Farmland Trust and Connecticut Conference of Municipalities are currently providing technical assistance to help communities plan for agriculture. Six municipalities—Coventry, Durham, Eastford, North Stonington, Preston and Woodbridge—were selected to receive technical assistance to implement one of the strategies discussed in the new Planning for Agriculture: A Guide for Connecticut Municipalities. The towns are focusing on strategies such as: initiating an Agricultural Commission; reviewing farm tax reduction options; encouraging buy local opportunities; including agriculture in town conservation and development plans; and developing right-to-farm ordinances.
Finally, a website to help you find locally grown food and farm products in Connecticut. Visit BuyCTGrown.com to search for local products, sign up for in-season alerts for you favorite fruits and vegetables, reminders about upcoming food and farm events, or delectable seasonal recipes from Connecticut chefs and more. The 2009 membership enrollment packet is now available for farms and other businesses.
Contact Us
New England Field Office
Leah Mayor
Working Lands Alliance Project Director &
New England Project Manager
lmayor@farmland.org
(860) 683-4230
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