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Signs that Local Foods Are Cooking in the Lowcountry
 Lowcountry Local First’s latest newsletter explores the growth of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), the availability of local meats, Charleston-area farmers markets, and restaurants participating in the Fresh on the Menu program.
Beaufort County Government has added a local foods Web page, highlighting area farmers markets, the new wholesale produce market, and a local CSA.
American Farmland Trust convened groups of South Carolina farmers, fishers, chefs, extension agents and non-profits to discuss opportunities for increased direct sales as part of the Lowcountry Farm to Chef Project.
Want to be a Low Country Farmer?
 A young farmer starting a Community Supported Agriculture operation in Charleston County; a restaurant group seeking to hire a grower to produce specific items of need; and a plantation owner with land available for the right person addressed participants at the Growing New Farmers for the Lowcountry workshop. The workshop, convened by American Farmland Trust, Clemson Extension and the Lowcountry Local First, brought together a broad range of partners to explore opportunities and challenges for beginning farmers.
The Apple as Planet Earth
Do you know how much of the earth is suitable for farming? Watch this short animated presentation and learn why protecting our farmland is so important.
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A new farm bill, what’s in it for South Carolina ?
After years of work, we have a new 2008 Farm Bill. What does it mean for you and your community? From the foods we eat, to protecting farms from development, to helping keep our drinking water clean—the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 has many programs that affect all of us everyday.
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South Carolina Agricultural Landowners Guide |
agricultural landowners guide
Whether it’s tobacco in the coastal plain, cotton in the Pee Dee, chickens and horses in the Midlands, or peaches in the Upstate, agriculture plays an important role in the state’s economy. However, recent changes in the tobacco economy, rising land prices, an influx of new residents and other growth pressures threaten the future of South Carolina’s productive lands. Landowners are looking for ways to protect their investments and remain financially viable.
AFT's South Carolina Agricultural Landowners Guide(pdf) provides an overview of programs for landowners who want to pursue conservation options and improve the productivity of their land.
Lowcountry Cuisine Needs Lowcountry Farms
Shrimp and grits…Smoky collards…Peach cobbler…She-Crab soup…Huguenot torte… Fried Green Tomatoes…Sweet potato pone…Hungry yet?
Most South Carolina visitors place these specialties of Lowcountry cuisine high on their list of attractions to the region, along with the beautiful coastal landscape and historic architecture. Long known for cultivating some of America’s most creative chefs and finest restaurants, the area has a rich history of a diverse agricultural sector, producing large quantities of tomatoes, rice, and vegetables on the islands surrounding the urban core. However, with changing markets, development pressure, and rising land prices, local farms are disappearing—find out about the new initiatives to help protect local food, farms and farmers.
First Statewide Land Protection Legislation Passed
In 2002, the South Carolina legislature passed legislation to establish the Conservation Bank, the first statewide land protection legislation.
American Farmland Trust is providing technical assistance to Soil and Water Conservation Districts that are beginning to hold agricultural conservation easements through this program. This program will also be eligible for matching funds from the federal farm bill, which allocated $1 billion to farmland protection.
Contact Us
Bob Wagner
Senior Director, Farmland Protection Programs
800-370-4879
bwagner@farmland.org
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