Murray will have public forum March 2 to discuss future of farming in the town

Posted 15 February 2023 at 11:40 am

Press Release, Town of Murray

MURRAY – The Town of Murray will hold a public forum on Thursday, March 2, at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 3840 Fancher Rd. as part of the Town of Murray Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan.

Farmers, farmland owners, residents and others interested in the future of farming and farmland in the Town of Murray are invited to attend.

The program on March 2 will include an overview of the town’s agricultural resources and the Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan as well as presentations on the following topics:

Technical assistance and science-based educational programs, including resources for small farms and new and beginning farmers (Robert Batt, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County)
Agricultural Environmental Management and Agricultural Use Assessment (Katie Sommerfeldt, Orleans County Soil & Water Conservation District)
Orleans County Agricultural District Program (Barbara Johnston, LaBella Associates)

The Town’s Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan will recommend strategies to increase economic opportunities for farms, retain high quality farmland for continued agricultural production and support the contributions of agriculture to the regional economy.

A survey of farmers and farmland owners is underway. The Town expects to complete the Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan by Fall 2023.

A Steering Committee comprised of Michael Mele, Alex Penna, Amy Machamer, Robert Batt (Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County) and James Bensley (Orleans County Planning Director) is working with the Town’s planning consultant (LaBella Associates) to prepare the Town’s Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan.

For more information, please contact one of the Steering Committee members or planning consultant Barbara Johnston at (585) 295-6636.