Farm Viability Solutions for Municipal Planning: Creating a Farm-Friendly Community, 4/3/2026

Описание: Krista Chappell, Municipal Policy Planner at Maine Farmland Trust.
Agriculture is facing significant challenges that threaten the viability of farms and the land base on which they rely. The viability of farming as a business is paramount to the future of farming and the benefits that farms and farmland create for our communities. Farmers need a local policy environment that supports them as they expand their businesses, compete in new markets, and grow food to meet their communities’ needs. In this webinar, Maine Farmland Trust presented intentional steps towns can take to support local agriculture and the viability of farms. Real world examples highlighted farmers and municipal representatives working collaboratively to identify and address the needs of local agriculture through community engagement, innovative regulatory strategies, and land use planning. Attendees derived tangible ideas for how municipalities ultimately create a truly “farm-friendly” community.