Agricultural Commission Responsibilities

  • Speaking for the farm and forestry community on town issues at Town Meeting and at other opportunities throughout the year.
  • Working to improve the climate of support for farming throughout the town.
  • Assisting the Select Board and other town boards and groups with farm and forestry-related questions.
  • Helping steer town long-range planning in a direction that is beneficial to farm and forestry interests.
  • Working to help protect and preserve farm and forest lands in cooperation with other town boards, state agencies, and regional and local land trusts.
  • Compiling an inventory of farmers and farm and forest land in the town.
  • Publishing a guide to local farms and local fresh produce for the town.
  • Working with Agricultural Commissions in neighboring towns to promote farming and maintain communications about farm issues.
  • Sponsoring farmers markets or community gardens to improve farm sales opportunities.
  • Assisting in solving disputes between farmers and neighbors.
  • Sponsoring town-wide forums and workshops on farm issues such as estate planning, agricultural wetland exemptions, farm safety, grants and other funding available to farmers, farmland protection, or animal identification.
  • Organizing town farm events-farm festivals, farm and garden tours, sugaring dinners, farm fairs.
  • Staying in touch with the Mass Department of Agricultural Resources, Mass Farm Bureau, and other organizations to obtain current information on farm and forestry issues.
  • Reviewing town zoning bylaws and other bylaws and regulations to be sure they do not inadvertently penalize farm interests. Promoting innovative zoning provisions such as Natural Resource Overlay districts.Taking on a subdivision-review advisory role.
  • Drafting Right-to-Farm Bylaws that put the town on record as being farm-friendly, create a mediation mechanism for disputes, and establish a notification procedure for residents that the town is farm-friendly.