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Volunteer visitors will
canvas 100 or more
Westmoreland County farms
beginning mid-January to
conduct a survey to
understand local farmers
needs, their concerns about
agriculture, and
opportunities for the
future. All surveys will be
completed by the end of
February.
The farm visitation program
is sponsored by a volunteer
organization, the Future of
Westmoreland Agriculture (FWA).
FWA, led and facilitated by
Penn State Cooperative
Extension in Westmoreland
County, is an alliance of
citizens and representatives
from various organizations
who want to strengthen and
support
agriculture in the county.
FWA volunteers will visit
Westmoreland farms to
conduct face-to-face
surveys. These volunteers
are being trained on how to
conduct the farm interview
and survey, which will
pinpoint farm needs,
concerns, and development
plans. Farmers will be
interviewed about a number
of topics, including
markets, availability of
supplies, and development
pressure. Those to be
interviewed were randomly
selected from lists of
farmers provided by local
agencies.
Once the interviews are
complete, Penn State faculty
and extension educators will
analyze information and
prepare an initial draft
report, including
recommendations. Individual
farm data will be kept
confidential.
The FWA task force, made up
of representatives from
across the county, will use
the report and a strategic
planning process to develop
an agriculture action plan.
The goal is to have a set of
action items identified by
the spring of 2005. Local
implementation teams will
then spearhead efforts to
achieve the goals in the
action plan. Farms,
agribusinesses, other local
businesses, and a variety of
agencies may be drawn into
the process by these teams.
According to Bob Graham,
chairman of the Leadership
Team and Task Force, FWA has
several goals. In the
short-run, the group hopes
to provide community support
for local farms, resolve
immediate individual farm
concerns, and increase the
public’s understanding of
agriculture’s role in the
county.
Graham said long-run goals
include increasing the
competitiveness of local
farms and agribusinesses;
sustaining a healthy local
farm economy and improving
the business climate; and
implementing a strategic
action plan to ensure the
future of farming in
Westmoreland County.
If you would like to learn
more please contact Anita
Nichols, FWA Facilitator at
the Penn State Cooperative
Extension office in
Westmoreland
County,724-837-1402 or adn3@psu.edu.
Penn State is committed to
affirmative action, equal
opportunity, and the
diversity of its workforce. |
