Agriculture Commission
Established in 2005, the Commission is comprised of seven appointed members as
well as several alternate members. It meets the first Wednesday of every month
from 7-8pm, generally in conference room C of Town Hall.
Members: Warren Jepson, Co-Chair, Royce Knowlton, Co-Chair; Diane Cassidy, Donald “Eric” Galicki, Kat Kenney, Augusta Macrokanis, and Michael Marini. Alternate members: Bill Cassidy, Kelly Jacklin and Laura Russell.
The mission of the Ipswich Agricultural Commission is to support and provide a
voice for the significant agricultural community and resources of Ipswich. The
Commission represents all forms of agriculture in town including: fruit,
vegetable and other food crop growers, animal and dairy food providers, equine
facilities, hay operations, florists, nurseries, and aquaculture.
The mission of the Commission is to:
·
Provide representation for
the farming community in town government and in the community
·
Encourage the pursuit of
agriculture and agriculturally based economic opportunities in Ipswich
·
Act as a facilitator,
advocate, and educator on farming issues
·
Pursue all initiatives
appropriate to creating a sustainable agricultural community in Ipswich
·
Promote and encourage farming
as a vocation
·
Work with other town
committees on issues that face the town
Why would I contact the Agricultural Commission?
If you are:
·
Looking for information or
support for any agricultural issue regarding: wildlife, local and state
regulations, economic viability and opportunities, education and advocacy,
estate planning, etc.
·
Looking for support on an
agricultural issue you are facing with the town or townspeople
·
Interested in participating
in the Commission and/or Commission activities
An Analysis of
Ipswich Agriculture and Agricultural Land
In January, 2010, the
Agriculture Commission, the Open Space Committee, and the Office of Planning and
Development in Ipswich celebrated completion of a year-long study and report,
“An Analysis of Ipswich Agriculture and
Town planning studies over
the past decade show a consistent priority to save working farms as an essential
piece of Ipswich character, economy, and open space.
The Town undertook this analysis in recognition both of the importance of agriculture to the local economy and the goals of the Town, and of the growing threats to these endeavors. The goal of the effort was twofold: 1) to preserve lands that are valuable for agricultural use to the greatest extent possible, and 2) to identify the land and business needs of the agricultural community so that the Town can target its land protection and assistance efforts to maximize the economic viability of agriculture in Town. Impediments and threats to agriculture at the local, regional, state and national levels will be analyzed, while the benefits of locally grown food and products for human, ecological, and economic health will be identified. Protecting farmland and keeping farmers working successfully is the goal of these programs and this report is a tool to help the Town play a more effective role in achieving that goal.