HomeMy WebLinkAbout05142015 Nantucket Agriculture Commission MinutesNantucket Agricultural Commission
Minutes from May 14th, 2015
In Attendance:
Patty Myers
John Kuszpa
Campbell Sutton
Michelle Whelan
Not In Attendance:
Adgenda:
1. Vote on minutes from 2/26/15 & 4/9/15 mtgs- Michelle motions, patty seconds all
Approve.
2. On-going Discussion Keeping of Animals Regulations -- postponed to next regular
meeting - way to get relevancy and gives us some credibility. Facebook was showing
people thinking town was banning livestock. Public meeting on animal permits on May
21st. RR says workgroup should form between board of health and Ag com. Somerville
has good regs on urban chickens. Nantucket may be rural but housing is dense due to
large amt of conservation land.
3. Open Discussion-
a. Meet with Pete Westover from Massachusetts Agricultural Department with
lead-in by Michelle Whelan- Pete and Cheryl have been helping ag coms around
the state. Mass ag com .org website. lots of good info and conferences for ag
coms. other towns have trouble meeting quorums, many ag coms have 5
members. ag coms can be high or low activity. ag coms advise other boards on
animals. Health depts tend to overreach on regulating ag, people have a right to
farm. technically people do not need to get a permit for animals. mass farm
bureau is good source of info addressing this issue. Ag com has free membership.
brad@mfbf.org (or .net) Ag com member could be present when reviews of
applications are happening. Right to farm bylaw could be educational and let
people know we are a farming community. RE agents will be required to tell
people purchasing homes that they are in a farming community. Can do brochure
on ag in ack, show all the farms. and economic amounts. Greenhouse law can be
challenged from zoning. Alot of different boards doing ag work- shellfish, fert
regs, invasive species groups. Economic impacts of ag on island. Most raise
visibility of farming in communities. Towns have signs showing, farming
community. Ag mediation program exists. Also Legal food services-free legal
advice
b. Michelle nominates John for temporary Chairman, Campbell seconds, all agree.
c. future Objectives-
i. live stock regs,
ii. right to farm bill,
iii. challenging the greenhouse law
iv. water restriction and size of lawns (drains aquifers, pollutes harbor
(harms shellfish farming), pollutes air,
v. get all the other boards together (invasives,shellfish)
vi. updating website- put links to brochures Pete gave us on town website.
d. Set agenda for next meeting -
i. Approve minutes from 5.14.15 meeting
ii. ongoing discussion- livestock updates- Campbell, objectives updates-
Michelle
iii. open discussion
iv. future objectives-
e. Set Date, Time, and Place for next meeting.
4. Adjourn
Meeting Start: 13:08
Adjourned: 14:10