Montgomery County, PA

The Montgomery County Commissioners are pleased to announce a conference supporting farming in Montgomery County will take place on Thursday, February 24, 2005 from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at Best Western – The Inn at Towamencin, 1750 Sumneytown Pike, Kulpsville.
The conference will focus on how farming can thrive in a rapidly developing county and on the history of farming in Montgomery County.
The keynote speakers at the "Keep Farming in Montgomery County" conference will be Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff and Brian Snyder, director, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). Secretary Wolff will discuss Pennsylvania’s investment in farming. Synder’s topic is entitled, "Farming in the Burbs: The Relevance of Agriculture to an Increasingly Urban Community"
The afternoon will consist of smaller sessions on specific farm-related topics such as grass-fed livestock, estate planning and neighbor relations. The conference is geared toward farmers, agri-businesses, private and public agencies, legislators, township officials and anyone else interested in agriculture.
The event is being sponsored by the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and the Montgomery County Agricultural Land Preservation Board in conjunction with active cosponsors. There will also be private and nonprofit exhibitors at the event.

This conference is designed to continue the momentum of the first "Keep Farming in Montgomery County" conference, which occurred in 2001 and concentrated on keeping farming viable. That first conference resulted in new farmers' markets opening, improved farm businesses, increased communication with local officials and much more. These "keep farming" conferences are another step in helping preserve farmland and the farming industry. For further information, contact Elizabeth Emlen at (610) 278-3754.