In the past, the conventional wisdom among too many “urban” planners was that agricultural zoning was little more than a “holding zone” for vacant land, waiting for development at some future time.

Today, there is a growing understanding that communities wishing to preserve the agricultural economy and unique character of our rural places must do more than simply respond and react to development pressures.  Planning for the future of rural Michigan communities is part of the mission of Building Place.  Planning for agriculture should be part of local community planning, whether your community is urban or rural in character.

As part of that mission, we are pleased to promote the upcoming 2009 Planning for Agriculture conference hosted by the Michigan Farm Bureau on January 29, 2009…

Before getting to the conference details, however, it is important to ‘set the mood’ with a short video presentation from Free Range Studios highlighting the importance of “the farm”…

Store Wars:  The Organic Rebellion.  Not long ago in a supermarket not so far away…

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Conference to Focus on Agricultural Issues

With agritourism flourishing, it’s an exciting time for agriculture in Michigan.  Sustaining the momentum requires careful planning – the kind of planning that considers every detail from property taxes to road rules.  To help farmers and local government leaders with the task, the Michigan Farm Bureau will hold a Planning for Agriculture Conference from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing.

“The intention of this conference is to help attendees get up to speed on the latest developments that impact agricultural planning, while also providing an educational platform for fundamental, core strategies such as farmland preservation programs,” said MFB land stewardship specialist Matt Kapp.  Workshop sessions will cover the following:

  • Local taxation – What landowners should know before attempting to appeal their property tax bill.
  • The Michigan Right to Farm Act – What the act does, who it protects, and how it works.
  • Farmland preservation at the state level – What the Michigan Department of Agriculture’s Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program offers and how farmers can benefit.
  • Roads 101 – What the emerging issues are in agriculture and transportation.
  • Farmland preservation at the local level – What’s worked and what hasn’t with county and township farmland preservation efforts.
  • Farm markets and agritourism – What’s the role of farm markets and agritourism in Michigan’s agricultural economy and what’s being done to foster this sector.
  • Leases and easements – What landowners need to know before signing a wind energy, oil or mineral rights contract.

The conference line-up also includes three general sessions.  The speakers and topics are as follows:

  1. Rich Harlow, manager and administrator of the Michigan Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program, will kick off the agenda by forecasting the future of agriculture in Michigan and providing attendees with a vision of how the industry might operate in coming decades.
  2. William Rustem, president and chief executive officer of Public Sector Consultants and senior consultant for environmental policy and economic development, will lead a mid-day session devoted to the future of land-based industries in Michigan.
  3. Bill Ballenger, a former state senator and representative who now works as editor and publisher of the Inside Michigan Politics newsletter, will cap the day’s activities by discussing the importance of agricultural stakeholders becoming involved in local, state and rational politics.

Registration for the conference is $65 for Michigan Farm Bureau members and $115 for non-members, including lunch, refreshments and handouts.  Call (517) 323-6550 to register or for more information, or click here to download an Adobe Reader .PDF version of the conference brochure.

To learn more about how Building Place can help your community plan for agriculture or include value-added agricultural activities in your zoning ordinance, contact us here.

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