Protecting New Hampshire's Farmland

On November 4, 2022, the NH Food Alliance (NHFA) hosted "Protecting New Hampshire's Farmland," part of its 2022-2023 Network Cafe Series. During the Cafe, the NH Food Alliance network heard from leaders of New Hampshire’s conservation districts, conservation commissions, and land trusts on their organizations’ process of protecting farmland and how they are ensuring equitable access to the land they are protecting. Jeremy Lougee of Southeast Land Trust of NH provided an overview of farmland conservation and shared about new tools to keep protected farmland productive, affordable, and accessible. Following, Amanda Littleton of Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD) gave a presentation about two programs of CCCD: the NH Farm Future Fund and the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant. Lisa Morin the Laconia Board Member of the NH Association of Conservation Commissions rounded out the end of the panel by covering the role of conservation commissions in building grassroots community support and educating individual municipalities about conservation.

Prior to the Network Cafe, the three panelists identified a challenge they face in their work. Each panelist brought that challenge to the second half of the Network Cafe as topics for breakout group discussions. Network Cafe attendees choose between the following breakout groups:

• Meeting landowners where they are
• Land is protected. Is it productive and sustainable over the long term?
• Natural Resources Stewardship for future farm viability

During the breakout sessions, attendees thought about how the NH Food Alliance network could align to address the challenge, if there is support their organization could provide, and identified opportunities for collaboration and further learning in the face of each challenge.

Please view a recording of this Network Cafe below! And feel free to follow along and access informational resources and links through the agenda here.

Our next Network Cafe will be on Friday, December 2, 2022 from 12-1PM and will cover the topic of supporting New Hampshire's farm, fish, and food businesses featuring a presentation and discussion with the New England Young Fisherman's Alliance.

Learn more about the 2022-2023 Network Cafe Series here