|
Much of the prime farmland in Massachusetts is under pressure from developers.
The statistics startle us. The Massachusetts Community Preservation Coalition
points out that since 1945, Massachusetts
has lost over 1.3 million acres of farmland, nearly 20% of the entire
land area of the state. Every year, 200,000 more acres of land are lost
to development. The American Farmland Trust's Farming
on the Edge study and a recent University of Massachusetts
Resource Mapping study agree that we are losing cropland in Massachusetts
at an alarming rate.
Should we care? Hasn't our highly technical economy evolved well beyond
the hard labor, risk and often meager returns of agriculture and horticulture?
Isn't development good, or at least inevitable?
We need to care. Agriculture has a very positive effect on communities,
environmentally and in the hard to define area we call quality of life.
We discuss the environmentally positive aspects of agriculture in another
section. Let's look at ways that agriculture can help us maintain
and even improve the livability of our communities.
The landscape in New England and Massachusetts has, since the 1600s,
been a mix of forest and fields surrounding villages, towns and urban
centers. Much of the character of the state, the aesthetic qualities that
make us an attractive tourist destination, comes from the small, agrarian
village. Those of us who live here enjoy the appearance of our commons,
pastures and orchards.
In many cases, we can use the managed land for recreation. Many farmers
have opened up parts of their land for walking, riding or fishing. When
we stretch the definition of agriculture to include the acres of open
space we manage for athletic fields, golf or other recreation, the link
becomes much more obvious. Properly managed, horticultural and agricultural
landscapes provide a habitat for wildlife, keeping us better connected
with the natural world.
Agriculture provides a boost to local economies. Not only do the aesthetics
build tourism, but the production of farm products is still a viable business
in Massachusetts. In fact, direct sales of farm products is big in the
state. We rank 7th nationally in total value of direct sales, behind such
giants as California, New York and Michigan, and second nationally in
the value of average direct market sales per farm. Massachusetts has been
a leader in innovative agricultural marketing, with new community
supported enterprises springing up every year.
These agricultural businesses are largely (80%) family owned by our neighbors.
They spend nearly $212 million dollars a year on supplies and equipment.
While maintaining a strong presence in local markets, Massachusetts agriculture
actually exports $300 million a year, supporting 3600 jobs (1997 figures).
Without a doubt, agriculture and horticulture make invaluable contributions
to Massachusetts communities, in terms of both the economy and quality
of life. In spite of this, the pressure to develop agricultural land increases
almost daily. The challenge is to find a ways to maintain vital, environmentally
friendly agricultural businesses across Massachusetts, from cranberry
bogs to dairy farms, orchards to nurseries. To meet the challenge, agricultural
and community leaders must work together.
|
