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Registration is open for agricultural business training courses

 

This winter, the MA Dept. of Agricultural Resources will offer two courses:

“Exploring the Small Farm Dream ”

Green field with cows

5-session course using curriculum and workbook developed by the New England Small Farm Institute.  For those who are thinking about or in the planning stages of a starting their own farm, including those who are expanding a hobby to an income-generating scale.  This course offers guidance and resources to help make informed decisions about what’s involved with owning your own farm so you can decide whether to take the plunge – and how to proceed in the first stages.

“Growing Your Farm Business Planning Course”

A course to help established farmers develop a business plan and financial projections for their farm business. This course covers topics including resource assessment, marketing strategy, financial management, risk management, quality of life, and goal setting. The course is taught by professional business planners with years of experience working with Massachusetts farms and guest speakers on current topics such as succession planning and online marketing. Enrollment is open to farmers who have been operating a farm business in Massachusetts for at least the two prior years.

Full course descriptions, course schedules, and applications are available online at https://www.mass.gov/service-details/agricultural-business-training-program-abtp

 

Drought Conditions Worsen in CT River Valley

On Tuesday, August 9th, MA Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Beth Card escalated the Connecticut River Valley to a Level 3-Critical Drought.

View water conservation tips, continue to follow any local city or town conservation restrictions, and monitor the drought status at: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/drought-status.

Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment: Project introduction and statewide climate impacts

Register for one of four climate conversations to join a statewide conversation on climate change impacts – such as extreme heat and flooding – affecting you, your families, and your community. The MA Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs is hosting these conversations to inform the 2022 Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment. Your feedback will be used to inform how the state prioritizes actions to address these challenges as part of the upcoming 2022 State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan (for more information and to view the 2018 Plan, visit: https://resilientma.org/home.html)

The 4 upcoming conversation sessions are scheduled for

  • 3/1/22 – 11:30 a.m.
  • 3/3/22 – 1:00 p.m.
  • 3/8/22 – 11:30 a.m.
  • 3/9/22 – 6:00  p.m.

Register for any of the four choices at: https://bit.ly/3JmIu2S

View the flyer: English
View the flyer: Spanish

Northfield and Warwick MVP / HMP Listening Session & Public Comment Period

Listening Session, May 27, 2021 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

The towns of Northfield and Warwick, with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, is hosting a public listening session to review key findings and priority actions that have come out of over a year of stakeholder outreach and virtual workshops. Both towns are seeking to become designated as a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) communities through the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ (EEA) MVP Program. Four Community Resilience Building workshops were held virtually in February and March to discuss impacts of climate change, identify the towns’ top hazards of concern, review current strengths and vulnerabilities, and brainstorm actions to increase resiliency in three categories – infrastructure, society, and environment. By becoming a designated MVP community, both towns will be eligible to apply for MVP Action Grants to pursue identified action items.

The process will also result in an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan for each town. Once the plan is approved by FEMA and MEMA, both towns will also be able to apply for hazard mitigation funding from those agencies.

The session will be held virtually on Thursday, May 27, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. An agenda with meeting link is below:

Northfield Warwick MVP HMP Listening Session_Agenda

Public Comment Period on Draft Plan, May 28 – June 11, 2021

The session will be followed by a 2-week public comment period on the final draft plan (see links below). Comments are due by Friday, June 11, 2021. Please submit comments to Alyssa or Helena, contact information below.

FULL PLAN – Northfield and Warwick Community Resilience Building and Hazard Mitigation Regional Plan

Northfield MVP Community Resilience Building Matrix

Warwick MVP Community Resilience Building Matrix

For more information please contact: Alyssa Larose, alarose@frcog.org, 413-774-3167 x127, or Helena Farrell, hfarrell@frcog.org

Northfield Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Survey and Materials

Northfield Seeks Public Input for MVP Action Items

The Town of Northfield, in collaboration with the Town of Warwick and with assistance from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, is seeking to become designated as a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) community through the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ (EEA) MVP Program. Two Community Resilience Building workshops were held virtually in March to discuss impacts of climate change on Northfield, identify Northfield’s top hazards of concern, review the Town’s current strengths and vulnerabilities, and brainstorm action items to increase resiliency in three categories – infrastructure, society, and environment. By becoming a designated MVP community, Northfield will be eligible to apply for MVP Action Grants to pursue identified action items. The result of the two workshops is a draft summary matrix outlining strengths, vulnerabilities, and potential action items:

Northfield CRB Risk Matrix_Wkshp2Completed

Northfield needs resident and stakeholder input on the draft action items – what should be Northfield’s top priorities to address vulnerabilities and build upon strengths? Please fill out THIS SURVEY to let us know! 

Your input will be used to prioritize actions in Northfield’s final MVP Plan. A public listening session will be held in May to present the final plan, date TBD.

Questions? Please contact Helena Farrell, Franklin Regional Council of Governments, at hfarrell@frcog.org, 413-774-3167 x134

Warwick Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Survey Link and Materials

Warwick Seeking Public Input for MVP Action Items

The Town of Warwick, in collaboration with the Town of Northfield and with assistance from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, is seeking to become designated as a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) community through the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ (EEA) MVP Program. Two Community Resilience Building workshops were held virtually in February and March to discuss impacts of climate change on Warwick, identify Warwick’s top hazards of concern, review the Town’s current strengths and vulnerabilities, and begin brainstorming action items to increase resiliency in three categories – infrastructure, society, and environment. Links to the workshop presentations are below:

MVP Workshop #1 Presentation Warwick

Moores Pond Beach in Warwick

MVP Workshop #2 Presentation Warwick

By becoming a designated MVP community, Warwick will be eligible to apply for MVP Action Grants to pursue identified action items. The result of the two workshops is a draft summary matrix outlining strengths, vulnerabilities, and potential action items:

Warwick MVP Workshop Matrix_March2021

Warwick needs resident and stakeholder input on the draft action items – what should be Warwick’s top priorities to address vulnerabilities and build upon strengths? What actions are missing? Please fill out THIS SURVEY by Sunday, April 11! 

Your input will be used to prioritize actions in Warwick’s final MVP Plan. A public listening session will be held in May to present the final plan, date TBD.

Questions? Please contact David Young, Warwick Town Coordinator, at coordinator@town.warwick.ma.us, 978-729-3224 (mobile), 413-676-9544 (broadband), or Alyssa Larose, Franklin Regional Council of Governments, at alarose@frocg.org, 413-774-3167 x127.

This is a joint project with the Town of Northfield. For more information about Northfield’s MVP progress, please see this summary document, or go to the Northfield Town website.