Please read the story and respond to the Washington Post and County Council President Steve Silverman. We need letters defending the Agricultural Reserve land use model.
Here are a few quotes from the story:
- The amount of farmland lost from 1997 to 2002, "The Census of Agriculture figures released yesterday, however, show that the inventory of farmland dipped from about 124 square miles in 1997 to about 117 square miles in 2002. Twenty years before, about 166 square miles were farmland."
- "We're continuing to lose farm acres," said Jeremy Criss, agricultural services manager for the county. "To think that we are going to stop that trend is not realistic."
- "Annual sales of county agricultural products grew from $32 million to $42 million from 1997 to 2002 -- in inflation-adjusted dollars -- according to the census. The number of full-time farm operators also increased, from 237 to 291."
"The future of the agricultural reserve -- long a cornerstone in the county's planning and beloved by some for its "u-pick" orchards and country scenery -- is not clear."
Montgomery County Council President Silverman’s reaction:
- "We're not interested in paving over every square inch [in] Montgomery County," Silverman said. But "there will be tremendous pressure for us to encroach on the ag reserve."
Please take a few moments and write a letter to the editor and copy it to the County Council.
We need to speak up for the Ag Reserve.
Contact Information:
Washington Post
Phone: #301-2942600, Email your letter to the editor: