Farmers' Roundtable This Thursday

Seems like everywhere you turn, people are talking about local food and farming. On an Island where we have a local food movement that is well beyond the blossoming phase and heading into full bloom, it makes complete sense that a high school student has made being a small farm lobbyist her goal.

This year, the (MVYLI) partnered with the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) for its 2nd Annual Job Shadow Day largely due to youth leader Emma HallBilsback who aspires to own her own farm and become a small farm lobbyist.

HallBilsback is a founding member and team leader on MVYLI’s Sustainable Vineyard Map & 2020 Report Project which is being developed in partnership with the . In conjunction with MVYLI's Annual Job Shadow Day, she has traveled to Boston to shadow top lobbyist Brad Mitchell, Director of Government Relations for the MFBF. She attended meetings with State Senator Dan Wolf and others to learn about what it takes to become a small farm lobbyist.

On Feb. 2nd, Mitchell will travel to the Vineyard to attend the reception for MVYLI's Job Shadow Day and he agreed to arrive early to participate in a Farmers Roundtable hosted by The FARM Institute. “The Farmer’s Roundtable is a great idea where MFBF, The FARM Institute and Island farmers can collaborate on how to work together,” HallBilsback said. “Right now, the Island produces 5% of our food. In MYVLI’s Sustainable Vineyard 2020 Report, we set a goal to increase our food supply to 10% by 2020. We hope the Farmers’ Roundtable helps us to move towards our collective goal.”

Mitchell will be presenting an overview of MFBF and the work that it does on behalf of farmers in the state. Among the topics to be discussed are several pieces of legislation that could benefit Martha’s Vineyard farmers.  Of special interest to local farmers is the MFBF bill that would move oversight of slaughter operations from the Department of Public Health to the Department of Agricultural Resources.  Following Mitchell’s presentation, there will be a question and answer session followed by a discussion period.

New England farmers typically have more free time in the winter months, and this discussion is scheduled to take advantage of that lull in the workload.  “If we’re not farming, it’s probably because we’re talking about farming,” said Jon Previant, Executive Director of the FARM Institute. “This is a great opportunity to get together and learn about what’s going on across the water that impacts us.” 

Mitchell agreed saying that, “Island and mainland farmers have many of the same issues and concerns. We have a stronger voice on Beacon Hill and elsewhere if that voice is unified.”

Marianne Larned, executive director of the Stone Soup Leadership Initiative and MVYLI said, “We’re thrilled to help support Emma. This was really inspired by her. And by getting Mr. Mitchell to come down here and have Vineyard farmers heard in Boston and Washington DC, we can all benefit and have more locally grown food. Our goal is a sustainable Vineyard and helping the kids see that they can shape that, is what it’s all about.”

The Farmers' Roundtable is open to the public and takes place Thursday, February 2nd at 2:30 pm at the FARM Institute in Edgartown. For more information, and to RSVP, please email MVYLI: mvyouthleaders@gmail.com

 The Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation is a non-profit, member-driven organization, representing 6,000 family members across the Commonwealth. Its mission is “to protect the rights, encourage the growth, and be of service to its members, in the best interest of agriculture.”  Contact: Brad Mitchell, Director of Government Relations, tel. 508-481-4766, email: brad@mfbf.net, 249 Lakeside Ave., Marlborough, MA 01752 www.mfbf.net

 Martha’s Vineyard Youth Leadership Initiative mission is to train the next generation of Island leaders to build a more sustainable world. MVYLI is a project of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute: www.soup4worldinstitute.com. Contact: Marianne Larned, Director, tel. 617-304-7821, email: mvyouthleaders@gmail.com, PO Box 4551, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568  www.mvyli.org

The FARM Institute is an educational institution that educates and engages children and adults in sustainable agriculture through the diverse operations of a working farm. Contact: Chrissy Kinsman, Marketing and Development Director, tel. 508-627-7007,  email: chrissy@farminstitute.org,  PO Box 1868, Edgartown, MA 02539  www.farminstitute.org