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by Kristina Bostick See Press Release Here Click the map above to go to the interactive version. When we convene with Farmers, either face to face or through our Producers Listserve. Some of the same challenges are shared again and again - the sky high price of land, which has lead to our Land Link program, and the lack of processing options in the local area. The first step to overcoming any challenge is collecting data and we were fortunate to have the help of our intern Todd Langstaff. Todd's research on local processing options has yielded the map above (click on map to go to interactive version) on what can be processed where. If you know of more slaughter facilities that would like to be added, let us know - info@mocoalliance.org We also have farmer recommendations for local label making companies for when it is time to label the final product: Hub Labels of Hagerstown Gateway Printing of Thurmont. The few facilities on the map close to the Ag Reserve that process non-game meats are in high demand and have long waiting periods. Local farmers have told us that driving animals farther afield is not just inconvenient but puts unnecessary stress on the animals. by Kristina Bostick The Agricultural Services Division of the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development will open a Purchase Period for the Building Lot Termination Program beginning on February 1, 2014 and will close at the end of business on April 1, 2014.
No applications can be received prior to February 1, 2014 or after April, 1, 2014. The application for the Building Lot Termination Program is available from the Agricultural Services Website at the following link: Application for the BLT Program: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/agservices/resources/files/BLT_Files/blteaseappl.pdf To be eligible for the BLT program:
The APAB will make a recommendation to the Director of Economic Development as to who should receive BLT purchase offers based on the BLT ranking system. The Director will make a determination and direct staff to make offers to qualified applicants from the ranking provided by the APAB. Landowners wishing to discuss the property in context with the BLT program can contact John Zawitoski (301-590-2810) or via email at john.zawitoski@montgomerycountymd.gov He will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this program. It should be recognized that it is very likely that there will be more applicants then funding available and therefore not every applicant can be funded. Any applicant not funded during this open purchase period will be automatically enrolled in subsequent open purchase periods unless otherwise directed they wish to be removed from consideration. by Kristina Bostick UPDATE- A new study has shown that in the 2002 drought, around 25% of the Potomac's flow came from Little Seneca Reservoir and Ten Mile Creek. The idea that this is not a current and future water source for 4.3 Million doesn't...hold water. In an email to supporters, Pulte Homes (one of a few developers looking to start projects in the sensitive Ten Mile Creek watershed) said the following: "The lake is not an emergency drinking water supply. It's a backup source of water for the Potomac River during times of severe drought. The Potomac is a drinking water source." What? That is one serious linguistic shell game. Pulte is just one of a number of people that seem either legitimately or intentionally confused about the importance of the Little Seneca Reservoir and Ten Mile Creek.Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words- like this sign at the edge of the reservoir (again, the fact that its called a "reservoir" should give you a clue that the water is being held for later use): Not only are the reservoir and Ten Mile Creek part of our back-up drinking water supply serving 4.3 million metro area residents, but the reservoir is checked every year to be sure it can still be called upon to supplement our water supply, as this alert from the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin to the County Exec and Council made clear this summer. In fact, water from the Reservoir had to be used for drought abatement in 1999, 2002 and 2010. The Commission also reports that droughts will be getting a lot more common. So that's the Reservoir - what about Ten Mile Creek. When we say that Ten Mile Creek is the "Last, Best Stream" in the county, its not hyperbole. The creek is what is called a "reference" stream- a stream that is still pristine enough that we can compare degraded streams to it to see how bad off they are. As the first Council work session held yesterday showed, the draft planning board plan for development in the watershed would degrade Ten Mile Creek to the point that it will no longer be clean enough to serve as a reference- dirty just like the others. As one supporter asked, "can't we just have one clean creek?"So, how do we know that the proposed development will degrade the creek? Because the green parts on the right of the map below are not golf courses, that is the color of the water in our backup drinking water supply, as impacted by poorly planned development (click to see it bigger). Ten Mile Creek on the left, is still pristine and currently serves to dilute some of the degraded water. The point is- we have done this all before- the removal of forest cover, laying down impervious surface, and we can see the results. We still have a pristine stream that serves 4.3 Million people and will only be more important in the future. The current proposals will impact our drinking water and that is why we are making so much noise. The Council will decide on this in February- make sure they hear from you now. |
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MCA is proud to announce that we have been recognized for a third time as one of the best small charities in the D.C. region by Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. A panel of 110 expert reviewers from area foundations, corporate giving programs, and peer non-profit organizations evaluated 270 applications.
MCA is known as an effective and innovative non-profit whose efforts to preserve and promote Montgomery County’s nationally recognized 93,000 acre Ag Reserve have brought increased public and governmental support of local food production and farmland and open space preservation. Most importantly, MCA’s efforts are putting more farmers on the ground and keeping them there. |