Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
for Jefferson County’s Agricultural Industry 2003 – 2013.
2005 Revision
Jefferson
County Agricultural Development Corporation
P.O. Box 838 21170 NYS Rte 232
Watertown, NY 13601 Phone (315) 782-1806
Fax (315) 782-1944
Email:
coordinator@comefarmwithus.com
Purpose of this Strategy.
This strategy was created to provide a written roadmap
to guide those individuals, agencies and organizations interested in developing the
agricultural economy of Jefferson County. It is our hope that this plan may provide
some direction for efforts to improve our industry. We fully recognize that over a
ten year period, it is highly probable that where we envisioned the industry going, and
where it actually ends up could be far apart. This plan should not be regarded as
the authority set in stone, but a fluid guide that can be altered as appropriate to
accommodate changes in the industry.
How the Strategy was developed.
The Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corporation, a
local development corporation focused on agriculture, was created by an ad-hoc committee
appointed by the Jefferson County Board of Legislators. The Corporations mission is to
assist in the retention, growth and promotion of Jefferson County’s agricultural
industry. The Corporation has utilized valuable tools such as the proceedings of the
1998 Agriculture and Natural Resources Conference, The Jefferson County Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy, and the 2002 Jefferson County Agricultural and Farmland
Protection Plan to guide it in its efforts.
In 2003, the Board of Directors of the Corporation underwent a
process to develop a vision for agriculture. The vision was used as the basis for the
strategy. Goals and objectives were identified that assist in achieving the stated
visions. The Board of Directors then approved the Strategy and sent it to the
Jefferson County Board of Legislators for their comments and acknowledgement.
In March of 2005, The JCADC Board of Directors reviewed and revised
this Strategy in cooperation with the Jefferson County Comprehensive Economic Development
Strategy five year review process.
Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corporation
Board
of Directors
Appointed Voting
Directors 7 + 2 Term of Office |
|
|
3
Dairy Farmers |
Term
of Office |
Doug Murray |
1/1/2008
– 12/31/2011 |
Nancy
Robbins |
1/1/2007
– 12/31/2010 |
Elizabeth
Lassen |
1/1/2006
– 12/31/2009 |
|
|
1
Non-dairy Farmer |
Term
of Office |
Deb Johnston
(Board Treasurer) |
1/1/2006
– 12/31/2009 |
|
|
2
Ag Business Representatives |
Term
of Office |
Bob Laisdell (Secretary of Board) |
1/1/2006
– 12/31/2009 |
Jan
Martusewicz |
1/1/2007
– 12/31/2010 |
|
|
1
Ag Lending Institution Rep. |
Term
of Office |
Kathryn
Canzonier |
1/1/2008
– 12/31/2011 |
|
|
2
Members at large selected by the
Board of Directors at their discretion. |
Term of Office |
Position 1
– John Jennings (Board VP) |
1/1/2008
– 12/31/2011 |
Position 2
– 1 year term |
3 Year Term |
|
|
Ex-officio Voting Members (4) |
|
Jefferson County Farm Bureau Representative
Kurt Gehrke
Chairperson of Jefferson County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board
Doug Shelmidine (Board President)
Executive Director of Jefferson County Job Development Corporation
Don Alexander (interim Director)
Chairperson of Jefferson County Board of Legislators or designate
Honorable Barry Ormsby
Chairperson
of Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation
District or designate
Harry Potter/Brian Wohnsiedler
President
of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County Board
of Directors or designate
Kevin Jordan /Richard Halpin
USDA
Farm Service Agency County Committee Representative
Glenn Bullock
Executive
Director of the Development Authority of the
North Country or designate
Kevin Jordan
Executive
Director of the NYS Commission on Tug Hill or designate
Katie Malinowski
Economic
Development Program Administrator for the Empire State
Development Regional Office or designate
Ron Stanton
Jefferson
County Administrator or designate
Robert Hagemann, III
|
Our Vision of Jefferson County’s
Agricultural Industry in the Next 5-10 Years
The Agricultural Industry will be characterized by:
A strong agricultural economy led by the dairy industry.
Fewer but larger dairy farms.
A higher number of employees per farm.
Increased use of technological advances on the farm.
Farms will be expected to continue better waste handling practices.
Further advancements in the use of methane digesters and other waste
handling processes on the farm.
Further advancements and better use of grass based operations are
expected.
Increased development pressure will continue to occur on farms near
areas of higher population density.
Marginal farmland will be available for more non-traditional,
non-dairying agricultural activities.
Dairy manufacturers will need to continue advancing cost saving
measures to compete in a highly competitive global market.
The need for creative, more aggressive economic development
initiatives to allow our dairy manufacturers and producers to compete on a nationwide and
global scale will increase.
A larger number of entrepreneurs will look to develop diversified
agricultural based enterprises — some supporting traditional dairying operations,
others will focus on non-dairy operations.
Ranked Goals for the
Agricultural Industry.
The following goals were developed by the Jefferson County
Agricultural Development Corporation. The first 5 goals were ranked in order of highest
priority to lowest priority. The remaining goals are listed as other priorities.
1. Assist farms seeking to improve viability of their business.
2. Maintain and improve our manufacturing base.
3. Provide adequate financial resources for the industry.
4. Assist the agricultural industry in adopting new, improved, or
proven technology or techniques in agricultural production or manufacturing.
5. Strengthen the diversity of our agricultural industry.
Other priorities:
Continue to participate in the Come farm With Us Farm
Marketing program.
Implement
components of the Jefferson County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan and other
objectives that address farmland protection.
Support North
Country Agricultural Research Institute
Improve agri-tourism opportunities in Jefferson County.
Maintain and
improve communication with agricultural industry, non-farm public, elected officials and
other agencies.
|
