A Secure Food System Starts With Preserved Farmland

The Connecticut River Valley is home to some of the best farmland in the world.
  • 1,950 FARMS
  • 91,000 ACRES OF ACTIVE FARMLAND, 70% ON PRIME SOILS
  • 1/3 OF MASSACHUSETTS FARMLAND IS LOCATED IN THE VALLEY
Many farmers have permanently conserved their farms, but only 30% of the regions farmland has been protected.
  • 67,580 ACRES OF ACTIVE FARMLAND ARE STILL UNPROTECTED, INCLUDING 47,608 ACRES OF PRIME SOILS
  • SINCE 1972, ABOUT 23,000 ACRES OF FARMLAND IN THE VALLEY HAVE BEEN LOST TO DEVELOPMENT
  • STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING IS AVAILABLE TO HELP FARMERS PROTECT LAND RATHER THAN DEVELOP IT
Agriculture is vital to our economy.
  • $121 MILLION IN FARM SALES EACH YEAR
  • 3,800 JOBS GENERATE $27 MILLION IN FARM WORKER PAYROLL
  • 300 LOCAL FOOD BUSINESSES AND 34 FARMER'S MARKETS
  • APPROXIMATELY 13% OF HOUSEHOLD FOOD BUDGETS IN THE VALLEY ARE SPENT ON LOCAL FOOD
Valley residents are fortunate to have a bounty of harvests year round, but we need to do more to ensure that local farms feed local people.
  • 100,000 RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO FOOD
  • BASED ON AVAILABLE LOCAL FARMLAND, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE VALLEY COULD MEET 17.6% OF ITS OWN FOOD NEEDS